Pearl clutching is an appropriate response from Commanders fans and management to Jayden Daniels’ latest freak elbow injury. The kid is injury prone — and in the oddest place. But panicky insinuations that he’s not built to play NFL quarterback — that he’s too thin to hold up, that the franchise should consider drafting another quarterback — reflect a very short view of what appears to be a generational athlete. Of course, he needs to stay on the field. And bulk up, too. But whether he’s MIA for a few games or longer, his talent is worth the wait.

Another problem: For the moment, Daniels’ situation distracts from a dodgy Commanders’ defense that has allowed seven touchdowns in two games.

Quick hit: Jalen Hurts is criminally underestimated.

Early returns: At 1-1 this season, the Steelers are doing relatively well for a team with an immobile 42-year-old quarterback and no discernable offense.

No escape: Don’t run, quarterback Jaxson Dart was told. Stay in the pocket where it’s safer, they said. How did that work out for the Giants?

Idle thought: Nothing makes America click away from an NFL game faster than the introduction of a backup quarterback. So while some roughing the passer penalties are infuriatingly ticky-tack, you can see why the league errs on the side of caution. QBs drive viewership.

He said it: Mike Tomlin, on why he’s happy with his new NBC role: “I can provide bulletin board material with no personal consequence.”

Hard-nosed: Defense has been the bedrock of Virginia Tech’s 3-0 start. James Franklin’s squad leads the nation in tackles for a loss (36) and is tied for the national lead with 14 quarterback sacks. Sure, you could say that the stats are slightly skewed by Tech’s 73-3 romp over VMI.

Wordplay: Addressing the personnel issues inside Bill Belichick’s football program, North Carolina released a statement claiming that “certain actions demonstrated a disregard for Carolina’s values and standards of conduct.” Certain actions? Institutional obfuscation at its finest.

Adulting: Trinidad Chambliss, this week’s Heisman front runner after quarterbacking Ole Miss past LSU, rode a court-ordered injunction into his sixth year of eligibility and at 24 would be the second-oldest Heisman winner after Florida State’s Chris Weinke, who in 2000 won at 28.

Wondering: Have the 24% of Americans who during the height of the World Cup said that they’d likely take an interest in worldwide soccer considered joining the Erling Haaland fan club?

D.C. confidential: Sen. Cory Booker’s suggested amendment to the Protect College Sports Act that would cap coaches’ salaries at $5 million a year is an unserious proposal that has no chance. But maybe it was worth the effort if only to make a point.

TV timeout: Thursday night NFL matchups, when teams have only four days between games, reveal how much Roger Goodell and the owners actually care about the health of players.

Future watch: Aaron Judge vowing to return from injury heightens the Yankees’ playoff expectations, but Ben Rice, enjoying the season of his life, is New York’s most likely candidate to be Mr. October.

And finally: The Blue Jays are the most recent addition to the That’s Baseball File. After coming within a couple of improbable plays of winning the 2025 World Series, Toronto was eliminated from playoff contention this week with a last-place record. For what it’s worth, the Blue Jays were favored to top the AL. Once again, nobody knows anything.

Bob Molinaro is a former Virginian-Pilot sports columnist. His Weekly Briefing runs Fridays in The Pilot and Daily Press. He can be reached at bob5molinaro@gmail.com