Jayden Daniels has been nothing short of phenomenal throughout his rookie campaign. The Washington Commanders have a genuine franchise quarterback moving forward — a sentiment echoed by part-owner Magic Johnson this week. He got the chance to right one of the few wrongs accumulated in 2024 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
This was the scene of arguably Daniels' worst road performance of the campaign. It wasn't a complete disaster and the rib issue also complicated matters, but the signal-caller set high standards for himself that couldn't be reached. Something he was looking to rectify at Northwest Stadium.
Daniels is coming up against a formidable defensive front led by the exceptional defensive tackle tandem of Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Veteran linebacker Zach Baun will be keeping an eye on the rookie closely. There's also the small matter of an outstanding secondary to get past in pursuit of points.
These are the challenges Daniels relishes. He's a hugely competitive player who's inspired an entire organization. If he could get one over on the Eagles and bolster Washington's postseason chances, it would all but confirm his Pro Bowl distinction.
As it turned out, Daniels brought the Commanders back from the brink to attain a valuable victory right at the death.
With this in mind, here are five major observations from Daniels' performance versus Philadelphia.
Major observations from Jayden Daniels' performance vs. the Eagles
Jayden Daniels on the back foot
Jayden Daniels wasn't anticipating a smooth ride in this one. The Philadelphia Eagles' defense is notoriously difficult to overcome. That was the case right from the outset as the signal-caller went on the back foot immediately.
Philadelphia seized the initiative early. Saquon Barkley ran all over the Commanders and left them chasing the contest even without quarterback Jalen Hurts, who left the contest with a concussion. This piled more pressure on Daniels to produce the goods as the Eagles smelled blood.
Daniels stood up to the challenge. It wasn't perfect, but he was far from their biggest problem. Had the Commanders limited their turnovers, it would have been a lot different.
The Commanders aren't going to have things all their way. Knowing that Daniels can cope with deficits and remain composed amid the chaos provides confidence if the supporting cast improves.