5 major observations from Jayden Daniels' performance at the NY Giants
By Dean Jones
After showing tremendous grit against the Chicago Bears en route to a miraculous victory when all hope seemed lost, quarterback Jayden Daniels did not carry an injury designation heading into the Washington Commanders' visit to the New York Giants. This is also another opportunity for the resurgent franchise to cement its status as a legitimate challenger for the NFC East.
The Commanders got the better of Brian Daboll's men in Week 2, but it wasn't a perfect performance by any stretch of the imagination. Daniels was still easing his way into an NFL setting and Washington's ineffective red-zone strategy didn't help. Thankfully, things have come on significantly since then.
Daniels is a big reason why. He's an electrifying presence under center who's galvanized an entire franchise in the blink of an eye. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU is among the reasons why players around the league are actively seeking out the Commanders as a viable destination.
That's arguably the biggest positive above all else, but keeping this momentum going at MetLife Stadium was crucial. As it turned out, Daniels turned in another polished performance to ensure the Commanders got another win for their ever-growing collection.
With this in mind, here are five major observations from Daniels' performance at the Giants in Week 9.
Major observations from Jayden Daniels' performance at the NY Giants
Jayden Daniels' ruthless conviction
One of the biggest criticisms of Jayden Daniels during his first meeting with the New York Giants centered on red-zone inefficiency. The signal-caller failed to convert any of his opportunities into touchdowns in Week 2. This was also evident last weekend against the Chicago Bears before securing success in the most dramatic way imaginable.
Daniels wasn't going to let the same thing happen again in this one. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft approached his chances with surgical precision, coming up with the goods as the Washington Commanders held a comfortable 21-7 lead at the interval.
This also included two touchdown throws. Daniels eventually finished the contest with 3-of-5 in the red zone. It was a major step in the right direction and a big reason why the Commanders looked relatively comfortable throughout.
If Daniels can keep this up for the second half of 2024, the Commanders could be among the postseason challengers when it's all said and done.