Commanders dealt significant blow with Jayden Daniels ruled out for 'MNF' Chiefs showdown

Daniels' injury threatens to derail Washington's season before it had a chance to get off the tracks. Without Daniels, the 2024 Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year, the Commanders' chances of defeating the Chiefs will be severely compromised.

Per Stathead, in nine career games against teams with a winning record (including three this season), Daniels has completed 65.1 percent of his pass attempts for 2,000 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions while adding 361 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 78 carries. 

Washington could have a tough time stopping Kansas City's sixth-ranked scoring offense (26.6 points per game). It's unrealistic to expect Mariota to keep pace with two-time MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes in a potential shootout.

With a loss, the Commanders will have their backs against the wall heading into a brutal second-half schedule. After the Chiefs (4-3), Washington has games against the Seattle Seahawks (5-2), Detroit Lions (5-2), Denver Broncos (5-2) and the Eagles twice from Weeks 9-18. It also hosts the Cowboys (3-3-1), who just routed it by 22 points, on Christmas Day. 

Even if the Commanders split their six toughest remaining games, they would need to win their other three (road games against the Miami Dolphins (in Madrid), Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants) just to finish 9-8, which won't be good enough for a playoff berth barring epic collapses by teams ahead of them. Entering Week 8, seven NFC teams are 5-2 or better.

Washington has crashed back to earth after last year's meteoric ascent, which resulted in the franchise reaching the NFC Championship Game and winning at least 12 games for the first time since 1991. With Daniels set to miss the massively important game against Kansas City, the fall is beginning to look as steep as the climb.