Commanders' 4-win win streak ends and the lessons are just beginning

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Washington Commanders and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels figured they'd find out just how good they are in a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, a perennial contender with a variety of weapons.

After getting knocked around the field in a 30-23 loss Sunday, the upstart Commanders now understand that much work must be done before they can formally consider themselves part of the league's upper echelon.

“Although we were in it at the end,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said, “it felt lopsided.”

Riding high on a four-game winning streak that landed them atop the NFC East, the Commanders faced an experienced squad that featured an aggressive defense and an offense led by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and veteran running back Derrick Henry.

Losing only by a touchdown on the road against a team that last season played in the AFC title game, Washington (4-2) could have insisted it was on the cusp of being a legitimate contender. But the manner in which Jackson shredded the Commanders' defense and the fashion in which Baltimore's defense shackled the highest-scoring team in the league spoke volumes about the pecking order of these two Maryland-based franchises.

The Commanders' only lead was 3-0 and they trailed 27-13 entering the fourth quarter. In their previous two games, blowouts against Arizona and Cleveland, Quinn rested his starters down the stretch. In this one, the Commanders were fighting to make a game of it over the final 15 minutes.

Although their winning streak is over, that didn't make the entire afternoon a waste of time.

“I told the team, these are real important games for us to be in, to know what it’s like to go and fight,” Quinn said. “We fought all the way to the end. That's what I was looking for.”

Daniels completed 25 of 34 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns, both to Terry McLaurin. But the young quarterback was outdone by Jackson, who went 20 for 26 for 323 yards and a score.

Jackson was aided by Henry, who ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels, on the other hand, was backed by a running game that could muster only 52 yards without injured starter Brian Robinson Jr.

Then again, it's unlikely Robinson would have made a big difference against the league's leading defense against the run and a unit that has long been known for its physicality.

Best you've seen all year, Jayden?

“To this point, for sure,” he said. “Obviously, what they do, how they operate, how they try to punch you in the mouth.”

Daniels didn't come away with a win, but he certainly earned the respect of Jackson, who had a clear view of things from the Baltimore sideline.

“I believe he deserves all the hype he’s getting. He played a tremendous game out there,” Jackson said. “They just came up short. For six games, he’s been playing amazing.”

Daniels spent much of the afternoon trying to avoid pressure in the pocket while looking at well-covered receivers. It wasn't much fun, but he and the Commanders are probably better for the experience.

“These are the type of games you want to be in. It’s the type of game that we’re probably going to be in moving forward," Daniels said. “You’ve got to be able to pull those out.”

Not this time. But maybe the next time.

Commanders running back Austin Ekeler, who was held to 21 yards on nine carries, said: "It’s a situation where we came out, we battled, they made a few more plays than we did. But guess what? We’re going to come back, bounce back and be ready to go again.”

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers speaks during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn pauses during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs with the ball as Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith, right, defends during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin, right, is congratulated by quarterback Jayden Daniels after catching a 6-yard touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels sits in the bench area during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels scrambles during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Nevada man with a shotgun, loaded handgun, ammunition and several fake passports in his vehicle was arrested at a security checkpoint outside Donald Trump's rally Saturday night in the Southern California desert, authorities said. He was released Saturday on $5,000 bail.

The suspect, a 49-year-old resident of Las Vegas, was driving an unregistered black SUV with a “homemade” license plate that was stopped by deputies assigned to the rally in Coachella, east of Los Angeles, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said at a Sunday news conference.

The driver claimed to be a journalist but it was unclear if he had the proper credentials. Deputies noticed the interior of the vehicle was “in disarray” and a search uncovered the weapons and ammo, along with multiple passports and driver licenses with different names, Bianco said.

The man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine, the department said in a statement.

“This incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or attendees of the event,” the Saturday statement said. Trump had not yet arrived at the rally at the time of the arrest, the sheriff said Sunday.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 2, 2025, according to online records.

Bianco declined to speculate about the suspect's motives or frame of mind. “We know we prevented something bad from happening, and it was irrelevant what that bad was going to be," Bianco said.

Media members, as well as VIP ticket holders, were routed through a number of intersections manned by state and local law enforcement officers before arriving at a large, grassy area where drivers were asked to open hoods and trunks, and each vehicle was searched by a K-9 officer. Other general ticket holders were directed to a site roughly 3 miles away from the rally, where they were boarded onto buses and driven to the site.

Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the arrest.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco planned an afternoon news conference to discuss the arrest.

Security is very tight at Trump rallies following two recent assassination attempts. Last month, a man was indicted on an attempted assassination charge after authorities said he staked out the former president for 12 hours and wrote of his desire to kill him. The Florida arrest came two months after Trump was shot and wounded in the ear in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Attendees watch as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Calhoun Ranch, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Coachella, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Law enforcement snipers look over the scene as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Calhoun Ranch, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Coachella, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump gestures to the audience as he departs a campaign rally at the Calhoun Ranch, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Coachella, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)