Jayden Daniels' first half
Things didn't get much better for Jayden Daniels as the first half progressed. The Philadelphia Eagles seized the early initiative on defense, giving them the confidence needed to make things extremely uncomfortable for the signal-caller.
There were a few flashes, but everything looked a little out of sync.
Daniels couldn't build much momentum. Jacory Croskey-Merritt was getting a lot more joy on the ground, which kept things ticking over as the half went on. As for the passing game? It was largely underwhelming.
The Arizona State product managed a couple of nice throws to Stefon Diggs and third-round rookie Antonio Williams, but that's about it. It was disjointed, and complications in the Washington Commanders' defensive secondary let the Eagles take a comfortable lead into the interval.
Nobody was expecting anything other than a difficult afternoon for Washington on the road. But fans were expecting a little more offensive cohesiveness after some bold claims about the unit over the summer.
Daniels' first-half stats reflected how tough it was.
- 37.5 percent completion
- 43 passing yards
- 0 touchdowns
- 0 interceptions
- 0 sacks allowed
- 16 rushing yards
- 45.8 passer rating (ESPN)
Massive improvements were needed. However, the Commanders were not entirely out of the fight despite a lackluster opening.
Jayden Daniels under pressure
There were grave concerns about the offensive line heading into the season. Losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps heightened these worries among fans, but head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters were both highly confident their options would provide the needed stability.
The Eagles knew how to put Jayden Daniels under pressure. Almost every time the quarterback dropped back to pass, he was shifted off his spot. With receivers having difficulty getting open as Philadelphia rushed four, improvisation was crucial.
Daniels has no trouble with that. But he had to fight with everything he had to gain any sort of momentum, with the protection looking shaky at best.
Washington doesn't have a lot of depth on the offensive line, even if Quinn and Peters did want to shake things up. Their approach this offseason came under significant scrutiny, and this outing did nothing to calm those who don't believe the Commanders have enough.
That left Daniels trying to make the best of a bad situation. He recognized pressure would come quickly, and he was aware enough to get out on the move. The third-year pro also made better decisions, living to fight another day rather than trying to be a hero.
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