The Washington Commanders and the New York Giants played to a tie in Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season following an overtime period marked by a costly mistake from Jayden Daniels and a fumble by Cam Skattebo. Daniels’ late error came as a major surprise, with the quarterback himself admitting that he must improve. Now, he faces sharp criticism from Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons.
Speaking on the latest episode of “The Edge with Micah Parsons,” the former Dallas Cowboys linebacker criticized Daniels for failing to manage the clock during Washington’s final offensive possession.
“Jayden Daniels probably cost my man Dan Quinn his job, to be honest with you. To be honest with you. And, like, I’m a big Jayden Daniels fan. But the reality is, he probably cost a lot of people their jobs this past weekend,” Parsons said.
How Daniels’ final play unfolded
The Commanders had possession at the Giants’ 24-yard line with 12 seconds remaining in the 10-minute overtime period. With neither team having a timeout, Washington had an opportunity to stop the clock and attempt a potential game-winning field goal.
Jayden Daniels of Washington Commanders.
However, Daniels attempted to escape the pocket before taking a sack. As the quarterback got back to his feet, the remaining seconds expired, preventing Washington from attempting the kick.
Parsons expressed frustration with Daniels‘ decision-making, particularly given his experience in high-pressure situations. “Respectfully, we get coached so much on these situations that, like, I’m a defensive player, and this shit’s programmed to me. I know what to do in those situations. There’s no way I’m taking a sack with 14 seconds left and no timeouts,” Parsons said.
“Mind you, it’d be different if Jayden Daniels was a rookie. This is your third year. This your third year. You’ve been to the NFC Championship game. You’ve been in big moments before. And to me, even after a sack, you’re casually getting up.”
Daniels’ mixed return
Sunday marked Daniels’ first NFL game back after missing two contests due to a dislocated left elbow suffered in a Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He finished 17 of 25 passing for 199 yards and added nine carries for 103 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
His 26-yard touchdown run and subsequent two-point conversion pass to receiver Terry McLaurin put Washington ahead 27-13 early in the fourth quarter before the Giants rallied to tie the game.
Key takeaways
- Micah Parsons stated that Jayden Daniels probably cost Dan Quinn his job.
- A sack on Jayden Daniels prevented Washington from attempting a winning field goal.
- 103 rushing yards and two touchdowns were recorded by Jayden Daniels in Week 5.
