Commanders TE Zach Ertz doesn’t hold back on praise for Jayden Daniels in MNF loss to the Bears
Jayden Daniels was guilty of a pivotal late fumble in Washington’s defeat to the Chicago Bears, but Ertz was full of praise for the QB.
Zach Ertz has defended Jayden Daniels after the quarterback’s crucial fumble on Monday, describing his Commanders teammate as the “only reason” Washington was in contention to beat the Chicago Bears.
The Commanders lost 25-24 to the Bears at Northwest Stadium, as Jake Moody’s late 38-yard field goal secured a third straight win for a 3-2 Chicago. Washington, meanwhile, slipped to 3-3 ahead of a clash with division rivals the Dallas Cowboys next weekend.
Shortly before Moody’s game-winning kick, the Commanders had gifted possession back to the Bears, with Daniels culpable: he attempted to hand the ball off to running-back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but allowed it to slip out of his grasp.
“Completely my fault”
“I just lost the ball - completely my fault,” Daniels told reporters post-game. “Didn’t give ‘Bill’ [Croskey-Merritt] a chance, so it was my fault.”
Before his crucial error, however, Daniels threw 19 for 26 for 211 yards and three touchdowns, with an impressive passer rating of 119.2. The 24-year-old also ran for 52 yards from 10 rushing attempts.
Daniels’ touchdown passes included a six-yard fourth-quarter delivery to tight end Ertz, who praised his QB’s performance despite Washington’s defeat.
“We have no chance being in that game without Jayden,” Ertz said, per ESPN’s John Keim. “The plays he made with his legs, the plays he made with his arm. The only reason we were in the game and in a position to win was Jayden Daniels.”
Zach Ertz: “We have no chance being in that game without Jayden, the plays he made with his legs, the plays he made with his arm. The only reason we were in the game and in a position to win was Jayden Daniels.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) October 14, 2025
“It wasn’t just that play”
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn also refused to focus on Daniels’ late fumble, telling reporters that Monday’s loss came down to the team’s shortcomings as a collective.
“We just didn’t perform well enough,” Quinn said, adding: “Honestly, it wasn’t just that play. There’s plenty in there. We just didn’t regard it like we can. That’s the lesson and it stings, and we’ve got to grow from that, man.”
Daniels’ fumble is “definitely a play he’d want back”, Quinn said. “Man, he is an incredible player who makes plays, and so it sucks, but in his space, he’s going to make way more than he isn’t. But tonight, that one stings.”
“Evidence they needed to rest easy”
Writing for NFL.com, the football analyst Brian Shook said Daniels - who missed Weeks 3 and 4 with a knee injury - gave Commanders fans plenty of cause for optimism with his Monday Night Football display.
Daniels “looked healthy and like himself again”, Shook said, praising the signal caller’s patience on the Ertz touchdown play, as well as his “fantastic agility and mobility” for his first-half TD pass to Chris Moore.
“It’s a shame his late error led to the Bears’ walk-off win, but over the long haul, Monday night provided Commanders fans with the evidence they needed to rest easy going forward,” Shook wrote.
When do the Commanders play the Cowboys?
Chasing a second straight playoff berth under Quinn’s stewardship, the Commanders visit the Cowboys on Sunday, October 19, with the Week 7 matchup scheduled to kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET/1:25 p.m. PT.
The NFC East clash will be broadcast nationally by Fox. Your streaming options include fubo, which offers a free trial.
Dallas heads into Week 7 with a 2-3-1 record, having also suffered defeat in Week 6. At Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Brian Schottenheimer’s team was beaten 30-27 by the 3-3 Carolina Panthers.
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