Slow Stat Line Underscores McLaurin's Near Misses in Commanders Losses
The short version
- McLaurin has 4 receptions for 64 yards on 13 targets through two games.
- His 30.8% catch rate is the NFL's lowest among players with at least 10 targets.
- A would-be touchdown vs. Dallas was overturned on review, and a 15-yard catch was nullified by offensive pass interference.
- Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow on the play after the halftime throw to McLaurin; Marcus Mariota is expected to start this week.
Terry McLaurin has four catches through two games, but several big plays against Dallas were overturned, nullified or narrowly missed.
Washington Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin has just four catches for 64 yards through two weeks, and his 30.8 percent catch rate is the lowest in the NFL among players with at least 10 targets, according to Pro Football Focus. In the season-opening 24-22 loss to Philadelphia, McLaurin managed two grabs for 14 yards, with Philadelphia shading coverage his way and his first reception not arriving until a fourth-quarter conversion on fourth down. He then posted two catches for 50 yards in Sunday's 37-20 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys.
Several moments in Dallas suggest the modest totals are misleading. A well-thrown Jayden Daniels pass to McLaurin in the end zone was overturned on review when officials judged the catch incomplete as the ground loosened the ball. A roughly 15-yard reception was wiped out by an offensive pass interference call, and just before halftime, with Washington trailing 17-10, a Daniels throw to the back of the end zone glanced off McLaurin's hands. On the following snap, Daniels dislocated his left elbow — an injury he also suffered last season — which shifted the course of the game.
A trick play from offensive coordinator David Blough later saw rookie receiver Antonio Williams deliver a pass to a wide-open McLaurin in the end zone, but the ball arrived behind him and he could not adjust his body. McLaurin said after the opener that he was not worried about his target count, expecting more opportunities to come.
With Daniels out at least for this week, Marcus Mariota is set to start at quarterback. Mariota and McLaurin have shared the field frequently over the past couple of seasons, and the broader question of McLaurin's production may take several more games to answer.
