BALTIMORE (AP) — The Washington Commanders and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels figured they’d find out just how good they are in a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, a perennial contender with a variety of weapons.
After getting knocked around the field in a 30-23 loss Sunday, the upstart Commanders now understand that much work must be done before they can formally consider themselves part of the league’s upper echelon.
“Although we were in it at the end,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said, “it felt lopsided.”
Riding high on a four-game winning streak that landed them atop the NFC East, the Commanders faced an experienced squad that featured an aggressive defense and an offense led by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and veteran running back Derrick Henry.
Losing only by a touchdown on the road against a team that last season played in the AFC title game, Washington (4-2) could have insisted it was on the cusp of being a legitimate contender. But the manner in which Jackson shredded the Commanders’ defense and the fashion in which Baltimore’s defense shackled the highest-scoring team in the league spoke volumes about the pecking order of these two Maryland-based franchises.
The Commanders’ only lead was 3-0 and they trailed 27-13 entering the fourth quarter. In their previous two games, blowouts against Arizona and Cleveland, Quinn rested his starters down the stretch. In this one, the Commanders were fighting to make a game of it over the final 15 minutes.
Although their winning streak is over, that didn’t make the entire afternoon a waste of time.
“I told the team, these are real important games for us to be in, to know what it’s like to go and fight,” Quinn said. “We fought all the way to the end. That’s what I was looking for.”
Daniels completed 25 of 34 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns, both to Terry McLaurin. But the young quarterback was outdone by Jackson, who went 20 for 26 for 323 yards and a score.
Jackson was aided by Henry, who ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels, on the other hand, was backed by a running game that could muster only 52 yards without injured starter Brian Robinson Jr.
Then again, it’s unlikely Robinson would have made a big difference against the league’s leading defense against the run and a unit that has long been known for its physicality.
Best you’ve seen all year, Jayden?
“To this point, for sure,” he said. “Obviously, what they do, how they operate, how they try to punch you in the mouth.”
Daniels didn’t come away with a win, but he certainly earned the respect of Jackson, who had a clear view of things from the Baltimore sideline.
“I believe he deserves all the hype he’s getting. He played a tremendous game out there,” Jackson said. “They just came up short. For six games, he’s been playing amazing.”
Daniels spent much of the afternoon trying to avoid pressure in the pocket while looking at well-covered receivers. It wasn’t much fun, but he and the Commanders are probably better for the experience.
“These are the type of games you want to be in. It’s the type of game that we’re probably going to be in moving forward,” Daniels said. “You’ve got to be able to pull those out.”
Not this time. But maybe the next time.
Commanders running back Austin Ekeler, who was held to 21 yards on nine carries, said: “It’s a situation where we came out, we battled, they made a few more plays than we did. But guess what? We’re going to come back, bounce back and be ready to go again.”
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