Jayden Daniels is going through his first genuine adversity since becoming the Washington Commanders starting quarterback. Something the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft was looking to put right against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12.
Daniels has the talent. That's not in question after a sensational start to his professional career. Almost every first-year quarterback goes through complications at some stage. How the former LSU star responds is crucial.
There was a little extra zip on Daniels' throws in practice this week. The longer recuperation period after Washington's game versus the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football helped. But nothing but a dominant display would do in the face of a division rival.
The Cowboys were under-strength and lacking in confidence heading into the contest. This represented an outstanding chance for the Commanders to get right and for Daniels to remind the world of the special traits he brings to the table.
As it turned out, Daniels and the Commanders once again floundered offensively. It was their most embarrassing display of the season so far and Washington's postseason hopes are hanging by a thread as a result.
With this in mind, here are five major observations from Daniels' performance against the Cowboys at Northwest Stadium.
Major observations from Jayden Daniels' performance vs. the Cowboys
Jayden Daniels' disjointed start
Anyone expecting Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders to steamroll an under-strength Dallas Cowboys defense got a good feel for how the game was going to go early on. It was a disjointed opening to the contest from the offense, who couldn't seem to find the right rhythm and looked out of sync from the first whistle.
Daniels just seemed off from a timing standpoint. The signal-caller wasn't helped by an underperforming offensive line and mistakes from his pass-catchers, but fans were expecting better after a short break on the mini-bye.
This is becoming an ongoing frustration. Daniels and the offensive took the NFL by storm over the first half of 2024. It seems like the blueprint on how to prevent them is out there. The Commanders and their star quarterback need to find better solutions or risk all their hard work earlier in the campaign going to waste.
That's the long and short of it.
Jayden Daniels' abysmal first half
The offense was abysmal over the first half. Not having Brian Robinson Jr. at 100 percent was sorely felt. But the Dallas Cowboys managed to pick up some defensive steam early on and never relinquished the advantage as coordinator Kliff Kingsbury ran out of ideas.
Jayden Daniels didn't exactly cover himself in glory. He looked jittery in the pocket once again. There was a critical error in giving up an interception when throwing it into the dirt was the preferred option. He had just three passing yards until late in the second quarter, which is nothing short of unacceptable considering the high standards he's set for himself.
This was reflected in Daniels' statistics overall. It was not a good first half from the dual-threat weapon, which is being kind.
- 56.25 percent completion
- 57 passing yards
- 0 touchdowns
- 1 interception
- 3 sacks against
- 25 rushing yards
- 37.8 passer rating (ESPN)
Daniels wasn't the only offensive player who struggled, but he carries the can as the team's quarterback and prized possession. The Commanders were just lucky Dallas' offense let them off the hook and their special teams unit endured a torrid first half themselves.
Jayden Daniels' mobility
One of Jayden Daniels' biggest strengths has been negated over the last fortnight. His inability to gain yards on the ground versus the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles caused untold complications. The player looked more like his old self in Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys.
It wasn't easy, not by any stretch of the imagination. Daniels is a pocket passer first, but he doesn't hesitate to take off when things aren't developing downfield as expected. This was arguably Washington's best way to generate yardage looking at the difficulties being endured in the passing game.
Daniels eventually finished the game with 74 rushing yards and one score on the ground. This is in keeping with what the signal-caller produced before his mini-slump. It was even more vital when one considers Brian Robinson Jr. was dealing with an ankle issue suffered on the first play of the game.
This was a positive development amid the doom and gloom. But the Commanders cannot become overly dependent on Daniels carving up yards on the ground. That's not going to get them to the postseason.
Jayden Daniels' confidence
There didn't seem to be much confidence associated with Jayden Daniels in Week 12. Not from the player himself or the offensive scheme implemented by Kliff Kingsbury.
The signal-caller struggled to convert third downs effectively versus a Dallas Cowboys defense that managed to grow as the game progressed. Kingsbury refused to call many shots downfield, which only made things easier for the opposition. It was a comedy of errors from start to finish and the Commanders failed to live up to their favorite tag as a result.
This was incredibly disappointing. The composed, poise, and supremely confident aura Daniels brought over the first half of 2024 is fading quickly. The rib injury is reportedly not an issue, but the conservative play-calling and erratic distribution tell a different story.
Nobody is pressing the panic button just yet. This was always going to be a work in progress and there's been far more bad than good so far. However, the Commanders and Daniels are picking a bad time to fall apart with postseason football potentially slipping from their grasp.
Jayden Daniels' momentum is gone
He's not the only one at fault. But the sensational momentum Jayden Daniels built over the first half of 2024 is gone. The Commanders must find a way to get it back or their campaign will unravel.
Daniels doesn't have any answers right now. The offensive line is crumbling and the skill position players are nowhere near good enough. These problems were masked earlier in the season. That's not the case anymore thanks in no small part to the signal-caller's regression.
The Commanders have one more game to navigate before the bye week. They need to collectively find some answers, and quickly. This is the time of year when fine margins count more than ever. Washington is stuttering and Daniels cannot do it alone.
This was the most demoralizing result so far. The Commanders were expected to get right versus the Dallas Cowboys and Daniels was expected to hit the ground running once again. Neither happened, so it's back to the drawing board.
Daniels is down, but he's not out just yet.