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Commander Country

Grading Every Commanders Position Group After Brutal Loss to Cowboys

The Washington Commanders lost much more than their second straight game to a hated division rival, with Jayden Daniels' injury overshadowing a brutal afternoon in Dallas.
Henry Brown|
Sep 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) reacts as he leaves the game with an apparent injury to his left arm during the second half against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Sep 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) reacts as he leaves the game with an apparent injury to his left arm during the second half against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Washington Commanders

NFL viewing experiences, particularly those that take place as early as mid-September, don't get much gloomier than what the Washington Commanders inflicted on their fan base in Week 2.

Losing 37-20 to a loathed division rival like the Dallas Cowboys is one thing, and falling to 0-2 on the young season- the only NFC East team to do so- is another entirely. What fans will continue struggling to cope with, though, perhaps long after the defeat's other storylines are long-forgotten, was the latest addition to Jayden Daniels' already-checkered elbow-related injury history.

Anyone watching the live broadcast has already seen the replayed clip of Daniels' attempted landing enough, but in case anyone doesn't know, he suffered a dislocated left elbow and will undergo further testing to determine the extent of the damage. Questions regarding whether he's durable enough for the big leagues will continue to bounce around among members of the national media as he faces another potentially extended absence, but the rest of his fellow Commanders have 15 games left to play while anticipating his potential return.

On what takeaways they left out on the field this weekend:

Quarterbacks Grade: A-

Washington fans who departed the season opener feeling optimistic about Daniels' strong close to the game got everything they wanted from the star quarterback through the first half of action. After going three-and-out on his first attempted drive, he'd go on to make the Cowboys look silly amidst their attempts to catch him on scrambles and through traffic.

That mobility, along with his cannon of an arm and the ease with which he fed his receivers the ball, was immediately missed and mourned during a glum halftime break.

Backup Marcus Mariota, to his credit, held his own, posting near-identical completion numbers and tossing for a touchdown of his own. He and the starter combined for 279 all-purpose yards in a spirited effort, though this outing is destined to be more strongly associated with what the Commanders lost than with how close they came to statistically evening the odds in Dallas.

Running Backs Grade: B-

While Bill Croskey-Merritt led the ground attack last week, Rachaad White made his own case as the 1-B back in his first instance shining alongside old college buddy Daniels. The two flexed their rumored chemistry with White's bid for the position's top gig, as he flashed out for occasional pass-catching opportunities, ensuring his quarterback never lacked short-range options.

He tied Croskey-Merritt in rushing yards with 43, albeit on five fewer backfield touches. White will be an interesting veteran to monitor as a counter to the starter, a more versatile receiver and playmaker than his battering ram of a positional partner, even if the newcomer will miss Daniels as much as anyone after just now tapping into his fresh-start intrigue.

Washington Commanders Running Back Rachaad White
Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White (1) returns a kick against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wide Receivers Grade: B

On paper, Terry McLaurin had another particularly tough go at it: two receptions on nine targets accounted for over half of Washington's total incompletions. But anyone who watched knew that he wasn't quite as invisible as he was during Week 1; he got wide open and made key catches on several momentum-shifting plays. Unfortunately, most of his best highlights lasted only a mere moment before getting called back or overturned.

That seemed to be the Commanders' story of the afternoon. The same touchdown-wait-just-kidding fate similarly befell Dyami Brown on his own reviewed ruling. Stefon Diggs didn't seem to have any trouble with the ill-timed refereeing decisions in hauling in two more scores, though Antonio Williams wasn't given much of a chance, being limited to three targets. File this as another mixed-bag outing for one of the team's more talented position groups.

Tight Ends Grade: C

Very little was expected in this department, with Week 1 starter Chig Okonkwo ruled inactive, and very little out of the ordinary was provided.

Part of the ineffective depth results stemmed from the play-calling, with deep-cut reserves like Ben Sinnott and Colson Yankoff each getting just one passing look apiece. They did their jobs on the fringes, trying to extend drives as little-used receivers, while John Bates remained active as an inline blocker, occasionally diverting from the pack for his own catching opportunities.

Offensive Line Grade: C+

At the very least, Daniels wasn't running for his life with the same panicked composure he'd shown over the prior weekend. His protection wasn't great, but it was good enough for the offense to move the ball downfield with both Daniels and Mariota under center, and that was with starting left tackle Brandon Coleman leaving the matchup early with a finger injury.

