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As Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels made his way through the concourse of Capital One Arena following a Washington Capitals game in late April, he was forced to begrudgingly reach a conclusion about his status in the nation’s capital that many had known for months: He was a big deal.
All totaled, Daniels and his group needed 10 security guards and four ushers to help control the crowd at multiple points in the arena. And when he finally went to his car — around an hour after the game had ended — another hundred or so fans were waiting.
“From a security standpoint, this was our most challenging VIP for a game,” said Jeremy Bull, who is the director of event security for the arena. “We have everyone from presidents to congressmen on a regular basis. He was by far our biggest celebrity that other guests were interested in.”
For Daniels, who says he is happier hanging out with friends at home than going out, the extra attention he received at the game took him by surprise.
[A]s the world around him changed, Daniels, according to those who know him best, has not. And while that world around him remains impressed with all he accomplished in a dazzling Year 1, Daniels, who is kept grounded by his family and friends in his hometown of San Bernardino, California, is eager to turn the page and continue improving his game in Year 2.
Daniels was invited to appear for sit-down interviews on approximately 20 national shows, Mule said. Daniels also received as many as 20 endorsement opportunities. He was asked to go to Paris for a week in April to promote the NFL. He was invited to fashion shows in Milan and Paris, as well as the Cannes Film Festival.
Daniels declined most of the requests, passing on all but a handful of national interviews — turning down “Sundae Conversation,” “iShowSpeed,” all the fashion shows, Cannes and even “SportsCenter” in early July. (He did appear on the set when ESPN was at the Commanders’ practice July 27.) Otherwise, he has said no to all but several national media opportunities. And he rejected most of the marketing opportunities, especially if they interfered with his ability to train. He did go to Paris to promote the NFL, even spending half of his last day there getting his hair cut so he could land in California the next day and go train before heading to San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s wedding the following day.
“A lot of people say a lot of different things that kind of catch me off guard,” Daniels said, “like I changed their life, I saved their life and things like that. One person jokingly said I was the reason why the crime rate went down [in Washington] during football season last year.”
Daniels said he now understands the heightened interest others have in him.
“I never thought there’d be a day I had to have security,” said Daniels, “but when I go out that’s always a thing I have to have.”
ESPN
The Washington Commanders fear veteran running back Austin Ekeler tore his right Achilles in the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s
27-18 loss to the Green Bay Packers, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Ekeler, 30, needs to undergo imaging that is scheduled for Friday for confirmation, sources said.
“That will be significant,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said about the potential season-ending loss of Ekeler. “He provides a lot of unique things for us.”
With 5:50 to play, Ekeler was running a route on third-and-10 and went to cut, only to fall to the ground. He was helped to the sideline as athletic trainers looked at his right foot.
Ekeler was taken to the locker room and ruled out shortly afterward. He left the stadium using crutches and wearing a walking boot on his right foot.
ESPN
Parsons certainly did his part. He pressured Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels six times on 32 pass rushes. On those plays, Daniels completed just 1 of 3 passes for 9 yards with two scrambles for 9 yards and was sacked once — a shared sack between Parsons and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.
The Packers improved to 2-0 in large part because, for the first time since the 1995 season, they gave up fewer than 250 yards in each of their first two games of the season.
While Parsons has made a major impact on the Packers’ defense, he has also been quick to credit his new teammates — Nixon among them. The cornerback broke up five passes, the most by any player in an NFL game since 2021. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Nixon was targeted six times as the nearest defender in coverage and allowed one catch for 9 yards.
