Washington’s slide has exposed a simple truth: when Jayden Daniels isn’t on the field, the offense loses its edge. One stat captures it third-down conversion has fallen from 45% in 2024 to 35% through seven games in 2025, a steep drop that mirrors the quarterback’s on-and-off availability and a receiver room hit by injuries.
That kind of decline isn’t cosmetic; it flips drives, time of possession, and field position, and it’s why Washington’s margin for error has vanished during a 3-4 start.
Dan Quinn offered a bit of relief on Monday. Per ESPN’s John Keim, the coach said Daniels “had a good rehab session” and that he expects the rookie to practice Tuesday. That’s the first tangible sign that the hamstring strain that forced Daniels out against Dallas is trending in the right direction.
Washington’s issues didn’t start and won’t end with health, but availability is the first domino. Without Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel against the Cowboys, the Commanders’ passing game shrank, and the stress bled into situational football, more third-and-longs, more pressure snaps, more hits on the quarterback.
Quinn acknowledged as much after the 44-22 loss, promising a short-week reset on details, tackling, and execution. The hope: if Daniels can log team reps by midweek, Washington can restore some of its staple concepts, RPOs, movement throws, and designed keepers that keep defenses honest.
There was a brief alarm when reports indicated Daniels would miss the Chiefs game on Monday night, and backup Marcus Mariota indeed drew the start.
The broader takeaway remains unchanged: Washington must stabilize third downs and clean up protection regardless of who’s under center, and that means simplifying the menu, getting the ball out on time, and letting the speed outside do the work as McLaurin and Samuel work back to full workloads.
The schedule doesn’t wait. At 3-4, the Commanders are alive but thin on cushion. If Daniels practices Tuesday and stacks sessions without setbacks, Washington can start building back the efficiency that defined last year’s surge. The path forward is clear enough: get healthy, win early downs, and let your best player tilt the math again.
