Jayden Daniels' long-awaited return to regular-season action was a mixed bag, as the 2024 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year struggled for three quarters before putting together a valiant comeback attempt that fell just short. Now he'll have a chance to build on it.
After playing only three snaps during the preseason, Daniels looked understandably rusty versus the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles' vaunted defensive front made life harder for him, pressuring the quarterback early and not giving Washington's offense much room.
Against the Dallas Cowboys, Daniels should be in a much better position. And it'll be a chance to remind the NFL what he can do.
Jayden Daniels should be able to feast on Cowboys' porous defense in Week 2
Because of the season he endured last year, and the breakouts of his 2024 NFL Draft rivals Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, Daniels' stock has taken a significant hit in the past 12 months. But he didn't lead Washington to the NFC title game as a rookie by accident.
Daniels showed flashes during the fourth quarter in Philadelphia of the player he can be when he's healthy. The dynamic signal-caller should grow more comfortable as he continues to learn David Blough's new offense, which itself will evolve as the first-time coordinator gains experience.
Now arises a prime opportunity for a breakout game against the Cowboys' defense. Of course, they just got picked apart by New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart. There's no reason Daniels can't do the same.
The Cowboys lost in Week 1 and are playing their home opener, so getting back to winning ways would be crucial. But the same applies to Washington.
The Commanders can hardly afford to drop to 0-2, which would put them in a steep uphill battle in their playoff hopes. They'll particularly have a hard time overcoming two division losses to open the season, which would put them in last place in the NFC East.
Thankfully, this is a matchup head coach Dan Quinn's squad should be able to take advantage of.
After Dart led his offense to 28 points against the Cowboys' porous secondary, Daniels and the Commanders should put up at least 30. It'll be up to defensive coordinator Daronte Jones' unit, which was mostly solid in Philadelphia, to stop Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott from countering.
Daniels and the Commanders have everything on the line in 2026. Their schedule isn't easy, and for the quarterback, these are the opportunities he must take advantage of.
After his historic first professional campaign, Daniels was already being thrown into conversations with some of the top passers in the NFL.
This Sunday, he needs to put the league back on notice.
Add us as a preferred source on Google