Commanders' Jayden Daniels will undergo tests for a rib injury.

LANDOVER, Md. -- The Washington Commanders are still uncertain about the status of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who exited Sunday’s victory over Carolina in the first quarter due to a rib injury. However, they discovered that their offense could still perform effectively without him.

Daniels sustained the injury during Washington's opening possession and was subsequently ruled out. He was replaced by Marcus Mariota, who completed 18 of 23 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns, steering six scoring drives in a decisive 40-7 win.

Head coach Dan Quinn provided no updates on Daniels post-game, stating that further tests would be conducted on Monday to assess the severity of the injury.

"I'll share updates as soon as I know more tomorrow, but I have no information tonight," Quinn said.

Daniels' mother, Regina, reassured fans via social media that "he's fine," and multiple sources indicated to ESPN that initial X-rays showed no significant issues. Daniels was seen on the sidelines in street clothes, smiling and interacting with teammates, including a post-game hug with Carolina quarterback Bryce Young and Washington owner Josh Harris.

"It's going to take some time, whatever it is," Mariota said of Daniels' injury. "We have no idea, but he was in good spirits... We’ll take it day by day."

Washington (5-2) is set to host Chicago (4-2) next Sunday in a matchup featuring the top two quarterbacks selected in the draft, with the Bears picking Caleb Williams just ahead of Daniels.

"He's a tough player," receiver Terry McLaurin remarked. "He’ll do whatever it takes to be ready for next week."

Coaches and teammates were unclear when Daniels sustained the injury, which seemed to occur at the end of a 46-yard run on Washington's first play. As he turned to stiff-arm Panthers safety Lonnie Johnson Jr., linebacker Marquis Haynes tackled him from behind. Following a handoff to Austin Ekeler, Daniels appeared to clutch his left side after executing a fake run.

He carried the ball twice more in that series, one time going down awkwardly instead of sliding. Trainers assessed him on the sidelines before he moved to the medical tent.

Daniels threw a warmup pass before the next offensive series but grimaced in pain, slamming his helmet to the ground as he left the field and Mariota took over. Daniels, a key contributor to an offense that ranked second in scoring before the game, retreated to the locker room for the remainder of the half.

In his first six games, Daniels completed 75.3% of his passes for 1,404 yards, with 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, while also rushing for 322 yards and four additional scores.

"He’s essentially the leader of our team and a phenomenal player who’s going to be great for a long time," tight end Zach Ertz said. "First, I was obviously worried about him, but then we just need to focus on getting back out there. We have a lot of confidence in Marcus."

Mariota, who spent the first four games of the season on injured reserve with a strained pectoral muscle, executed the offense effectively. Despite misfiring on his first three passes, he led a 92-yard touchdown drive just before halftime and finished with only two more incompletions for the rest of the game.

"I wasn’t surprised he performed well," Quinn noted about Mariota. "I see the extra effort he puts in. It was uplifting to see him regain confidence and joy on the sideline because everyone feels his support—not just Jayden, but everyone does. He has that kind of impact; he's a fantastic teammate."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants pulled starting quarterback Daniel Jones in the fourth quarter in an attempt to "create a spark," coach Brian Daboll stated after a 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium.

Daboll confirmed that Jones would remain the starting quarterback ahead of Drew Lock, who also struggled on Sunday.

"We made a change in the fourth quarter when it was 28-3 and we had 100 yards, just to create a spark," Daboll said. "Daniel will be the quarterback going forward."

Jones expressed frustration about the decision, stating, "I didn’t like it, obviously."

In the loss, the Giants (2-5) managed only 119 total yards, as star running back Saquon Barkley excelled against his former team.

Jones finished with 14-of-21 passing for 99 yards, facing seven sacks from the Eagles' defense. Lock entered the game but went 3-of-8 for just 6 yards, as the struggling Giants offense failed to improve.

New York has scored only one touchdown in four home games this season, with a total of 31 points—marking one of the lowest outputs in the last 40 years. Last season, the team managed even fewer points (27) in its first four home games.

"Everything needs to improve, not just the quarterback; coaching, everything—it just wasn’t good enough," Daboll remarked.

Daboll's decision to bench Jones was a last-ditch effort. He informed Jones of the switch while the Eagles held a commanding lead early in the fourth quarter, hoping Lock could shift momentum, but that didn’t materialize.

"There wasn’t much of a conversation," Jones said. "He just said he was going with Drew and looking for a spark. That was about it."

Since being drafted as the No. 6 pick in 2019, Jones has been the Giants’ starter but has only led the team to one winning season. This season appears to be heading in a similar direction.

"I'm just going to continue to prepare and play as well as I can," Jones stated. "Daboll has the final say on that. I believe in myself and this offense. I’ll focus on what I can control."

Reflecting on the game, Jones acknowledged the challenges faced, noting that the running backs recorded only three carries for 4 yards in the first half, and the offensive line struggled, surrendering eight sacks.

Josh Ezeudu filled in at left tackle for the injured Andrew Thomas, who is out for the season, and struggled early in the game, allowing two sacks.

Jones accepted responsibility for the offense's shortcomings, recognizing why he was benched.

"As the quarterback, I take responsibility for getting the team going, building rhythm, and executing. I take that seriously," Jones said. "It’s a team game, and everyone needs to play well, but I know I have a big role in that."

The Giants now face a tough road ahead, with their next game against the formidable Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the league's top scoring defenses.

For Jones, this could be a critical opportunity. The Giants have a potential out in his contract after this season, and they had shown interest in drafting a long-term replacement in the offseason.

"I’m confident in myself," Jones concluded. "And I’ll be ready to go."