Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels took the field for Sunday’s primetime showdown against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears. Daniels nursed a rib cartilage injury he suffered in last week’s game. The star QB wasted no time easing concerns over his health with two nifty scrambles in the first quarter.
The second did include a shifty juke that froze Bears linebacker TJ Edwards.
Daniels and Washington’s offense faced a third-and-eight from their 11-yard line. With the Bears protecting the pass with two-deep coverage, Daniels used his feet to scramble for the first down. Edwards crashed toward the QB before Daniels shook the linebacker with a juke.
The juke freed Daniels to get the first down and out of bounds from harm’s way.
Daniels had 17 yards on two scrambles in the first quarter. His ability to change direction was encouraging for his pain tolerance and resistance to the rib injury. More importantly, he understood the importance of getting out of bounds, especially after getting injured last week against the Carolina Panthers.
Jayden Daniels suffered the injury getting tackled at the end of a 46-yard run on Washington’s opening possession. On that play, it’s debatable whether he had an opportunity to get out of bounds to avoid contact.
Daniels had another positive sign when he threw a deep pass on the money to wide receiver Terry McLaurin for a 61-yard gain later on the drive. The hookup set up the Commanders’ second field goal of the quarter.
Even with the early success, monitoring Daniels’ pain tolerance will be critical during Sunday’s game. When not on the field, trainers are putting a wraparound Daniels’ ribs, hoping to sustain any soreness for the young quarterback.
