Commanders lose Jayden Daniels early, nonetheless drill Panthers

Dante Fowler Jr. returned an interception for a touchdown and the Washington Commanders overcame the loss of quarterback Jayden Daniels to roll past the visiting Carolina Panthers 40-7 in Landover, Md., on Sunday.

Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and second overall draft pick in the spring, left with a rib injury in the first quarter. He was initially listed as questionable to return, but the team announced at halftime that he wouldn’t return.

Backup Marcus Mariota threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

Brian Robinson rushes for 71 yards and a touchdown and Austin Seibert made field goals of 23, 49, 31 and 29 yards, helping the Commanders (5-2) stay unbeaten in three home games.

Andy Dalton threw for 93 yards for the Panthers (1-6), who had 180 yards of total offense with 10 first downs while losing their fourth game in a row. Former starter Bryce Young played on Carolina’s last series, which had minus-1 yard.

Daniels had gained 50 rushing yards and was 2-for-2 passing for 6 yards. On the sideline, he slammed his helmet to the ground and departed for additional evaluation.

Fowler, a linebacker, ran 67 yards on his interception, which ended the game’s opening possession and was just one example of the problems the Panthers would face.

Washington was up 17-0 just 3:25 into the second quarter on Robinson’s 8-yard run, with the Commanders covering 59 yards on four plays.

They had to work harder for their last points of the half, marching 92 yards on eight plays and scoring 10 seconds before the break when Mariota connected with Zach Ertz for 12 yards.

The Commanders held a 214-110 edge in total offense in the first half, but the 27-0 gap on the scoreboard seemed much wider.

Mariota threw 3 yards to Ben Sinnott for a third-quarter touchdown.

Trailing 37-0, the Panthers scored on Chuba Hubbard’s 4-yard run.

–Field Level Media