Week 3: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
/Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who set an NFL rookie passing accuracy record by completing 21 of 23 passes in his Monday Night Football debut, has been named the DC Touchdown Club Pro Football Player of the Week after leading the visiting Commanders to a 38-33 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Daniels passed for 254 yards and two touchdowns and ran for one more score as Washington scored points on all of its possessions except for when it took a knee at the end of the first half.
“We were just executing at a high level,” said Daniels, who was selected No. 2 overall in this past spring’s NFL Draft. “Give credit to my o-line, my receivers and my running backs, and most importantly give credit to God.”
One week after the Commanders failed to score on six trips to the red zone, they were incredibly efficient, scoring on all three trips and finishing with five touchdowns and one field goal. It was the second consecutive week that Washington did not punt.
Daniels’ 55-yard pass to Terry McLaurin set up his own four-yard keeper midway through the second quarter, putting the Commanders in front, 21-10. Daniels started the third quarter with his first career NFL touchdown pass – a one-yarder to tackle-eligible Trent Scott for a 28-13 lead. Late in the fourth quarter, with the Commanders holding a precarious 31-26 lead and facing third-and-7, Daniels connected with McLaurin for a 27-yard touchdown.
“I knew I was going to take a hit, but I trust my players out there and trust my guy to make a play,” Daniels said.
“It was a really good ball and good catch by Terry, too,” Commanders Coach Dan Quinn said. “It was a really strong performance by [Daniels] tonight.”