Jayden Daniels and the offense stalling have the Commanders on a three-game losing streak

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Allowing two kickoff return touchdowns and missing an extra point all in the final few minutes added up to the Washington Commanders losing a third consecutive game in excruciating fashion.

The underlying reason for this slide continuing was a problem long before that. An offense led by dynamic rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels that was among the NFL's best for a long stretch of the season put up just nine points and 169 yards for the first three-plus quarters against Dallas before falling behind 20-9 and teeing off on the Cowboys' conservative defense.

“We just couldn’t really get it going,” said receiver Terry McLaurin, whose lengthy touchdown with 21 seconds left masked that he had just three catches for 16 yards through three quarters. “We’ve got to find a way to start faster and sustain drives, and that’s everybody: the whole coaching staff and the offensive players just going out there and figuring out ways that we can stay on the field.”

This is not a new problem for Washington, which had a season-low 242 yards in a Nov. 10 home loss to Pittsburgh and 264 yards four days later in a defeat at Philadelphia. Since returning from a rib injury that knocked him out of a game last month, Daniels has completed just under 61% of his passes, after 75.6% over his first seven professional starts.

Daniels and coach Dan Quinn have insisted this isn't about injury. The coaching staff blamed a lack of adequate practice time, but a full week of it before facing the Cowboys did not solve the problem.

It is now fair to wonder if opponents have seen enough film of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's system to figure it out.

“I think teams and coordinators are going to see what other teams have success against us and try to figure out how they could incorporate that into their scheme," Daniels said after going 12 of 22 for 80 yards passing through three quarters in the Dallas game. "We’ve been in third and longer a lot these past couple games, so that’s kind of where you get into the exotic pressures and stuff like that. We’ve just got to be better on first and second downs and stay ahead of the chains.”

Daniels has a point there, and it predates this losing streak. The Commanders have converted just 36% of third-down opportunities (27 for 75) over their past seven games after 52% (31 for 60) in their first five.

That challenge doesn't get any easier with Tennessee coming to town Sunday. The Titans, despite being 3-8, have the second-best third-down defense in the league at 31.6%.

The defense kept the Commanders in the game against Dallas, allowing just 10 points until the fourth quarter and 20 total before kickoff return touchdowns piled on to the other side of the scoreboard.

Even Cooper Rush's 22-yard touchdown pass to Luke Schoonmaker with five minutes left came after a turnover that gave the Cowboys the ball at the Washington 44. The defense spending more than 35 minutes on the field certainly contributed to fatigue as play wore on.

The running game that contributed to a 7-2 start has taken a hit, in part because of injuries to top back Brian Robinson Jr. The Commanders got 145 yards on the ground because Daniels had 74 on seven carries, but running backs combined for just 57.

Daniels could not say how much the rushing attack stalling has contributed to the offense going stagnant.

“You’ve got to be able to run the ball, keep the defense honest,” he said. "We got to execute the plays that are called in, and we didn’t do a good job of doing that.”

Linebacker Frankie Luvu keeps making the case to be first-year general manager Adam Peters' best free agent signing. He and fellow offseason addition Bobby Wagner tied for a team-high eight tackles, and Luvu also knocked down three passes against Dallas.

Kicker Austin Seibert going wide left on the point-after attempt that would have tied the score with 21 seconds left was his third miss of the game. He also was short on a 51-yard field goal attempt and wide left on an earlier extra point.

Seibert, signed a week into the season after Cade York struggled in the opener, made 25 of 27 field goal tries and was 22 of 22 on extra points before injuring his right hip and missing the previous two games. He brushed off his health and the low snap from Tyler Ott while taking responsibility for not connecting.

“I made the decision to play, and here we are,” Seibert said. “I just wasn’t striking it well. But it means a lot to me to be here with these guys, so I just want to put my best foot moving forward.”

Robinson's sprained ankle and fellow running back Austin Ekeler's concussion from a late kickoff return that led to him being hospitalized for further evaluation are two major immediate concerns. Quinn said Monday that Ekeler and starting right tackle Andrew Wylie are in concussion protocol.

It's unclear if Robinson will be available against Tennessee, which could mean Chris Rodriguez Jr. getting elevated from the practice squad to split carries with Jeremy McNichols.

The Commanders still have not gotten cornerback Marshon Lattimore into a game since acquiring him at the trade deadline from New Orleans. Lattimore is trying to return from a hamstring injury, and the secondary could use him against Calvin Ridley, who's coming off a 93-yard performance at Houston.

17 — Handoffs to a running back against Dallas, a significant decrease from much of the season before this losing streak.

