Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn shared a positive update on rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels ahead of the team’s playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Daniels left Washington’s Week 18 win over the Dallas Cowboys early, giving way to backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. However, it appears that the leg soreness that the rookie was dealing with isn’t a major issue.
Dan Quinn said he’s not concerned about Jayden Daniels’ leg soreness going into this week against Tampa.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 6, 2025
While Mariota helped lead the Commanders to a win over Dallas, it’s great news for Washington that Daniels appears to be good to go for the playoffs.
Washington earned the No. 6 seed in the NFC with its win in Week 18, and it went from having the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to the postseason in Quinn’s first season as the head coach.
Daniels struggled a bit in Week 18 before exiting against Dallas, as he completed just six of his 12 pass attempts for 38 yards. The rookie was also sacked four times.
Despite the poor showing in Week 18, Daniels has been electric for Washington this season. He’s in the running for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award after completing 69.0 percent of his passes for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and just nine interceptions in the 2024 season.
Daniels also is a major threat in the ground game, rushing for 891 yards on 148 carries. He found the end zone six times on the ground and averaged an impressive 6.0 yards per carry.
Jayden Daniels finished 2024 with an 89.6 overall grade which is the:
– Highest graded Washington QB in PFF era (2006-present)
– Highest graded rookie QB this season
– 2nd highest graded offensive rookie this season
– 2nd highest rookie QB grade in PFF era— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 6, 2025
Washington finished the regular season with a 12-5 record, marking the first time it has won 10 or more games since the 2012 season.
The Commanders faced the Bucs during the regular season (in Week 1) and came up short in that matchup. Washington scored just 20 points in that game, but it may be more concerning that its defense gave up 37.
Despite that loss, Washington still finished with two more wins than the Bucs in the regular season, but since it did not win its division, it will be on the road for this playoff matchup. The Philadelphia Eagles ended up winning the NFC East division with a 14-3 record.
