Something was amiss with Jayden Daniels in Week 11 at the Philadelphia Eagles. The Washington Commanders quarterback never looked comfortable within an unusually conservative scheme compared to recent games. Kliff Kingsbury's offense couldn't get anything going and the defense wasn't able to withstand a late onslaught en route to defeat.
This was Daniels' worst performance of his rookie campaign by a wide margin. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft has found things relatively easy aside from the last fortnight. Now, fans will get the chance to see how he responds in the face of prolonged adversity.
The restrictions and lack of conviction to take shots downfield led many to believe Daniels' rib injury suffered against the Carolina Panthers was bothering him in a colder climate. His longest pass completion to a wide receiver was 10 yards. It was a far cry from the explosive purpose to gain chunk plays fans have become accustomed to seeing from the Heisman Trophy winner.
Jayden Daniels wasn't in the mood for excuses after Week 11 loss
Daniels wasn't in the mood for excuses after the contest. The former LSU standout was more concerned about holding himself accountable and how the Commanders can get out of their current slump in pursuit of postseason football in 2024.
"I feel good. It's football at the end of the day. Physicality is required, but it was a tough loss. I gotta capitalize. I gotta play better. Some throws I want back, for sure, I think we all gotta look at ourselves in the mirror and see how we can get better moving forward. We haven't been executing how we were earlier in the season. It's a long season, so there are going to be ups and downs, so how can we fight through adversity? If I was [hurt], I wouldn't be on the field right now. I'm not the only player that's fighting stuff. No player at this point is 100 percent healthy and it was a short turnaround. Just go back, rest up, and get ready for next week."Jayden Daniels
Nobody should have expected anything else to come out of Daniels' mouth. He's an ultra-competitor who holds himself to the highest standards. If he's healthy enough to be on the field, the player's expectations are high.
They weren't met in Week 11 with the national limelight glaring. Daniels wasn't playing the blame game or using a long season up to now without their bye week as a reason behind Washington's demise. He's focused on getting better, making the most of the team's mini-bye, and preparing effectively for the Commanders' next contest at home to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12.
No rookie quarterback - not even C.J. Stroud - goes through an entire campaign without setbacks. It's all part of the learning curve. Daniels faced two elite defenses and didn't come out on top. He'll also know that to triumph over teams like the Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers moving forward, adjustments must be made.
Daniels has a high-end work ethic and a fierce inner desire to come through these challenges effectively. The Commanders are still in a decent position despite losing ground within the division. They also have plenty of winnable games upcoming on the schedule to potentially secure playoff football in the coming weeks.
And make no mistake, nobody will be striving more to put things right than Daniels.