Commanders Fall 17-13 To Lions In Preseason Week 2: Jayden Daniels Active, Defense Dominates Early, And More

(Abdullah Konte/WinSports)

The Washington Commanders fell 17-13 to the Detroit Lions on the road in week two of the NFL preseason at Ford Field. Despite Saturday's preseason loss, the matchup offered a first glimpse of the revamped starting offense and a dominant showing from Washington's defense.

The first-team offense took the field for Washington on Saturday, with quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs making their preseason debuts. This game marked Daniels' first taste of NFL action since Week 14 of the 2025 season against the Minnesota Vikings, while Diggs made his first appearance in Burgundy and Gold after signing with the team earlier this month.

Head Coach Dan Quinn said ealier in the week that a "good amount" of starters would play. However, he was unsure whether Daniels were among those players. But ultimately the highly anticipated debut only lasted three plays apart the offense's first series in the game.

On the first play, Daniels was pressured up front on first down and was forced to throw the ball away. On the following play, Daniels was sacked for a loss of 10 yards on second down as both tight ends failed to provide blocking coverage. The series ended with Daniels handing the ball off to running back Kaytron Allen before the starters were pulled. However, most could agree that the offense's opening drive left something to be desired, largely due to issues with quarterback protection.

The brief appearance of the starting offense may have always been the plan for Washington, but the issues in protecting Daniels on first drive also seemed to spark speculation for Coach Quinn choosing to limit the starters to only one series.

Despite the starting offense’s struggles, Washington’s week two preseason matchup featured several thrilling moments worth highlighting. Here are the biggest takeaways and highlights from the game:

A Dominant Start By Washington's Defense

Cornerback Amik Robertson forced a fumble which urned into a Commanders touchdown. Rookie outside linebacker Joshua Josephs recovered the fumble in the end zone, putting the first set of points on the board for Washington.

SCORE: 7-0, 10:81 - 1st Quarter

Another Pick For Quan Martin

Safety Quan Martin secured his second interception of the preseason. The pick was set up by relentless pressure from defensive end Charles Omenihu, who forced the quarterback Joshua Dobbs into a hurried throw that allowed Martin to make the play.

An Impressive Showing From Tyler Owens

Safety Tyler Owens delivered a disruptive, versatile performance, and massive physicality. His performance featured a highlight-worthy play in the backfield as he plowed through a Lions' running back just to get pressure on quarterback Joshua Dobbs.

Three Sacks In One Defensive Drive

The Commanders defense recorded three sacks on one defensive drive during the first possession of the second quarter, putting intense pressure on quarterback Luke Altmyer. The sequence of sacks came from TJ Maguranyanga, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, and Maurice Hurst II.

Jaden Bradley's One-Handed Grab

Wide Receiver Jaden Bradley makes an acrobatic 30-yard, one-handed catch over the shoulder with Lions' cornerback Avonte Maddox in coverage.

Three Perfect Targets For Antonio Williams

Wide Receiver Antonio Williams hauled in all three of his targets for 41-yards, including a 21-yard reception. He finished the day third in receiving for Washington.

Perfect Throw By Kaliakmanis, Huge Play For Nick Nash

Wide Receiver Nick Nash paced the team with a game-high of 62 reeiving yards on two catches, highlighted by a thrilling 55-yard sideline grab quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis.