Jayden Daniels worked exceptionally hard to propel the Washington Commanders into the postseason. That wasn't enough to quench the rookie quarterback's thirst.
He wanted the fairytale to continue. Daniels is highly driven and harbors lofty ambitions — both for himself and the franchise. They might be playing with house money, but everyone in the building believes they have a chance to beat anybody with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft leading the charge.
Daniels doesn't lack self-motivation. His calmness, quiet aura, and ability to come through when things get tense provided the spark that woke a sleeping giant. His legend continues to grow and the Commanders are in safe hands long term.
The story is just beginning for Daniels. That doesn't mean the first chapter in what could be a prolific career had to end. Beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road stood in their way of the divisional round, giving the dual-threat weapon a chance to avenge his defeat to Todd Bowles' men in Week 1.
All eyes were on Daniels with the primetime spotlight glaring. As it turned out, Daniels once again played the role of closer. He got the Commanders into position and kicker Zane Gonzalez — albeit with the help of the upright — sent them into the divisional round in dramatic style.
With this in mind, here are five major observations from Daniels' performance at Raymond James Stadium over Wild Card weekend.
Major observations from Jayden Daniels' playoff performance at the Buccaneers
Jayden Daniels' tempo
Jayden Daniels looked to push the tempo right out of the gate. The quarterback was in no mood to let the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dictate proceedings, displaying the quick thinking and pre-snap command synonymous with his rookie efforts.
This didn't exactly catch the Buccaneers off guard. That doesn't make it any easier to stop. And as every Commanders fan knows, Daniels is not your average rookie.
The Buccaneers threw everything at Daniels. Todd Bowles was aggressive with his blitz packages and tried to disguise coverage to keep Daniels guessing. This tactic worked when the Washington Commanders were finding their feet in the quarterback's first NFL regular-season game. That's not the case anymore.
Daniels looks like a seasoned pro. Through solid defensive scheme recognition and exceptional timing, he never looked out of control. Although the offense ran quickly, everything looked smooth. That's a sign of how far the Commanders have come in a relatively short timeframe.