The Packers’ defense never gave the Commanders enough time to breathe in Week 2. Jayden Daniels was pressured on 46% of his drop-backs, as per ESPN’s John Keim. This is the highest rate he has faced in any regular-season game. As the young quarterback works to bounce back from the nightmare, a former NFL player has already shared some tough words.

Sharing a snap from the game, Robert Griffin III highlighted Daniels’ game from the last two games in his Instagram story. The QB was sacked three times in the game against the Giants and 4 times against the Packers. “The Washington Commanders have to protect Jayden Daniels better in the pocket to win against the top teams in the NFL. 3 sacks last week against the Giants front and now 4 sacks given up against the Packers. Protecting your franchise QB and keeping him healthy is EVERYTHING,” he wrote across an image of Daniels being tackled by two Packers players.

However, following this Instagram story, he shared another image of the Packers and praised their defense and their decision to acquire Micah Parsons. “This team is SPECIAL. And… Micah Parsons is the best thing to happen to the Green Bay Packers. His impact has been felt in beating the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders. He creates havoc plays at a higher rate than any player in the NFL,” Griffin III wrote.

The former NFL player is not wrong. Apart from the offense, Parsons and the defense played a huge part in bringing down the Commanders. However, it remains true that the Packers managed to defeat two of the best offenses in the league, defeating last year’s NFC runner-up, the Commanders, and NFC North champion, the Lions, by a combined 54-31.

Parsons put six pressures on Daniels across 32 pass rushes. And during those snaps, Daniels went 1-for-3 for 9 yards, with two scrambles for another 9 yards and a sack. While the Commanders’ QB had 19-of-30 for 233 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against the Giants, he went for 24-of-42 for 200 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers.

Now, the Commanders’ offense and defense may have disappointed the player, but he has one reason to praise the QB. Daniels just made the most rushing yards by any QB in 20 games in NFL history. In 19 regular-season games, including the Week 2 loss, he had 976 rushing yards. With this, he surpassed Griffin III, who held the top place with a record of 964 yards in 20 games.

But again, the situation remains the same for Daniels, who knew the Packers’ complicated defense even before the game.

Jayden Daniels addressed Micah Parsons’ defense before the 27-18 defeat

It was obvious that after Parsons’ exceptional debut for the Packers, the DE would get more snaps in Week 2. And the team’s target will be the Commanders’ QB. So, before the game, Jayden Daniels was asked about Parsons and the Packers’ defense.

While Daniels had a casual response, he was aware of the trouble. “He got paid a lot of money, so I would think so. (He got paid) for a reason, so, sure. You don’t let game-wreckers wreck the game, and, you gotta keep an eye on him, and like I said, he got paid a lot of money for a reason. He’s a very good player,” Daniels told The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala.

On the other hand, the DE had a different response when asked about Daniels. The Commanders had a solid offense with Daniels, WR Deebo Samuel, and RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt. However, Parsons wasn’t concerned. “We got horse engines now. I don’t see anybody outrunning me from the edge and stuff. I’ve played them a bunch. He (Daniels) knows. It’s different, you know what I mean?… For me, I don’t think it’s just pick and choose. I just make sure I get vertical if I’m going to an inside move and make sure he won’t outrun me,” he said before the game against the Commanders on September 11.

While this game didn’t turn out the way they wanted, Daniels and the squad would need Griffin’s advice as they face the Las Vegas Raiders next in 2025.