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Aug 18, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images Amber Searls-Imagn Images

3 biggest Commanders takeaways from Bengals game

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Caleb Skinner | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 9:27 PM ET

The Washington Commanders got their second preseason game underway against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. The biggest question throughout this week of training camp has been whether the starters would see any action, and for the most part, the Commanders trotted out their starting core.

The Commanders didn't send everyone out there in the second preseason game due to a slew of reasons, but we are getting to see a bit of what the Commanders' starting unit has in store for the 2025 season.

Here are a few of the highlights and lowlights from the starters for Washington until they were pulled from action.

Defense Strong, Not Perfect

The defense was without some key starters in their second preseason game, including future Hall of Famers Bobby Wagner and Von Miller. Despite missing leaders in the middle, the Commanders' starting defense played physical on the opening possession against the Bengals.

While the Bengals did score, the secondary held Tee Higgins and Ja'Mar Chase relatively in check. The big play came on third and goal when Quan Martin made a huge open-field tackle to prevent a first down conversion.

However, it wasn't all pretty for the Washington defense. On the opening drive, Noah Igbinoghene, who was starting with rookie Trey Amos sidelined, gave up a big pass interference call to put the Bengals in goal-to-go. Another mishap happened when Frankie Luvu jumped offside on fourth down earlier in the drive that gave the Bengals an automatic first down.

Daniels Doesn't Throw Pass, Still Effective

The long-anticipated wait for Commanders' fans to see their Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback, Jayden Daniels, finally arrived.

Daniels only saw action on one drive, but it was enough for the coaching staff. Daniels didn't attempt a single pass, but capped off the Commanders' scoring drive with the 14-yard scamper into the endzone for six.

The staff and fans alike probably would have liked Daniels to slide before reaching the endzone in a preseason game, but nonetheless, he emerged unscathed. Daniels might not have completed a pass, but he was poised and took care of business during his limited time on the gridiron.

OL Opens Holes in Running Game

The starting offensive line for the Commanders was without key players like Laremy Tunsil, Sam Cosmi, and Brandon Coleman, but those who stood in their place did a fantastic job.

We didn't see much of them protecting Daniels in the pocket, but their efforts in the run game showed brightly.

On the opening drive, the big fellas in the trenches paved the way for Deebo Samuel's first touch as a Commander, taking a jet sweep for 19 yards to begin the game. They continued their great run blocking throughout the drive that included a Chris Rodriguez scamper that went for 40 yards.

The offensive line helped pave the way on the opening drive. All four plays were rushes for 74 yards and a staggering 18.5 yards per carry.