NFL.com
Commanders offense looked tepid at best. Through two games, the Commanders have lacked consistent production and explosiveness. The Packers defense appears legitimate, but Washington’s inability to move the ball readily until late in the game was a curious sight. The Commanders didn’t turn the ball over technically, but they had far too many empty possessions — four punts, two missed field-goal tries and two turnovers on downs. Watching Dan Quinn take the ball out of Jayden Daniels’ hands at the end of the first half on fourth-and-4 to try a 58-yard field goal — with three timeouts and 14 seconds left — was curious. Daniels was under fire much of the game, pressured 21 times and sacked four times. Deebo Samuel had a long kickoff return and scored a touchdown in garbage time, but he and Terry McLaurin were bottled up early. Washington all but abandoned the run in the second half, outside of short yardage and Daniels scrambles. He threw for only 200 yards on 42 attempts and never made a dent in the game with his legs.
Commanders suffered some big injuries. Late in the game, with the Packers up comfortably, running back Austin Ekeler started to run and suffered a non-contact Achilles injury. That’s not good for an older running back, and it puts more pressure on rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to perform. Another serious-looking injury hit the defense in the first half, with Deatrich Wise’s lower leg being rolled up on following a Packers extra point. Wide receiver Noah Brown suffered a groin injury, being ruled out quickly after leaving the game, and cornerback Jonathan Jones and offensive tackle Brandon Coleman also got hurt — though Coleman returned — making it a tough night all around for the Commanders. To add insult to injury, they missed two field-goal tries from 50-plus yards, which harkened back to their long-distance issues from last season. They have the mini-bye to rest up for the Raiders, but the severity of a few of those injuries suggest the Commanders will have to patch some holes.
NFL.com
The 18-point output tied for the fewest the Commanders put up in a Daniels start. Washington also accumulated the fewest total yards (230), yards per play (3.5), rush yards (51) and first downs (15) with the young phenom under center.
Daniels finished 24-of-42 passing for 200 yards with two passing TDs and zero interceptions for an 85.4 passer rating. Green Bay hemmed in the elusive quarterback, allowing just 17 rushing yards, the second-fewest of his career. Washington fell to 0-4 when Daniels generates fewer than 25 rushing yards (13-2 with 25-plus rush yards).
The Athletic (paywall)
Likely long-term injuries to running back Austin Ekeler (Achilles) and
defensive end Deatrich Wise, Jr. (right quad) made the Commanders’ bad night even worse. Ekeler was Washington’s starter, but more importantly, he finished games for the Commanders when they needed big fourth-quarter plays. Washington invested significantly in revamping the defensive line; Wise was one of the team’s biggest free-agent signings in the offseason, and had gotten off to a strong start.
If they’re both out for months, or the season, it’s a big blow. But Washington’s other players have to get themselves right.
“I want to make sure that the identity and the style that we want to play is right,” coach Dan Quinn said. “I can live with the mistakes. How fast can we get back to correcting them, in Game 2 and 3 and 4, that early piece? … Even in a game where it doesn’t go your way, I want to see the finishing. I want to see those plays in all three phases. And we just didn’t have enough of those tonight.”
The problems were all over the place. Washington’s run defense was pretty good against Josh Jacobs, holding the Packers’ back to 84 yards on 23 carries. But Green Bay found all kinds of success in two-tight end personnel, with Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave finding open spots in Washington’s zone or beating their defenders when the Commanders tried man coverage.
Washington can live to play another day if Daniels misses receivers. He’ll get his timing down with them. But neither Washington nor its superstar QB will last long if Daniels is getting picked up off the ground as much as he was Thursday.
[F]lipping the field didn’t pay off; Washington started drives on its 45-yard line, 43-yard line, Green Bay’s 44-yard line and midfield, yet managed just one touchdown on those four drives.
“I fully take responsibility for the loss,” Gay said afterward. Good on him for taking accountability. But there were a lot more guys in the road burgundy who weren’t at their best Thursday.
There is time and room for this team to grow and come together, despite the really bad injury news Thursday. But the Packers, in taking both the Lions and Commanders apart to start their season, have put an early marker down in the NFC. Philly is still Philly. But the Eagles aren’t the only team in the conference Washington’s now chasing.
Washington Post (paywall)
There were plenty of ways for the Commanders to come into Lambeau Field on Thursday night and trudge back home with a loss, still feeling pretty decent about themselves. What transpired in a
dismal 27-18 dismantling was not one of them. The Packers welcomed the Commanders into their hallowed home and darn well steamrolled them.
