With each week that passes in Jayden Daniels’ rookie season, it seems wise to make mental notes about it. Maybe years from now you’ll be telling stories about Daniels’ first NFL season.
Daniels has become an almost instant phenomenon in the NFL, and he followed up a historic game Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals with another big game in a 42-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Daniels, the second overall pick of the NFL Draft, dazzled again. He completed 26 of 30 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Something special is already happening. Daniels was a playmaker when he won a Heisman Trophy at LSU last season, and he treats the NFL just like he did the SEC. That’s rare. It’s easy to see his confidence growing, and the commanders becoming much more confident in him as well.
The Commanders are 3-1 and alone atop the NFC East. We’ll see if that’s sustainable. But it seems clear we’re in for a fun ride with the Commanders’ new star quarterback.
Washington’s offense was difficult to stop
Washington scored in the final two minutes of the second quarter on Sunday, and it was news. The Commanders hadn’t scored since the start of the fourth quarter of Week 1. That’s remarkable for a team with a quarterback, let alone a rookie in his first month as a pro.
Washington’s first nine possessions against the Cardinals resulted in seven scores, with five touchdowns and two field goals. There was also an interception, the first of Daniels’ career in his fourth game, and the punt. By the end of the eighth possession, which ended with Terry McLaurin’s 10-yard touchdown catch and Daniels hitting Zach Ertz for a two-point conversion, the Commanders led 35-14.
Then the Commanders forced a turnover and Daniels led another scoring drive, this one capped off by Jeremy McNichols’ second rushing touchdown. The Commanders rushed for over 200 yards, and while not all of that can be attributed to Daniels being a factor in the running game, it certainly helps.
Washington has an offense that appears to be as unstoppable as any in the NFL – with a quarterback who has played just four NFL games.
Jayden Daniels was excellent
It’s an easy comparison, but one that resonates with Commanders fans: The way the first part of Daniels’ rookie season is playing out is a lot like Robert Griffin III from 12 years ago.
Griffin was the talk of the NFL, an exciting dual-threat quarterback who was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft after winning a Heisman Trophy. He reached a last-place team, had the entire NFL world buzzing with his electrifying rookie season and led the Commanders to an NFC East title. The way RG3’s story ended was sad, with an injury in a playoff game changing his entire career trajectory, but we still remember his thrilling ride to an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Daniels still has a long way to go this season, but he is on a similar path.
The one thing Daniels has going for Griffin is that he already looks like a polished pocket passer. The Commanders started him very slowly, barely throwing more than a few yards downfield in his first game and most of his second, but he executed well and the offense has become increasingly open since then. If you didn’t know Daniels was a rookie, you never would have guessed on Sunday. He was simply an accurate, balanced quarterback who was also very effective as a runner.
It doesn’t look like Daniels is going anywhere. If he continues to play at this level, with a little help around him, the Commanders can also play a role all season long.