Washington's front line will surely remain a position group worth watching as they keep losing parts, with stout guard Sam Cosmi getting his bell loudly rung following a head-on collision with reserve back Kaytron Allen. They couldn't afford many absences before, and may have to keep running on fumes preparing for life in front of Mariota.

Defensive Front Seven Grade: C-

A week after looking like arguably the best linebacker unit of the young Daniels era, the Commanders' intriguing band of edge-rushers and inside disruptors slightly cratered with Frankie Luvu notably absent. One of Dak Prescott's touchdown passes to Jake Ferguson was scored right through a gap in the middle over Leo Chenal's outstretched hand, right where Luvu would normally rotate over to.

They once again held up against the run while sacking Prescott twice, though his success on 26 of his 31 throwing attempts will reflect on the unit's ability to disrupt his lanes and crowd his pocket. A clear step in the wrong direction following last week's inspired effort in Philadelphia.

Secondary Grade: D-

The Commanders' back-line defenders weren't exactly on their A-game last week either, but at least their safeties did enough to help the linebacker unit in slowing the Eagles down. No such luck this time around; Prescott got the ball to whoever he wanted, wherever he wanted, all game long, making Washington's defensive backs look as ineffective as ever.

Again, no one struggled quite like Mike Sainristil. He allowed four catches on five total targets, including both of CeeDee Lamb's touchdown catches on an afternoon when he was routinely beaten in coverage. That nagging need for change won't go anywhere so long as Washington's secondary keeps giving clear territory up to alpha-dog passers and receivers.

Special Teams Grade: C

Much like the tight ends unit, the special teams crew provided few notes worth reviewing post-game. Their defense allowed few big plays in transitioning possession, and the improved offense left punter Tress Way with few punting opportunities to take advantage of. Jaylin Lane couldn't make much of anything happen on his return attempts while rookie kicker Drew Stevens added another missed field goal to his short resume, though very few of the game's low points could ultimately be blamed on special teamers.

Coaching Staff Grade: F

For as many finger-point-worthy contributors as this game produced, rest assured; no one will earn as many pointed rants as each of the Commanders' chief coordinators has already begun accruing.

First, David Blough. Though the rookie offensive play-caller enjoyed a smoother all-around outing in Dallas compared to whatever it was he endured during his rude season-opening awakening, he wasn't without a few strange decisions. Beyond marginal complaints like Williams getting buried in the receiving depth chart, what could have inspired Blough to call back-to-back trick plays that involved wide receivers playing quarterback with Mariota still on the field? He's still a long way away from figuring out how to balance his talented asset pool, a concern that Daniels' updated status report won't at all alleviate.

Daronte Jones Jr., too, didn't seem to enjoy his finest hour as a sideline guru. The defensive coordinator's lapses could often be traced back to the on-field pieces he was missing, but he can only lean on incomplete and unimpressive units for so long before he's forced to address the defense's need for better communication.

And with Dan Quinn's own defensive-minded background leading the attack, the question of how he and Jones split such shortcomings will keep right on building as losses mount.

The head coach won't just be looked at for Prescott's comfortability or the secondary's listlessness, either. The way he continued riding Daniels down to the final seconds of the first half, desperately hunting a touchdown when he could have just kicked a field goal, will go down in infamy if the Daniels administration goes sideways. If his admittedly brittle quarterback suffered a near-identical injury to this same elbow within the last calendar year, shouldn't Quinn show a bit more caution in preventing his prized piece from tasting unnecessary danger?

Washington Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn
Aug 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn speaks with the defense during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He, more than either of his first-time coordinators, was expected to face the dreaded "hot-seat coach" narrative this fall should the Commanders slump into another subpar campaign. Coaches can't be faulted for every injury that befalls a roster, but the ease with which fans can trace Daniels' lowest points to a few devastating Quinn decisions may very well end up dooming the NFL-lifer.

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Published | Modified
Henry Brown
HENRY BROWN

Henry covers the Washington Wizards with prior experience as a sports reporter with The Baltimore Sun, The Capital Gazette, and The Lead. A Bowie, MD, native, he also handles On SI’s Wizards beat, extending his DMV coverage, and has earned his journalism degree from the University of Maryland.

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