Jayden Daniels deserved better
Jayden Daniels did his part and then some. Unfortunately for the signal-caller, not everyone could say the same.
The Washington Commanders have been so careful with the football throughout the postseason. Winning the turnover battle played a significant role in their triumph over the Detroit Lions last time out. It was also the primary catalyst behind their demise with a Super Bowl appearance at stake.
Sloppy mistakes and poor execution halted momentum at the worst possible times. Dyami Brown's fumble in the first half kicked things off. Just when it looked like Daniels was getting the Commanders back into the game, veteran running back Austin Ekeler coughed up the football and the Eagles made them pay to cross the 40-point barrier.
29th forced fumble by Philly this season
— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2025
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These were avoidable mistakes. Dan Quinn preached on countless occasions during Washington's miraculous run the importance of protecting the football. And in all honesty, Daniels deserved better.
This is the clearest sign yet that the Commanders need more dependability around Daniels. He's done a remarkable job throughout a rookie campaign to remember, but some of his teammates choked in the NFC Championship pressure cooker.
That's the long and short of it. Daniels held firm in the face of pressure and did have some valuable contributors, but it wasn't enough.
Jayden Daniels' rookie fairytale ends, but the future couldn't be brighter
All good things must come to an end. For Jayden Daniels, the Commanders' loss at the Eagles marked the conclusion of the greatest season of a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
The fairytale run is over. But the future couldn't look brighter with Daniels spearheading the franchise's renaissance.
This is just the start. Daniels is only going to get better. The Commanders will enhance his supporting cast. It looks like Kliff Kingsbury is sticking around, providing the signal-caller with scheme familiarity entering Year 2 of his professional career. This makes Washington an attractive destination after years of languishing in the NFL's wilderness.
It was a step too far for the Commanders despite Daniels' best efforts. But when the disappointment subsides and the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft gets a chance to reflect, it'll make him even more determined to succeed.
The Commanders must do their part. General manager Adam Peters has an abundance of resources at his disposal this offseason and Washington's window is now. Aggressive recruitment and drafting well will make a huge difference to this squad in 2025.
Daniels is a superstar. He carried the Commanders throughout the season and ensured they achieved more than even the brightest optimist envisaged. Falling at the final conference hurdle to a formidable foe doesn't detract from that whatsoever.