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Commanders: How much Jayden Daniels running is too much?

The Washington Commanders scored 21 points the hard way - using seven Austin Seibert field goals to knock off the New York Giants 21-18.

The moment Commanders fans have dreaded arrived in the second quarter, when quarterback Jayden Daniels took a big hit while running for a first down on third-and-13. Daniels left the game, then returned a play later. He said he got the wind knocked out of him.

Daniels took a hit on first down during that sequence, which is why it was surprising to see Kliff Kingsbury call what appeared to be a designed run for him on second down. Daniels then ran again on third, taking the hit that knocked him out.

If there's an upside, it's that both Kingsbury and Daniels settled in after that, with the quarterback looking to throw first, run second.

"At the end of the day, the defense dictates what we do," Daniels said. "You just go out there and you're just playing football at that point."

It's not Daniels' fault that Washington fans have flashbacks to the RG3 era, but it was a different Robert Griffin III comparison that came to mind earlier in the game - when Daniels was denied a penalty on a clear late hit by the Giants.

Referees gave defenders more leeway in hitting Griffin because he was a running back so often, and it sure felt like Sunday's call was a statement of that sort towards Daniels - if you look to run first, we'll throw flags like we do for running backs.

The second half brought much better balance, and while Daniels getting hit will never be a pleasant sight, it won him some locker room credibility.

"For him to just put his body on the line, multiple times, and go all out just to get the first down - I'm going to be there to pick him up," running back Brian Robinson Jr. said. "What more would I want from a quarterback?

"I just told him: Play fast, play smart."

It's the second one that will determine whether Daniels can make it to the finish line this season.

Some other observations:

• Neither team fully deserved this win, but the Giants were justly penalized for going into the game with just one kicker, who was battling a groin injury. That kicker, Graham Gano, then suffered an injury on the opening kickoff, and the Giants were unable to kick extra points or field goals the rest of the way. If New York had a kicker, the game would have at least gone to overtime.
• Finishing in the red zone has been an issue in Washington for a while, but it was a particularly aggravating set of circumstances on Sunday, as multiple penalties on the offensive line derailed drives.
• At cornerback, with Emmanuel Forbes Jr. out, Michael Davis got the start, but was benched for Noah Igbinoghene in the third quarter. After the game, coach Dan Quinn said the competition will remain open. Translation: Neither gave the Commanders what they needed.
• This win doesn't reset the ceiling on the 2024 season, but it at least sets a respectable floor. This won't be a 3-14 football team, as the offense will keep them competitive more often than not. Still, it's hard to watch that 60 minutes of football and think playoffs are a legitimate aspiration.

College: Virginia Tech slays its Norfolk demons

For all the things Virginia Tech's 37-17 win against Old Dominion was, it's far more important for what it wasn't: The Hokies avoided slipping on the banana peel in Norfolk for a third consecutive time.

Bhayshul Tuten got rolling, and that was more than enough for the Hokies, particularly when the Monarchs went to their third quarterback.

It also sets up a big opportunity this week against Rutgers - if the Hokies can pull out a win, they'll leave the nonconference portion of the schedule with a 3-1 record, and stay in the conversation as legit ACC title game contenders, particularly with Florida State and N.C. State faltering early.

In Charlottesville, Virginia lamented early missed opportunities in a 27-13 loss to Maryland.

The Cavaliers didn't need the win, but they could have done without the offense's four turnovers - it was UVA's big issue in 2023, and the Wahoos had largely put it in the past so far this season. They'll head to Coastal Carolina this weekend where they'll get a tough road test, but should be able to get themselves to 3-1 and have a fighting chance at a bowl game.

High school: Big night for Huguenot

The Huguenot High football program was always going to fly high under second-year coach Charles Scott, who built a local private-school juggernaut at Life Christian.

But 50 points in the first quarter? That's what the Falcons did on Friday night against Clover Hill. That's a heck of a number. They finished with an 81-7 victory.

In other action, Highland Springs fell 38-7 to Maury in a battle of defending state champs. The Springers remain strong favorites to make it back to the state tournament, but their invincibility has taken a hit with back-to-back losses, and their game against Varina will be even more of a must-see than usual.