INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Jayden Daniels took the field Sunday not far from where he grew up, returning to action after missing two games with a knee injury. The homecoming started slow — but the finish was everything he could’ve hoped for.
Backed by a game-changing turnover in the second quarter, Daniels and the Washington Commanders scored 27 unanswered points to pull off a convincing 27-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
“This is the kind of moment I used to dream about,” said Daniels, a native of San Bernardino, located about 75 miles from the stadium. “Getting to play in front of my family here means everything.”
Daniels threw for 231 yards and a touchdown on 15-of-26 passing, leading Washington (3-2) to its first road win of the season. Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt found the end zone twice and praised his quarterback’s return.
“Having him back out there brought real energy to the team,” Croskey-Merritt said.
Chargers Falter Again
The Chargers (3-2) have been plagued by penalties over the past two weeks — and Sunday was no different. A week after committing 15 infractions in a narrow loss to the Giants, they were flagged 10 times for 85 yards and turned the ball over three times, all in Commanders territory.
“There’s no excuse for the sloppiness,” said safety Derwin James. “It’s on us to clean it up.”
Los Angeles appeared to be in control early, building a 10-0 lead and holding Washington to just one first down well into the second quarter. But a costly fumble by Quentin Johnston — stripped after a 19-yard reception — changed the momentum. Marshon Lattimore scooped up the loose ball, marking Washington’s first fumble recovery of the season.
That turnover set up Croskey-Merritt’s first touchdown — a 15-yard run around the left edge. From that point on, the Chargers never recovered.
Momentum Shift
Following a quick LA punt, the Commanders took over again. Though Daniels was sacked on third down, Tress Way’s booming 55-yard punt flipped the field. Chargers return man Ladd McConkey appeared to answer with a 57-yard touchdown return, but it was called back due to a roughing-the-punter penalty on rookie Marlowe Wax — handing the ball back to Washington.
A short field goal by Matt Gay tied the game at 10 just before halftime.
The Commanders kept rolling in the third quarter. Croskey-Merritt capped the first drive of the half with a 5-yard touchdown to give Washington its first lead. The Chargers hurt themselves with back-to-back penalties on their next drive, stalling any momentum. Later, they failed to convert on fourth down.
Gay added a 36-yard field goal to push the lead to 20-10, and Daniels sealed the win with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Deebo Samuel in the final minutes.
Daniels, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year who led Washington to the NFC Championship last season, drew praise from head coach Dan Quinn.
“He made some really smart decisions that don’t always show up in the stats,” Quinn said. “He knew when to go for it and when to throw it away. He competed every snap.”
Herbert Under Pressure
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert continued to face relentless pressure behind an injury-riddled offensive line. Sacked four times Sunday, he’s now been taken down 16 times through five games. He finished 22-of-29 for 166 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
Herbert was also LA’s leading rusher, scrambling four times for 60 yards — including a 41-yard burst on the opening scoring drive.
Historic Marks
Daniels etched his name into the NFL record books, becoming the fastest quarterback in league history to rush for 1,000 yards — doing it in just 20 career games.
On the other side, Chargers star Keenan Allen made history of his own. With catches of 29 and 4 yards from Herbert, he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions — accomplishing the feat in his 159th game. That breaks the previous record set by Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, who did it in 167 games.
“I just try to be reliable when my number’s called,” Allen said. “That’s all I’ve ever focused on.”
Injury Report
Chargers: Defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand exited in the second quarter with a groin injury and didn’t return. Right tackle Trey Pipkins suffered a knee injury but came back in the third quarter.
Looking Ahead
Commanders: Host the Chicago Bears next Sunday.
Chargers: Travel to face the Miami Dolphins in Week 6.
