Jayden Daniels plays turnover-free football
Jayden Daniels is calm through the chaos. Many rookie quarterbacks get flustered at some stage during their first season in the pros. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft hasn't flinched.
If anything, he's only getting better.
The higher the stakes, the more Daniels thrives. He's highly competitive with elite-level poise. He genuinely believes that nothing is going to stop him from reaching his goals. Very few have found the right answers to counteract his exceptional gifts.
Daniels' first game at the Philadelphia Eagles this season didn't go well. The Washington Commanders were soundly beaten on Thursday Night Football and the Heisman Trophy winner wasn't his typically efficient self. However, there was a big mitigating circumstance attached.
The former LSU star was dealing with a rib issue that hindered his performance levels. There was no real confidence from Daniels' perspective to take off and run for fear of doing further damage to the complication. He turned the tide a few short weeks later, leading a sensational fightback to all but confirm Washington's playoff berth.
One of the biggest positives surrounding Daniels throughout the knockout rounds centers on his ball security. He's making smart decisions, he's protecting the football, and has not conceded a turnover in two high-stakes games on the road.
If Daniels can do the same again at Lincoln Financial Field, the Commanders have a legitimate shot.
Commanders' fairytale run reaches the Super Bowl
The Commanders are on a sensational run very few thought possible. They've gone from a bottom feeder to a dark-horse challenger and later, a genuine contender, in a few short months. And make no mistake, confidence is high in the building that this group can go one step further and reach the Super Bowl.
Washington is one game away from being the NFC's representative in the biggest contest of all. These opportunities don't come along every day. It won't be easy, but taking advantage of this chance is crucial.
The Eagles will fancy their chances. They boast a dominant defense and some exceptional weapons on the offensive side. Nothing but supreme commitment and outstanding execution in a hostile environment will do.
Dan Quinn's been eager to keep everyone's feet on the ground. There is no reveling in the limelight. There is no looking further ahead than the next challenge. It's got them this far, so who's to say it cannot go one more step en route to the NFC Championship crown?
It's been a generation since the Commanders found themselves in this spot. The dark cloud has been lifted and opportunity knocks. The Eagles will be ready, but Washington is going to give it everything in yet another win-or-go-home scenario.
The Commanders are underdogs, but that's not bothered them before. That'll be the case again.