Jayden Daniels’ much-anticipated return was supposed to spark the Washington Commanders’ offense. But instead, it fizzled into a 31-0 humiliation at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, exposing every flaw in their protection, as Daniels put up rusty numbers on his return after missing 3 games.

Coming back from a left elbow injury, Daniels managed to start well. He opened with a strong 28-yard throw to Terry McLaurin and helped move the team smoothly into the red zone. The troubles actually began when the Commanders reached the 2-yard line. Daniels threw three straight incompletions, and his timing and accuracy never settled in.

The team tried to protect him by calling screen passes and keeping him mostly in the shotgun, but the overall offensive line struggled to keep up. Daniels faced nine pressures and took one sack on just 25 dropbacks, forcing him into rushed decisions and limiting the momentum that he tried to build.

His day ended on a low note when he threw an interception, and while the Vikings tried to return it, he appeared to aggravate the same elbow that had sidelined him. He left the game in the third quarter and finished only 9-of-20 for 78 yards with one interception across four drives.

The day turned out to be worse for the Commanders as their tight end, Zach Ertz, also suffered a serious knee injury.

The tight end has been a key weapon this season, racking up four touchdowns and over 500 yards. With fears of a season-ending ACL injury, the Commanders will feel his absence in every red-zone drive.

While the offense did not quite work for the Commanders, the Vikings found success with their QB. JJ McCarthy carved up the Commanders’ defense on Sunday, throwing three touchdown passes and leading Minnesota to around 313 total yards. He efficiently exploited Washington’s struggles on third down, engineering a 19-play, 12-minute drive that set the tone for the Vikings’ shutout.

The Vikings added a new page to the history books. After facing a 26-0 defeat against the Seattle Seahawks in early December, the Vikings responded by shutting out Washington. Following the heavy loss, head coach Dan Quinn captured the frustration of the day in just a few words.

Dan Quinn sums up the recent loss with a “frustrated” remark

There were glimpses of promise for the Commanders early on, with Daniels connecting well with Terry McLaurin and Chris Rodriguez leading a strong opening drive all the way to the Vikings’ 2-yard line. That momentum quickly stalled, however, as turnovers and missed opportunities piled up, leaving head coach Dan Quinn to sum up a frustrating afternoon for the team.

“Baffling, frustrating, enraged,” Quinn said, summarizing Sunday’s tough loss. “I thought we took a step forward last week, and tonight I thought we took three steps back.”

After the recent defeat, the Commanders are now on a concerning four-game losing streak. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin didn’t hold back on the reality either.

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“That’s not even a tough day at the office,” the WR said. “That’s just bad.”

Turnovers and a stalled offense doomed the Commanders, as their early momentum never translated into points. Meanwhile, the defense struggled to contain the Vikings, who converted multiple third downs and racked up 315 yards on a 19-play, 12-minute drive.

The Commanders now turn their attention to the struggling Giants, who have also been underperforming this season. A win would not only snap Washington’s four-game losing streak but also provide a morale boost as they look to finish the year on a stronger note.