Daniels, 'the reply,' delivers for Commanders

CINCINNATI — As Washington backup security and particular teamer Jeremy Reaves exited the raucous visiting locker room, headphones overlaying his ears, he pointed within the path of quarterback Jayden Daniels. He mentioned solely two phrases.

“He is completely different,” Reaves mentioned.

Defensive sort out Jon Allen was extra direct.

“He’s the reply,” Allen mentioned.

No person in that locker room would disagree. Not after an evening during which he accomplished 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-33 victory over the Bengals on “Monday Evening Soccer.” Not after he delivered a game-clinching 27-yard landing cross to receiver Terry McLaurin whereas being crunched by a blitzing defender.

“I believe he grew up tonight,” McLaurin mentioned. “I am so excited for him as a result of now as a rookie, when you see these throws, you get extra confidence. And I believe his confidence is simply going by way of the roof proper now.”

Washington (2-1) has received two straight — and scored on 14 consecutive drives that did not finish in a kneel down — heading into Sunday’s sport at Arizona. The Commanders have acquired an early-season jolt due to Daniels’ play. In three video games, he has accomplished 80.3% of his passes, averaging 6.2 air yards per try. He has thrown for 662 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.

“He is persevering with to develop on the job,” Washington coach Dan Quinn mentioned.

Daniels led a successful area aim drive in Week 2 and threw a landing cross on his remaining full possession Monday evening. Gamers haven’t been shy of their reward of Daniels since they began training with him within the spring.

Their confidence in him has solely elevated.

“The one phrase I can actually say is hope,” guard Sam Cosmi mentioned when requested what’s completely different about Daniels in comparison with these he performed with within the earlier 4 seasons. “I imagine. We imagine.”

Daniels wasn’t fazed when the play clock was winding down, motioning to the sideline to get the play name in. The way in which he dealt with that state of affairs with out panicking resonated with teammates.

“It is stunning how composed he’s, however it’s not,” Washington guard Nick Allegretti mentioned. “It is simply the state of affairs is what it’s. What am I going to do? Panic and spoil it. He is not like that. He is simply state of affairs is what it’s. Get 11 in a huddle. Let’s name a play.

“He’s as composed of a rookie as I’ve seen and on the hardest place soccer. If that man’s burdened, everybody else tightens up. So he might not be doing it on objective, however his composure composes all the offense.”

Daniels was requested to transform three fourth downs: two together with his arm and one together with his legs. He succeeded every time. A fourth-and-2 cross to rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey gained 30 yards to arrange the Commanders’ first landing. A fourth-and-1 run early within the fourth quarter led to a area aim.

However the coup de grace was a fourth-and-4 cross from the Bengals’ 39-yard line to tight finish Zach Ertz with 4 minutes, 26 seconds left within the sport and Washington main by solely 5. It went for 9 yards.

“It is only a blessing that the teaching employees has religion in me to go on the market and make a play in a crucial second,” Daniels mentioned. “However that is only a testomony to not simply me however the entire offense.”

Then he delivered maybe his first signature second. Three performs later, dealing with an all-out blitz with a defender about to hit him, Daniels unleashed an ideal throw that traveled 45 yards within the air and settled into McLaurin’s arms for a 27-yard landing.

McLaurin instructed offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury he wished the ball on that play. Daniels delivered.

“After we wanted it most, Jayden did an important job of taking a success,” mentioned McLaurin, who additionally caught a 55-yard cross earlier within the sport main to a different landing. “These are big-time throws for a rookie to make.”

However, with all the large throws, Daniels might need to figuratively wrestle with a teammate to get his first landing ball. That is as a result of it went to backup sort out Trent Scott, who caught a 1-yard landing cross within the third quarter.

“I might wish to noticed [the ball] down the center,” Scott mentioned. “I used to be nervous as crap, ‘Simply do not drop the ball.'”

For as a lot as his teammates aren’t shocked — Allen mentioned it is what he sees “every single day in apply” — Daniels has been shocked.

“Sure, as a result of clearly it is one thing new to me,” he mentioned. “But in addition simply realizing the side I proceed to place within the work, and what’s achieved in the dead of night will all the time come to gentle.”