Despite what the scoreboard may say, the day as a whole wasn’t all bad for Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in his NFL debut. In what was a 17-point loss for Washington that moved its losing streak to nine consecutive games (dating back to 2023), Daniels showed promise in Week 1 against a veteran-laden, aggressive Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive unit.
While the Commanders’ offense remained stagnant and primarily horizontal for a large chunk of the ball game, Daniels’ ability to create with his legs elevated Washington’s performance ceiling. Using zone reads, designed keepers, and scrambles, Daniels rushed for 88 yards (16 attempts) with two trips to paydirt inside the red area. Although head coach Dan Quinn would like to see more success from Daniels in the pocket moving forward, Washington’s newly minted head coach should be impressed by the poise and confidence Daniels showed in an effort to backpack the Commanders’ offense all afternoon long.
Progression for the group will come with time. Star wideout Terry McLaurin remained uninvolved and Dyami Brown failed to receive a target while running backs Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr. led the way through the air combining for eight targets. While the aerial playbook remained limited primarily to screens and quick hitches, Daniels’ vertical shots to McLaurin are a sign of what’s to come—Washington opened the second half with a shot play that was a yard away from an easy pitch and catch for six.
Daniels also took care of the football, keeping the ball tight on carries and inside his frame when reading through progressions inside the pocket. Away from one instance where the ball was dislodged on a strip-sack, Daniels stayed out of trouble, a key for young quarterbacks early in their careers.
Another positive for Daniels requires a quick glimpse around the NFL, where two fellow rookie signal-callers (Caleb Williams and Bo Nix) made their debut. While Williams (Chicago) was the only first-year QB to earn a win in Week 1, Daniels outperformed Williams and Nix in nearly every major statistical category. A small win in the grand scheme of things, but a stark reminder that things simply aren’t easy in the NFL. And for Daniels, while a 37-20 loss in his debut won’t allow him to sleep comfortably the next few nights, everything comes with context. Week 1 was a step in the right direction.
Moving into Week 2, it’s about baby steps and slowly taking the training wheels off if you’re offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Washington’s next opponent in the New York Giants will be the first team to face Daniels with tape of him in a pro game, and continuing to evolve both inside and outside the pocket will remain paramount in Daniels’ progression as the Commanders’ face of the franchise.
While the onus will remain on Daniels to carry the load offensively, and at times, willingly drag Washington down the field via his athleticism, he’ll need help from his correlating talent if the burgundy and gold will look to exceed expectations this fall. Whether it’s the coaching staff’s ability to shore up a left tackle spot that saw a rotation of Cornelius Lucas and rookie Brandon Coleman in Week 1, or finding bodies that can create separation on the outside away from McLaurin, the rookie needs help from the veterans. Relying on Daniels’ legs to keep Washington in football games could come back to bite them before the season ever kicks into second gear.
More runs mean more shots to the body, and the 205-pound Daniels had multiple instances where his helmet was dislodged on Sunday against the Buccaneers. I get it, it’s fun to watch Daniels outrun pursuit angles and blow by opposing defenders—as he did at LSU and as he did against Tampa Bay—but for the Commanders to elevate on offense, it’ll come via the correlating talent surrounding Daniels to step up. It’s only Week 1, but early impressions surrounding Daniels should remain positive as he heads into his home debut next Sunday.