The Washington Commanders aren't looking for excuses right now. They are not executing effectively enough, and their season is starting to unravel. At the same time, head coach Dan Quinn's squad is also dealing with some severe injury issues that haven't exactly helped matters.
And things got a lot worse during Washington's pathetic road loss against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7.
Despite not practicing much throughout the week, the Commanders decided to activate defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr. That proved ill-advised, with the productive edge rusher lasting just a few plays on the opening drive before going to the sidelines for good.
Commanders weren't giving much away about Jayden Daniels' hamstring injury
There was a much graver concern. Superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels also went down after a sack fumble. He was examined in the medical tent before heading back to the locker room. Initially, he was questionable with a hamstring issue, but the signal-caller was ruled out soon after.
Maybe that was down to the game being out of sight. Perhaps it was something else. Daniels has already missed two games this season with a knee sprain, and he's still wearing a brace for that. This doesn't paint the most promising picture, and a clearly aggravated Quinn wasn't giving too much away during his appearance in front of the media after the loss.
The coach revealed that Daniels would have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of his hamstring issue. Washington has an extra day of rest before its game with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Even so, fans are fearing the worst, because that's precisely what's happened to the Commanders in recent weeks.
Washington's roster has been decimated. Both sides of the football are ravaged by health concerns. If Daniels is forced to miss even more time, a possible implosion won't be too far behind.
The Commanders have a gauntlet upcoming. They face the Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and Detroit Lions over the next three contests. Veteran backup Marcus Mariota is servicable, but he won't be striking fear into three teams who already look bound for the postseason.
Obviously, it's a waiting game. Additional information will be disclosed by the team or NFL insiders in the near future. But this is doing nothing to remove the gathering storm that's brewing over the Commanders this season.
Daniels is a competitive guy who hates missing time. Quinn said he wanted to go back in, which is a testament to his courage. But the staff won't have any trouble saving the former LSU standout from himself if need be.