Another issue for Jayden Daniels and another loss for Dan Quinn's Commanders create a new low

Coach Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders hit a new low with their latest dismal showing, an eighth consecutive loss that officially eliminated them from playoff contention a year after they came within a victory of reaching the Super Bowl.

The 31-0 rout at the hands of the previously struggling Minnesota Vikings on Sunday featured a mediocre performance — and, continuing a troubling trend, early exit — by star quarterback Jayden Daniels, plus a bad-looking injury to tight end Zach Ertz for Washington (3-10).

“Baffling, frustrating, enraged,” Quinn said, summing up the day.

A season ago, Daniels was superb, leading Washington to a 12-5 record and earning AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors by completing 69% of his passes for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions and running for 891 yards, at a clip of 6.0 per carry, with six TDs.

This season, he's been just OK — nothing more.

After going 9 for 20 for just 78 yards passing plus a pick on Sunday, Daniels owns a completion rate of 60.6 with 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. His passer rating slid from 100.1 to 88.1. He's run for 278 yards, at 4.8 per carry, with two scores.

And after appearing in all 20 of the Commanders' games last season, including the playoffs, he's been in the lineup for only seven of 13, leaving before the end the past three times he played.

It was on the interception that Daniels got leveled by a Vikings defender and aggravated the dislocated left elbow that had sidelined him for more than a month.

“One of those fluke plays,” Washington linebacker Bobby Wagner said.

One game after seeming to play like a real NFL team in a tight overtime defeat to the Denver Broncos, prompting Quinn to say, “We lost, but we’re not lost anymore,” the Commanders were as inept as ever.

“I thought we took a step forward last week,” Quinn said after the disaster against Minnesota, which came in a four-game losing streak, “and tonight I thought we took three steps back.”

On Sunday? Absolutely nothing. “That’s not even a tough day at the office,” receiver Terry McLaurin said. “That’s just bad.” From giving up three turnovers (backup quarterback Marcus Mariota had one fumble and one interception) to forcing none, from not scoring to an inability to slow Minnesota, and so on. “When you miss the mark like we did,” Quinn observed, “you’ve got to look at it all and question it.”

The defense. After looking better during the past two games with defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. stripped of play-calling duties, that unit was once again unable to do anything — even against a Vikings team that got shut out last week and had gone more than 20 consecutive possessions without a touchdown. And even against QB J.J. McCarthy, who came in with a 57.9 passer rating, a 54.1 completion percentage, six TD throws and 10 interceptions. All he did was go 16 for 23 for 163 yards and his first NFL game with three scoring passes and lead one ridiculous drive that lasted 19 plays, 98 yards and took 12:01 off the clock.

Any tight end that faces Washington. On Sunday, it was Josh Oliver, who went into the day with seven catches all season and produced the first two-TD game of his NFL career. He only once finished any of his previous five seasons with a total of three scores.

Quinn. The number of games in which the Commanders have failed to be competitive keeps rising.

Quinn said he feared Ertz tore the ACL in his right knee; the No. 5 tight end in career receptions was expected to have an MRI exam on Monday. ... Quinn said Daniels could have gone back into the game Sunday but the coach decided to keep him out.

Zero — The number of points for Washington; the club hadn't been shut out since 2019.

Four meaningless games against NFC East rivals remain, starting next Sunday at the just-as-terrible New York Giants (2-11). It'll be worth monitoring how much Quinn and GM Adam Peters give extra playing time to some younger players to see what the roster contains — and, of course, what happens with Daniels the rest of the way.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) runs with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver (84) celebrates next to Washington Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn talks to linebacker Frankie Luvu (4) on the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) hits the ground after not being able to catch a pass between Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman, left, and safety Jay Ward during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

TORONTO (AP) — The New York Yankees put outfielder Trent Grisham on the 10-day injured list Saturday because of a strained right hamstring and activated outfielder Jasson Domínguez off the IL.

Also Saturday, manager Aaron Boone said rehabbing slugger Giancarlo Stanton felt soreness in his right calf while running the bases earlier this week, potentially delaying his return.

“I expected him back early on this homestand,” Boone said of a six-game stretch against the White Sox and Reds that begins Monday in the Bronx. “That’s in jeopardy now.”

Stanton has been sidelined since April 24, after he experienced stiffness while running the bases against Houston. Boone said Stanton is still rehabbing, and may undergo imaging.

Grisham left Friday’s 8-5 loss in the sixth inning. He was able to do some light jogging on the field before Saturday’s game at Toronto but will likely get imaging when the Yankees return home Monday.

“Hopefully it’s something that’s not a long-term thing, but we felt like the 10 days was probably necessary,” Boone said.

Grisham is batting .232 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs. He was hurt running the bases after a two-RBI hit Friday. The two-time Gold Glove Award winner has hit safely in 14 consecutive games and 16 of his past 19.

Grisham joins Stanton, slugger Aaron Judge (right rib), catcher Austin Wells (cervical headaches) and pitcher Max Fried (elbow) on New York’s injured list.

“There’s no getting around it, we’ve lost some key people,” Boone said. “The one thing is, I feel we’re way more equipped to deal with it than we have in some years.”

Domínguez has been out since injuring his left shoulder when he crashed into Yankee Stadium’s outfield wall in a May 7 win over Texas. He went 1 for 4 with a homer at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday.

Domínguez was in the lineup on Saturday, starting in right field after missing 30 games and batting second.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Trent Grisham celebrates after scoring a run on a sacrifice fly by Jose Caballero during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Wednesday June 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

New York Yankees' Trent Grisham avoids a tag attempt by Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges to score a run during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday June 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

New York Yankees' Trent Grisham is tagged out by Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges at home plate during the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)