5 bold predictions for Commanders QB Jayden Daniels in Week 2 vs. NY Giants
By Dean Jones
Jayden Daniels displayed some expected rookie jitters during his first taste of competitive regular-season action in the NFL. The quarterback was the least of Dan Quinn's problems as the Washington Commanders suffered a humbling loss at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he needs to demonstrate quick growth to avoid his team getting into an early slump.
Daniels had some nice moments. He also lacked pocket awareness and struggled to go through his progressions effectively, relying more on his exceptional ability to gain yards on the ground. These are all fixable with more reps, so expect to see improvements heading into Washington's home opener against the New York Giants.
The Giants have a decent defensive front. They might have underperformed versus the Minnesota Vikings to kick off their campaign, but the G-Men will see this as the perfect opportunity to get right and pile more misery on an NFC East rival for good measure.
How Daniels copes with an expectant home fanbase watching on will be crucial. With this in mind, here are five bold predictions for the Heisman Trophy winner this weekend at Northwest Stadium.
Bold predictions for Commanders QB Jayden Daniels in Week 2
Jayden Daniels maintains over 70 percent completion
One of the most impressive elements of Jayden Daniels' production in Week 1 was his accuracy. He missed a few shots downfield and relied heavily on check-downs to keep the chains moving. But if the former LSU star can maintain his 70.8 completion percentage moving forward, the better his chances will be.
Daniels only attempted 24 throws, completing 17. That's the exact number of efforts Sam Darnold was given for the Minnesota Vikings at the New York Giants, completing 79.2 percent during a dominant debut for the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium.
Dan Quinn wants the player to become more of a pocket passer moving forward - especially considering his helmet came off twice after suffering hits on running plays. Becoming comfortable distributing the football comes with experience. Once Daniels familiarizes himself further, it won't take much longer for growth to be evident.
If Daniels can keep his completion percentage above 70 and get more opportunities to showcase his arm strength, that's a big step in the right direction.