Don't overlook the Titans with the late bye week coming immediately afterward. The Commanders opened as more than a touchdown favorite, but after the results over the weekend, BetMGM Sportsbook had it as 5 1/2 points Monday.

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Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (8) lays on the ground after sustaining an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Washington Commanders place kicker Austin Seibert (3) celebrates after kicking a 41-yard field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn answers questions during a press conference after an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Landover, Md. The Cowboys won 34-26. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) answers questions during a press conference after an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Landover, Md. The Cowboys won 34-26. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) and wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) walk across the field after the 34-26 loss to the Dallas Cowboys of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) walks across the field after the 34-26 loss to the Dallas Cowboys of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Workers who clean airplanes, remove trash and help with wheelchairs at Charlotte's airport, one of the nation's busiest, went on strike Monday during a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to demand higher wages.

The Service Employees International Union announced the strike in a statement early Monday, saying the workers would demand “an end to poverty wages and respect on the job during the holiday travel season.” The strike was expected to last 24 hours, said union spokesperson Sean Keady.

Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. The two companies contract with American, one of the world's biggest carriers, to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs.

American doesn’t expect “any significant disruption” to its flights this week as a result of the strike, the company said in a statement. More than 30 American flights at the Charlotte airport — about 4% of the airline's flights — were delayed at midafternoon Monday, according to FlightAware, which isn’t out of the ordinary.

Workers say they previously complained that they can't afford basic necessities, including food, housing or car repairs. They described living paycheck to paycheck while performing jobs that keep planes running on schedule. Most of them earn $12.50 to $19 an hour, union officials said.

Those workers should make $22 to $25 an hour, said the Rev. Glencie Rhedrick, of Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice, at an SEIU Airport Workers United rally across from the airport. She was joined by striking employees and advocates, many raising signs that read, “Respect Black and Brown workers” and “Respect, Protect, Pay Us.”

“We cannot live on the wages that we are being paid,” ABM cabin cleaner Priscilla Hoyle said at the rally. “I can honestly say it's hard every single day with my children, working a full-time job but having to look my kids in the eyes and sit there and say, ‘I don’t know if we're going to have a home today.'”

At some airports in the Northeast, workers make more because of local wage ordinances, said Chris Baumann, a regional director for the union. But that's not the case in some Southern cities like Charlotte, he said, so workers are “asking the contractors to step up and do the right thing.”

ABM said in a statement Monday that it would take steps to minimize the strike's impact on travelers. There are avenues for employees to communicate issues, the company said, including a national hotline and a “general open door policy for managers at our worksite.”

“We keep employee safety and job satisfaction at the forefront of everything we do, and we are committed to addressing concerns swiftly,” ABM said.

Prospect Airport Services said last week that the company recognized the seriousness of the potential for a strike during the busy holiday travel season. It did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

About 800 workers were affected by the union’s push for higher wages, but an exact number who participated in the work stoppage was unclear, said union spokesperson Ana Tinsly.

Timothy Lowe II, a Prospect wheelchair attendant, said at the rally that he has heard of co-workers having to sleep in their cars or in U-Hauls because they can't afford rent. At the end of his shifts, Lowe said, he has to figure out where to spend the night because he doesn't make enough for a deposit on a home.

“We just want to be able to have everything that’s a necessity paid for by the job that hired us to do a great job so they can make billions,” he said.

Charlotte airport officials have said this holiday travel season is expected to be the busiest on record, with an estimated 1.02 million passengers departing the airport between last Thursday and the Monday after Thanksgiving. Airport officials said in a statement Monday morning that they were “monitoring and actively engaged with all partners to ensure terminal operations are not impacted,” noting that the striking workers aren’t employed by the city’s aviation department.

The union's North Carolina director, Niecy Brown, said at the rally that many people will travel through the Charlotte airport for Thanksgiving to spend time with family, but that the striking workers won't have that same holiday experience because of low wages. Instead, striking employees attended a “Strikesgiving” lunch Monday.

“They don't have a table to go to; they don't have a home to go to,” Brown said.

Airport workers wave signs as they march in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Airport workers wave signs as they march in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Airport workers wave signs as they march in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Airport workers wave signs as they march in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Airport workers wave signs as they march in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Airport workers wave signs as they march in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Airport workers wave signs as they march in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Airport workers wave signs as they strike in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Airport workers wave signs as they march in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

An airplane arrives at Charlotte Douglas International Airport as airport workers strike in front of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

FILE - A view of Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco, File)

An union ballot drop box is seen at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Passengers walks past a union ballot drop box at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

An union ballot drop box is seen at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

LaQuanda Harvey, a Prospect airport service worker, votes in favor of a strike at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)