The NFC East clash between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders might just be the biggest game of the week when it comes to playoff stakes. After a sluggish start, their worst fear might’ve just come true. Quarterback Jayden Daniels was seen heading to the locker room.

Daniels fell awkwardly on the turf on a sack by Shemar James, who landed right on the QB’s ankle as they went down. Daniels stayed on the ground, immediately grabbing the back of his right leg before trainers rushed over.

He eventually managed to limp to the sideline with help from Washington’s medical staff and spent a few tense minutes inside the blue tent. But that wasn’t the end of it. Daniels was soon seen heading to the locker room for further evaluation.

Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, who already started a couple of games for the Commanders earlier this season, was called into action again while Daniels was being checked out in the locker room.

Mariota had actually looked solid in those earlier outings. He threw for 363 yards, though he also tossed three interceptions across matchups with the Raiders and Falcons. Despite the turnovers, he posted a surprisingly strong 99.6 passer rating in those two starts.

Still, things didn’t exactly go smoothly this time around when he entered the game after Daniels went down. While the 24-year-old was still being treated, the Cowboys finished off their drive with a quick 5-yard touchdown, and Mariota started warming up on the sideline.

But just a few plays later, on third-and-6, Mariota tried to force one downfield and got picked off by cornerback DaRon Bland, who took it 68 yards to the endzone.

As for Daniels, before leaving the game, he had completed 12 of 22 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown, and also led the team in rushing with 35 yards and another score on eight carries. Initially, it looked like he might’ve tweaked his ankle. But on the replay, you could clearly see him grabbing at his hamstring as he limped off. And it’s not looking too good.

Medical expert reveals grim outlook for Jayden Daniels

Then came some bad news from Dr. Jesse Morse, a well-known NFL medical analyst who often breaks down player injuries. His take on Daniels’ situation wasn’t encouraging. “His hamstring was stretched in an abnormal position. If his knee is involved, it’s most likely an injury to his (posterior) meniscus. ACL unlikely but possible,” he wrote on X.

“You would think it would have been to his left knee the way it bent, but no. That was the knee he previously injured. You can see him grab the back of his right leg/knee at the end of the play,” he added. If Daniels ends up missing significant time, it could seriously derail the Commanders’ playoff hopes.

And concerningly, this isn’t the first time Daniels has been banged up this season. Sunday’s game was only his third start back after missing two weeks with a left knee injury. That one happened late in the loss to the Packers. He finished that game, but was fighting through pain the entire time.

When healthy, Daniels has really shown what consistent QB play can do for the Commanders’ offense. In the four games he has played, he has thrown seven touchdowns to just one interception and averaged a 98.7 passer rating. But these nagging injuries might be what ultimately keeps Washington from making a real playoff push.