Dan Quinn's Blowout Blunder Costs Jayden Daniels Another Month

Jayden Daniels dislocating his elbow again is bad, but Dan Quinn leaving his franchise quarterback in during a blowout to let it happen is a fireable offense in most group chats.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Commanders head coach confirmed that Daniels suffered another dislocated left elbow and is expected to miss time. X-rays were negative, which is the only piece of good news Washington fans are getting today.

This is not just a bad break for a young star; it is a recurring nightmare. This is the exact same injury that cost Daniels about a month of action previously. The fact that it happened late in a brutal 37-20 blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys makes it infinitely worse.

Leaving your star quarterback on the field down three scores late in the fourth quarter is the kind of decision-making that looks bad on a Madden stream, let alone an NFL sideline. Quinn admitted to reporters that he regrets not pulling Daniels before the injury, which is a lot like apologizing for leaving the sunroof open after a hurricane has already passed.

The drop-off from Daniels to veteran backup Marcus Mariota is the kind of cliff that makes oddsmakers scramble. Betting markets are already adjusting to Washington's new reality, shifting lines heavily against a team that now has to rely on a backup to salvage the offense.

Daniels is looking at another month-long rehab stint, leaving the Commanders to tread water in the NFC East. If Washington wants to keep their franchise cornerstone intact long-term, they might want to start by protecting him from meaningless fourth-quarter snaps.