A win Thursday would have solidified Washington’s standing among the NFC’s elite. A tough loss? Fine. Plenty of good teams will come to Lambeau, battle the 77,289 cheeseheads who make the place a football cathedral, and lose. No shame in that.
But this? This will make the next 10 days difficult, so full of consternation. The Packers pushed the Commanders around. They looked faster at the skill positions and stronger on both sides of the line. They led 14-3 at the half, and the predominant sentiment was, “They
only scored 14 points?” Maybe, by the end of the night, this wasn’t a blowout on the scoreboard. It was a blowout on the stat sheet, where Green Bay outgained Washington 404-230. More important, it was a blowout to the eyeballs.
“They played better than us,” quarterback Jayden Daniels said. “Not much to say.”
Well, actually, there’s a lot to say. And with the next game not until Sept. 21 against Las Vegas, there’s plenty of time to say it.
The Athletic (paywall)
Washington’s offense, once so explosive and prolific, has now struggled against two of the league’s most talented defensive fronts. And a defense that seemed to gain confidence as last season progressed has so far shown its age and mistakes with missed tackles, missed assignments, blown coverages and more.
Multiple Commanders players cited a lack of execution. Linebacker Bobby Wagner said it’s a matter of staying on the “little details.”
Quinn, however, said it’s about playing to their identity.
“I just want to make sure our attitude, our style of finishing is right, and that’s what I want to make sure we can get done,” he said. “It just wasn’t to the spot I’d like that to be at.”
In short: The little things are adding up.
The offensive line, especially the right side with guard Nick Allegretti and rookie tackle Josh Conerly Jr., couldn’t contend with Green Bay’s speed or aggressiveness, leaving Daniels under duress (if not on the ground) for much of the game. He was pressured on a career-high 25 of his 51 dropbacks (49 percent), according to TruMedia, mostly by four-man rushes.
The Packers blitzed Daniels 12 times (23.5 percent of his dropbacks), creating seven pressures and two of their four total sacks, per Next Gen Stats. Daniels was limited to a career-worst 30.0 percent completion percentage and zero rushing yards against the blitz.
Green Bay’s front also stifled Daniels’s running ability. Last season, Daniels had the NFL’s second-most designed QB runs (58) and yards (302), according to Next Gen Stats. On Thursday, he had no designed runs; all seven of his rushing attempts were scrambles, which produced a mere 17 yards.
Commanders.com
Whether it was missed field goals, failing to sustain drives or missing tackles for a loss by just a few inches, game-changing plays seemed just out of the Commanders’ reach. And for every mistake, Jordan Love and the Packers seemed to have an answer for it.
Although there were a handful of positive plays that kept them hanging around in the Thursday Night Football matchup, the Commanders were out of sync from their usual selves in the 27-18 loss that dropped them to 1-1. It was a reminder that while there was excitement about what the team can accomplish in 2025, there is still plenty of work to be done on both sides of the ball.
It took a while for Jayden Daniels and the Commanders’ offense to get going, largely because of the Packers’ pass rush. Daniels was under pressure for most of the evening, as he was sacked four times. They didn’t gain a first down until the second quarter and couldn’t muster 100 total yards of offense until the third quarter. The rushing offense, which put up 220 yards in Week 1, was stifled to just 51 yards on 19 carries.
Riggo’s Rag
On
Thursday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers, Croskey-Merritt’s progress took a couple of unexpected twists.
The Commanders seemed hesitant to get Croskey-Merritt involved. This can likely be explained by the fact that they were playing from behind all night, and the rookie is not known as a pass-catching back.
Austin Ekeler is, and after seeing only six carries in Week 1 to Croskey-Merritt’s 10, the nine-year veteran was Washington’s featured back on with
eight carries and a pair of receptions. Like most of the Commanders’ offense, he struggled to make an impact, accounting for only 17 yards on the ground and seven more receiving.
