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)

ROME (AP) — Roberto Mancini issued an apology in his first public comments Wednesday after being rehired to coach an Italy squad in crisis three years after he abandoned the same job for a lucrative contract with Saudi Arabia.

“I’m very sorry,” Mancini said. “It was like losing the woman of your life. And it means you did something that shouldn’t have been done. So I’m sorry, very sorry also for everything that happened over these last three years. … I’m going to try to bring the national team back where it belongs.”

Italy failed for a third straight time to qualify for the World Cup, prompting the resignations of federation president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso in April, shortly after a playoff defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The 61-year-old Mancini led the Azzurri to the European Championship title in 2021 but shockingly resigned as Italy coach in August 2023, taking over Saudi Arabia’s national team two weeks later.

“It was completely my fault,” Mancini said, referring to a lack of communication with Gravina.

Mancini’s first match back in charge will be against Belgium in the Nations League on Sept. 25 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. He was asked about what type of reception fans might give him.

“I realize some people will be against me,” Mancini said. “I’m hoping the squad plays well enough that maybe people will forgive me.”

Mancini was a fourth-choice option after Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola turned the job down and Andrea Pirlo was dropped as a candidate amid political concerns over a sponsorship deal with a Russian betting firm.

Italy will also face France and Turkey in its Nations League group.

Mancini can rely on players like Pio Esposito, Moise Kean and Nicolò Zaniolo in attack; Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Barella in midfield; Riccardo Calafiori and Marco Palestra at fullback; and Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.

Center back has been an issue due to problems with Alessandro Bastoni and Francesco Acerbi.

“I don’t think we’re in such a bad state: between center forwards and wingers were have a lot of options,” Mancini said. “And I’m talking about young players who can still improve. I gave Kean his debut, so I know him very well.”

Mancini also called Zaniolo up to Italy for the first time — before he had made his debut in Serie A.

Former Leicester and Roma coach Claudio Ranieri was hired as the federation's technical director.

Ranieri said making soccer schools less expensive and more appealing for young Italians, who are gravitating toward other sports — like tennis, inspired by top-ranked Jannik Sinner — would be a priority.

“We need to bring kids back to soccer,” Ranieri said. “Our national youth teams are performing well. We need to work on enabling players on the under-21 team to make the jump to the first team; and making sure that the Italy coach has players to choose from."

Ranieri also suggested a move away from Italy's historic devotion to tactics.

“We’re great tactically, others are good technically. Abroad, there’s not so much attention on the tactical aspects like there is here," Ranieri said. "We need to go back to developing individual skills.”

Between 2018 and 2021, Mancini coached Italy to a world-record 37-match unbeaten run.

However, a 1-0 semifinal playoff loss to then-67th-ranked North Macedonia at home in 2022 meant that the Azzurri again missed out on the World Cup.

Mancini nevertheless kept his position before surprisingly quitting in August 2023. He left Saudi Arabia in 2024 and was most recently coach at Al-Sadd in Qatar, before departing last month.

Mancini also previously steered Inter Milan and Manchester City to league titles.

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

Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini pose during a news conference, Wednesday July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)

FILE - Saudi Arabia's head coach Roberto Mancini stands for the national anthems ahead of the Asian Cup Group F soccer match between Saudi Arabia and Thailand at Education City Stadium, in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, file)

Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini, right, and new technical director Claudio Ranieri pose during a news conference, Wednesday July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)

Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini, right, and new technical director Claudio Ranieri pose during a news conference, Wednesday July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)

Giovanni Malago, right, present Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini, center, and new technical director Claudio Ranieri during a news conference, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)

Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini, right, and new technical director Claudio Ranieri pose during a news conference, Wednesday July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)