Commanders fall to 0-2: What’s next after Jayden Daniels injury?, tell me about this news in (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7615031/2026/09/20/commanders-nfl-2026-score-result-takeaways-week-2/)

In their Week 2 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, the Washington Commanders fell 37-20, dropping to an 0-2 start to the season following their narrow Week 1 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles. However, the biggest blow to the team was the loss of starting quarterback Jayden Daniels to a significant arm injury.

How the Injury Happened

With three seconds remaining in the second quarter and Washington trailing 17-10, head coach Dan Quinn elected to go for a touchdown on third-and-goal from the Dallas 1-yard line instead of kicking a field goal. After taking the snap, Daniels tripped over an offensive lineman’s foot. As he went down, he extended his left arm to brace himself, causing his elbow to bend awkwardly before he threw the ball away. Daniels collapsed in severe pain, was fitted with an air cast on his left arm, and was carted off the field. The injury is particularly concerning because Daniels previously suffered a dislocated left elbow during the 2025 season. Before exiting, he had completed 11 of 17 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, adding 69 rushing yards.

The Game Outcome

Veteran backup Marcus Mariota took over at quarterback for the second half. While Washington managed to put points on the board, the offense struggled to maintain momentum against Dallas, and the Cowboys pulled away in the second half to secure a comfortable 37-20 victory.

What’s Next for the Commanders

• Quarterback Situation: Marcus Mariota is expected to step into the starting role for the foreseeable future while Daniels undergoes further medical imaging and evaluations to determine the full extent of the damage and his recovery timeline.

• Early Season Hole: Falling to 0-2with both losses coming against NFC East rivals in Philadelphia and Dallasputs Washington in an early divisional hole.

• Offensive Adjustments: Offensive coordinator David Blough and Dan Quinn will need to retool the game plan around Mariota’s skill set, leaning more heavily on the running game and short-to-intermediate passing attack as they prepare for their upcoming Week 3 home matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.