Atlanta Falcons kicker Riley Patterson just missed the game winning 56 yard field goal and the game was heading to overtime. The Falcons and Commanders were trading blows all game with rookie Michael Penix Jr. holding his own against Jayden Daniels. This game however would come down to the coin flip. If the Commanders won and received the ball everyone knew the game would be over.
Daniels has become one of the NFL’s best finishers and he is only a rookie. He is already up there with the best, including Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. Consider this, Daniels has thrown a touchdown pass in the last 30 seconds of five different games. That’s an NFL record. He also broke the NFL rushing record last night previously held by RG3. What’s most impressive is he’s doing it with a roster that has huge holes on both sides of the ball.
In Sunday night’s OT thriller against the Falcons, Daniels had to overcome countless penalties that consistently pushed the Washington offense behind the sticks. He never flinched and came up clutch in several 3rd and longs. This is not the first time we’ve seen this from Daniels. Just last week, he overcame 5 turnovers and led Washington to an upset of the Eagles. And of course, you can’t forget the epic Hail Mary he threw against the Chicago Bears.
Last night was just the latest memorable moment in a season filled with them for the rookie sensation. He has single-handedly changed the course of the Commanders franchise and he is just getting started.
The holes on this Washington roster are glaring. They desperately need a WR2 behind Terry McLaurin. They are also in need of a game-changing running back and help in the defensive secondary. Even with those obvious holes, Daniels continues to put this team on his back.
With one more game to go Daniels now has 3,530 passing yards, 25 passing TDs, 864 rushing yards and 6 rushing TDs. It’s hard to find a better season for a rookie including Justin Herbert‘s monster season in 2020.
Beyond the stats, Daniels has rescued the Commanders offense time and again with critical game-saving plays. In the game against the Eagles, he scrambled for 29 yards on a 4th and 11 that would’ve been a backbreaker for Washington had they failed to convert. Add this to season filled with impressive highlights.
The story is still getting written for Jayden Daniel’s rookie season. I expect more magic from him in the playoffs and can’t wait to see what he does next. One thing is for certain, Daniels has changed the fate of the Washington franchise and is having the best rookie season we have ever seen.