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John Keim, ESPN Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — As Washington backup safety and special teamer Jeremy Reaves exited the raucous visiting locker room, headphones covering his ears, he pointed in the direction of quarterback Jayden Daniels. He only said two words.
“He’s different,” Reaves said.
Defensive tackle Jon Allen was more direct.
“He is the answer,” Allen said.
Nobody in that locker room would disagree. Not after a night in which he completed 21-of-23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-33 victory over the Bengals. Not after he delivered a game-clinching 27-yard touchdown pass to receiver Terry McLaurin — while being crunched by a blitzing defender.
“I think he grew up tonight,” McLaurin said. “I’m so excited for him because now as a rookie, once you see those throws, you get more confidence. And I think his confidence is just going through the roof right now.”
Washington (2-1) has won two straight — and scored on 14 consecutive drives that didn’t end in a kneel down — heading into Sunday’s game at Arizona. The Commanders have received an early-season jolt because of Daniels’ play. In three games he’s completed 80.3 percent of his passes, averaging 6.2 air yards per attempt. He’s thrown for 662 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
“He’s continuing to grow on the job,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said.
And, in the last two games, he’s led a game-winning field goal drive and threw a touchdown pass on his final full possession Monday night. It’s why players have not been shy in their praise of Daniels since they started practicing with him in the spring.
Their confidence in him has only increased.
“The only word I can really say is hope,” guard Sam Cosmi said when asked what’s different about Daniels compared to those he played with in the previous four seasons. “I believe. We believe.”
Daniels wasn’t fazed when the play clock was winding down, motioning to the sideline to get the play call in. The way he handled that situation — not panicking – resonated with teammates.
“It’s shocking how composed he’s, but it’s not,” Washington guard Nick Allegretti said. “It’s just the situation is what it is. What am I going to do? Panic and ruin it. He’s not like that. He just situation is what it is. Get 11 in a huddle. Let’s call a play.
“He is as composed of a rookie as I’ve seen and at the hardest position football. If that guy’s stressed, everyone else tightens up. So he may not be doing it on purpose, but his composure composes the entire offense.”
Daniels was asked to convert three fourth downs: two with his arm and one with his legs. He succeeded each time. A fourth-and-2 pass to rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey gained 30 yards set up the first touchdown. A fourth-and-1 run early in the fourth quarter led to a field goal.
But the coup de grace was a fourth-and-four pass from the Bengals’ 39-yard line to tight end Zach Ertz with 4 minutes, 26 seconds left in the game with Washington leading by only five. It went for nine yards.
“It’s just a blessing that the coaching staff has faith in me to go out there and make a play in a critical moment,” Daniels said. “But that’s just a testament to not just me but the whole offense.”
Then he delivered perhaps his first signature moment. Three plays later, facing an all-out blitz with a defender about to hit him, Daniels unleashed a perfect throw that traveled 45 yards in the air and settled into McLaurin’s arms for a 27-yard touchdown.
McLaurin told offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury he wanted the ball on that play. Daniels delivered.
“When we needed it most Jayden did a great job of taking a hit,” said McLaurin, who also caught a 55-yard pass earlier in the game leading to another touchdown. “Those are big time throws for a rookie to make.”
But, with all the big throws, Daniels might have to figuratively wrestle with a teammate to get his first touchdown ball. That’s because it went to backup tackle Trent Scott, who caught a one-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
“I would want to saw (the ball) down the middle,” Scott said. “I was nervous as crap, ‘Just don’t drop the ball.'”
For as much as his teammates aren’t shocked — Allen said it’s what he sees “every day in practice” — Daniels has been surprised.
“Yes, because obviously it’s something new to me,” he said. “But also just knowing the aspect I continue to put in the work and what’s done in the dark will always come to light.”