Rookie Jayden Daniels leads Commanders past Bengals on MNF
Rookie Jayden Daniels leads Commanders past Bengals on MNF
CINCINNATI — As Washington backup safety and special teamer Jeremy Reaves left the noisy visiting locker room, he gestured toward quarterback Jayden Daniels and said only two words:
"He's different."
Defensive tackle Jon Allen was more emphatic.
"He is the answer," Allen said.
No one in the locker room would disagree, especially after a night where Daniels completed 21-of-23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns in Washington's thrilling 38-33 victory over the Bengals. He sealed the game with a 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terry McLaurin, despite taking a hard hit from a blitzing defender.
"I think he grew up tonight," McLaurin said. "I'm so excited for him because, as a rookie, once you start making those throws, your confidence skyrockets. His confidence is through the roof right now."
Washington (2-1) has won two straight games, scoring on 14 consecutive drives that didn’t end in a kneel down. The spark has come from Daniels' impressive play. In three games, he’s completed 80.3 percent of his passes, throwing for 662 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
"He's continuing to grow on the job," said Washington head coach Dan Quinn.
In the last two games, Daniels has engineered a game-winning field goal drive and delivered a crucial touchdown pass in his final full possession on Monday night. His steady performance has earned the trust of his teammates.
"The only word I can say is hope," said guard Sam Cosmi when comparing Daniels to previous quarterbacks. "I believe. We believe."
Daniels' poise, even when the play clock was winding down, caught the attention of his teammates.
"It's shocking how composed he is, but at the same time, it's not," said Washington guard Nick Allegretti. "If he's stressed, everyone else tightens up. His composure keeps the entire offense calm."
Daniels faced three critical fourth-down situations—converting twice with his arm and once with his legs. A fourth-and-2 pass to rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey for 30 yards set up the team’s first touchdown. A fourth-and-1 run early in the fourth quarter led to a field goal. But the biggest play came on a fourth-and-4 from the Bengals' 39-yard line with 4:26 left in the game. Daniels hit tight end Zach Ertz for a nine-yard gain, maintaining the drive.
"It's a blessing that the coaching staff has faith in me to make plays in crucial moments," Daniels said. "But that's not just about me; it’s about the whole offense."
Daniels' standout moment came three plays later when, facing a heavy blitz, he launched a 45-yard pass that landed perfectly in McLaurin's hands for a 27-yard touchdown. McLaurin, who had earlier requested the ball from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, praised Daniels for delivering under pressure.
"Jayden did a great job taking a hit when we needed it most," McLaurin said. "Those are big-time throws, especially for a rookie."
Despite all the big plays, Daniels might have to share his first touchdown ball with backup tackle Trent Scott, who caught a one-yard touchdown pass earlier in the game.
"I’d want to split the ball down the middle," Scott joked. "I was nervous, just thinking, 'Don't drop it.'"
While his teammates weren’t surprised by his performance, Daniels admitted he’s still adjusting to the spotlight.
"Yeah, it's surprising because it’s all new to me," Daniels said. "But I know the work I put in behind the scenes is coming to light."
CINCINNATI — As Washington backup safety and special teamer Jeremy Reaves left the noisy visiting locker room, he gestured toward quarterback Jayden Daniels and said only two words:
"He's different."
Defensive tackle Jon Allen was more emphatic.
"He is the answer," Allen said.
No one in the locker room would disagree, especially after a night where Daniels completed 21-of-23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns in Washington's thrilling 38-33 victory over the Bengals. He sealed the game with a 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terry McLaurin, despite taking a hard hit from a blitzing defender.
"I think he grew up tonight," McLaurin said. "I'm so excited for him because, as a rookie, once you start making those throws, your confidence skyrockets. His confidence is through the roof right now."
Washington (2-1) has won two straight games, scoring on 14 consecutive drives that didn’t end in a kneel down. The spark has come from Daniels' impressive play. In three games, he’s completed 80.3 percent of his passes, throwing for 662 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
"He's continuing to grow on the job," said Washington head coach Dan Quinn.
In the last two games, Daniels has engineered a game-winning field goal drive and delivered a crucial touchdown pass in his final full possession on Monday night. His steady performance has earned the trust of his teammates.
"The only word I can say is hope," said guard Sam Cosmi when comparing Daniels to previous quarterbacks. "I believe. We believe."
Daniels' poise, even when the play clock was winding down, caught the attention of his teammates.
"It's shocking how composed he is, but at the same time, it's not," said Washington guard Nick Allegretti. "If he's stressed, everyone else tightens up. His composure keeps the entire offense calm."
Daniels faced three critical fourth-down situations—converting twice with his arm and once with his legs. A fourth-and-2 pass to rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey for 30 yards set up the team’s first touchdown. A fourth-and-1 run early in the fourth quarter led to a field goal. But the biggest play came on a fourth-and-4 from the Bengals' 39-yard line with 4:26 left in the game. Daniels hit tight end Zach Ertz for a nine-yard gain, maintaining the drive.
"It's a blessing that the coaching staff has faith in me to make plays in crucial moments," Daniels said. "But that's not just about me; it’s about the whole offense."
Daniels' standout moment came three plays later when, facing a heavy blitz, he launched a 45-yard pass that landed perfectly in McLaurin's hands for a 27-yard touchdown. McLaurin, who had earlier requested the ball from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, praised Daniels for delivering under pressure.
"Jayden did a great job taking a hit when we needed it most," McLaurin said. "Those are big-time throws, especially for a rookie."
Despite all the big plays, Daniels might have to share his first touchdown ball with backup tackle Trent Scott, who caught a one-yard touchdown pass earlier in the game.
"I’d want to split the ball down the middle," Scott joked. "I was nervous, just thinking, 'Don't drop it.'"
While his teammates weren’t surprised by his performance, Daniels admitted he’s still adjusting to the spotlight.
"Yeah, it's surprising because it’s all new to me," Daniels said. "But I know the work I put in behind the scenes is coming to light."
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