PHOENIX — It has been three video games, however Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels already has made an impression on his staff and the NFL.
He has earned a number of participant of the week honors, given a near-perfect efficiency in entrance of a nationwide viewers and instilled hope in a corporation that hasn’t had a lot for a very long time.
“It is wonderful,” veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner mentioned. “It is a good begin [but] let him end writing his story for the season … however what he is been in a position to do, his composure, the way in which he dealt with himself from the second he walked in you knew he’d be particular and he is displaying it.”
The numbers again up Wagner’s assertion. A key to Washington’s 2-1 file getting into Sunday’s sport on the Arizona Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox) is Daniels’ early season excellence.
He accomplished 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns whereas dashing for an additional rating in a Monday night time win in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was chosen the NFL’s Offensive Participant of the Week, two weeks after being named the offensive rookie of the week.
Two days after his breakout second in Cincinnati, he was unfazed.
“It is one other sport,” Daniels mentioned. “That sport’s up to now, do not even imply nothing no extra.”
A take a look at his numbers over these first three video games exhibits his season to this point isn’t just one other begin to a season by a rookie.
Listed here are the stats behind Daniels’ spectacular NFL begin:
Daniels is the one participant since not less than 1970 to run for 3 touchdowns, cross for 2 extra and throw zero interceptions in his first three video games.
This encompasses what Daniels has supplied to this point: a very good arm, sturdy decision-making and the flexibility to run. Each landing passes got here Monday in opposition to the Bengals, together with a 27-yarder within the fourth quarter in opposition to an all-out blitz. He was leveled by a free rusher on the play however threw an ideal cross to receiver Terry McLaurin in the long run zone to seal a 38-33 victory.
Chatting with reporters Wednesday, coach Dan Quinn mentioned he was “happy with the decision-making, the method he is going by means of.
“He is exhausting to defend due to his legs. He can get exterior the pocket. There is a twin menace.”
Daniels has thrown 90 passes with out an interception to start his profession.
That is spectacular, however he isn’t even midway to the file set final season by Houston’s C.J. Stroud, who tried 192 passes earlier than he was intercepted in Week 6. Dallas’ Dak Prescott beforehand held the file at 176, having damaged Tom Brady’s mark of 162.
Daniels has accomplished 80.3% of his cross makes an attempt, which leads the NFL.
It helps that 36.8% of his throws are at or behind the road of scrimmage. However, for context, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ranks second within the NFL behind Inexperienced Bay Packers QB Malik Willis on this space at 39.1%.
Prescott set the NFL file for rookie completion proportion (67.6) in 2016, rating 14th in air yards per try.
“If you’re in the long run of the sport to have a very good likelihood to win it,” Quinn mentioned of Daniels, who has led Washington to a rating within the closing possession of every sport, excluding a kneel-down in opposition to the Bengals, “and you’re smiling as a result of you understand you are prepared and you have been in that area, that is one of many issues that I really like about him.”
Daniels ranks thirteenth in whole QBR at 67.9.
His QBR ranking of 92.5 in opposition to the Bengals is the sixth greatest by a Washington quarterback since 2015.
The Commanders have had solely 9 video games within the earlier 5 seasons mixed when a quarterback completed with a ranking that prime. From 2018 to 2023, Washington’s QBR for the season was by no means greater than 45.7. The final time the franchise completed with a QBR of 60 or higher was in 2016, when Kirk Cousins began each sport. That is additionally the final time the Commanders completed with a profitable file.
Daniels has accomplished 40.8% of his passes for first downs, fifth within the NFL.
Since 2000, the best proportion of first downs per cross try by a rookie quarterback is 44.1% by Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Stroud accomplished 37.7% of his passes for first downs final season, ending tenth within the NFL.
Just one participant ranks within the high 5 in first downs per run amongst certified rushers in addition to first downs per cross try: Daniels. He trails solely Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (40.0%) by one half of a proportion level in first downs per rush. Jackson ranks eighth in first downs per cross try at 36.7%.
There’s room for development by Daniels as Quinn has identified — retaining his eyes upfield when he scrambles, hitting extra huge performs downfield. However the Commanders are assured these performs will happen extra typically, as he turns into extra snug and continues to develop.
“He’s nonetheless rising,” Quinn mentioned. “I can not wait to see who he is changing into.”