Croskey-Merritt equaled Ekeler’s total in rushing yards on only half of his carries, which makes one wonder what Washington could’ve done had he been featured more heavily. The Packers’ defense was dominant, but perhaps the No. 245 overall selection could have provided a spark had he been able to touch the ball more than four times.
Only one thing is for certain: Croskey-Merritt won’t be left out of the Commanders’ game plan moving forward. Unfortunately, it’s for the
worst possible reason.
Late in the fourth quarter, Ekeler suffered a non-contact injury, which the team has already confirmed is to his Achilles tendon. If it’s a tear, that’s going to end his campaign and possibly his career.
Assuming Ekeler is out for the season, Croskey-Merritt likely becomes Washington’s starting running back. It’s not the way anybody wanted to see his rise to RB1 status happen, but the first-year pro must make the best out of a difficult situation to cement his importance.
Podcasts & videos
Bill Croskey-Merritt + Brian Mitchell on Packers, Hall of Fame and Legacy | Next Man Up | Commanders
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Blogging the Boys
I have said consistently that the Giants, and Jaxson Dart specifically, will be best served by waiting as long as possible to turn to Dart. No quarterback has ever been hurt by having to wait his turn. Plenty have been ruined by being asked to do too much too soon, or by being thrown to the wolves in front of terrible offensive lines. The longer the Giants can wait, the better.
That said, I don’t know how long they can, or will, wait. Brian Daboll is, justifiably, under pressure. His future is tied to Jaxson Dart. I can’t imagine he will let the season slip away before getting Dart on the field. I do not think it would be best for Dart, but if the Giants no-show on offense again I won’t be shocked if Dart takes over at some point on Sunday.
Big Blue View
Fans are split on whether this game is a must win, but they agree that the team must play better
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Articles
NFL.com
Reed suffered a broken collarbone in the first quarter of Green Bay’s
27-18 win over the Washington Commanders on Thursday night and will miss “a lot of time,” head coach Matt LaFleur announced after the game.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported it’s a 6-8 week injury, hopefully ushering a Reed return in November.
aBit o’Twitter
Commanders RT Josh Conerly Jr. & RG Nick Allegretti vs. Packers:
15 total pressures allowed
9 hurries allowed
4 sacks allowed
(via
@TruMediaSports)
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala)
September 12, 2025
Via PFF accounting from last night:
Josh Conerly allowed 9 pressures
Nick Allegretti allowed 5 pressures
Tyler Biadasz allowed 2 pressures
Brandon Coleman allowed 4 pressures
Laremy Tunsil allowed 3 pressures
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen)
September 12, 2025
Also jarring that Washington's DLine couldnt get much going early with GB down 2 OL starters.
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS)
September 12, 2025
Aqib Talib says that the blueprint is out on how to beat the Commanders
@heykayadams |
@AqibTalib21 pic.twitter.com/ESN3HlkeML
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow)
September 12, 2025
lowest rate of explosive plays allowed by a defense thru 2 weeks since 2000:
2.4% – 2001 Baltimore Ravens
2.8% – 2001 San Diego Chargers
3.0% – 2007 Indianapolis Colts
3.8% – 2017 Carolina Panthers
3.8% – 2025 Green Bay Packers
*15+ yards
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball)
September 12, 2025
10 things that didn’t go well last night —
1) Matt Gay missed 2 of 3 field goals.
2) Lattimore looked like he did in 2024.
3) Conerly had another rough go vs an elite player.
4) Daniels had his worst game as a pro. Consecutive games without showing last year’s accuracy.
5)…
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen)
September 12, 2025
NFC East Meeting: Week 1
pic.twitter.com/RHvaiVV9j4
— Cameron Magruder (@ScooterMagruder)
September 11, 2025
WEEK ONE IS HERE! Come join us 
(@SHULTZIE79) 
(@ALL32NFL_) 
