Jayden Daniels' poise under pressure
Jayden Daniels possesses several traits that distinguish him from most other quarterbacks. One of them is his supreme poise when the lights are brightest.
The Commanders smelled blood in the water. Jim Harbaugh's squad was unusually ill-disciplined, and Washington capitalized on almost every error. Daniels was the calming presence in the storm — a lead-by-example quarterback who everyone associated with the franchise trusts completely.
There isn't much that flusters Daniels. He's got an elite-level mentality to stay on an even keel, regardless of whether the previous play has gone well or not. This bears special significance when he stands in the pocket, going through his progressions with composure and wise decisions.
This puts everyone at ease. It makes everyone better, and that doesn't apply to the offensive players. The defense knows that they have a chance with Daniels if they keep things close. Even the special teams unit had some extra juice. It's no coincidence that comes with the quarterback's return.
Daniels has a unique mentality that cannot be taught. And the poise in which he goes about his business on the field cannot be overstated if the Commanders want to go on another deep postseason run in 2025.
Jayden Daniels is back, and the Commanders are a force again
There are a few superstars around the league who change everything with their mere presence. Jayden Daniels is one of them, and the Commanders looked like a legitimate force en route to an imposing road win over the Chargers.
It wasn't perfect, not by any stretch of the imagination. There are still some things to clean up, but Daniels held firm and guided his team over the line with minimal fuss. It was the storybook California homecoming for the signal-caller, and he came out of the game with no more problems on the health front.
This was as good as fans had hoped heading into the contest. The Commanders are a better team when Daniels is on the field, and this proved it. There were some throws he'd like to have back, but he was always in complete control of proceedings after shaking off some early rust. And his effortless touchdown to Deebo Samuel Sr. put the exclamation point on proceedings.
Not many thought the Commanders would secure success at SoFi Stadium. They were underdogs going into the clash, which is precisely how Daniels likes it. The more people want to write him off, the better he performs. And once others also make their way back from injuries, Washington is only going to get better from here.