Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall pick, made his NFL debut. Individually, Daniels looked the part. Some would say he was remarkable. Despite his efforts, the Commanders were no match for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Commanders fell behind early and never came close, losing 37-20.
Daniels’ play on the field gave Washington fans optimism about the future of its quarterback.
Daniels threw for 184 yards, completing 17-of-24 passes. Yet, his legs were on full display, rushing for 88 yards and scoring two touchdowns on the ground.
Jayden Daniels became the first quarterback to rush for over 80 yards and two touchdowns in his NFL debut.
The Buccaneers’ defense tested the rookie with their complicated blitzes. Daniels was one of the best quarterbacks who threw against the blitz during his Heisman season at LSU.
When Daniels sensed the pressure on Sunday, he tucked the ball and ran. His instincts seemed immediate.
Daniels protected the football. He improvised with his receivers struggling to get open. Instead, Daniels got the ball out quickly. He only had 2.3 seconds to throw. He checked the ball down with the Buccaneers dropping coverage.
Jayden Daniels took what the Buccaneers defense gave him
Daniels relied on underneath throws. His lone deep shot sailed over the head of Washington’s star wide receiver Terry McLaurin. Everything seemed under the defense, which was necessary with the adjustments of Tampa’s secondary.
There was a recurring theme, as Daniels didn’t challenge the defense outside the numbers. The Buccaneers contained Mclaurin, holding the top wideout to two catches and 17 yards. There were few opportunities in between for the Commanders’ wide receivers.
The wideout room collectively had 55 receiving yards on seven catches.
- Luke McCaffrey… 3 catches, 18 yards
- Terry McLaurin… 2 catches, 17 yards
- Olamide Zaccheaus… 1 catch, 15 yards
- Jamison Crowder… 1 catch, 5 yards
But when he did have an open window, Daniels connected on his passes. He showed accuracy on short route plays, getting the ball out fast before The Bucs defense could collapse on him. That’s saying a lot considering the concerns about Washington’s offensive line, which ranked 27th in the NFL entering the season, per Pro Football Focus.
Neither one of the WRs was a top-3 catcher. Instead, the Commanders’ running backs — Austin Ekeler (four catches, 52 yards) and Brian Robinson Jr. (three catches, 49 yards) — were the top two receivers. Veteran tight end Zach Ertz added three receptions for 28 yards.
Jayden Daniels got sacked twice and only faced pressure on 9.1% of his dropbacks. He used a quick release and his leg to equalize the Buccaneers’ heavy blitz scheme. Daniels only left a clean pocket once.
Daniels’ debut gives Commanders fans hope for the future. He showed his ability to make a big play using his legs. If the Commanders’ front office can continue building an offense around Daniels, the team can be a threat to the league with him under center.
