Jayden Daniels' mobility
Jayden Daniels is a pocket passer by trade. He's a cerebral assassin who can carve up defenses behind his offensive line. But he's also capable of bringing out his superpower when it's required.
That, of course, is his exceptional mobility. When things aren't developing as expected, Daniels has no problem getting out on the move. He's got a sixth sense for escaping pressure. He's also much quicker than people give him credit for, which is a dangerous combination that the New York Giants had no real answer for.
When the Giants thought they had Daniels locked up, he'd find a way out. This often came in critical down and distances, which only added to Brian Daboll's frustrations. He's a pick-your-poison quarterback to scheme against, and he's got no trouble exploiting potential weaknesses with his legs.
The Washington Commanders don't want to rely too much on Daniels' legs. It increases the risk of getting hurt, but sometimes, it's a necessity. And he's getting a lot better at picking and choosing his spots rather than just tucking to run at the first opportunity.
Daniels eventually finished the game with 68 rushing yards. The ground game looked much more efficient, led by Austin Ekeler and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but having this quarterback also gives it a massive shot in the arm.
Jayden Daniels got the job done
Week 1 is always a tricky one to predict. In some ways, it's not the performance that matters. The result is all that counts.
Jayden Daniels got the job done. There are some things to clean up, but it was a pretty convincing victory, all things considered. The quarterback steered the ship effectively, protected the football, and never looked in any real danger.
It represents a solid foundation from which to build. Daniels is only going to get better once he gets more reps. He's not going to come up against many better defensive fronts this season, so the fact that he looked so comfortable and in control is a big plus to emerge from the contest.
This is just the start. Bigger tests are coming for Daniels, starting on Thursday Night Football in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. But with the signal-caller already in midseason form, the Commanders have absolutely nothing to fear.
Daniels accumulated more than 300 total yards. He led by example and always seemed to come through in clutch moments. This is what the Commanders saw from the franchise player throughout the 2024 season. It seems like history will repeat itself in the best way imaginable.