Jayden Daniels isn’t your typical rookie quarterback. He has his team just one win away from the Super Bowl, and in a matter of weeks, he’ll likely add Offensive Rookie of the Year to his growing résumé.
Time and again, Daniels has delivered in the clutch, orchestrating game-winning drives with the poise of a seasoned veteran. His calm demeanor under pressure and razor-sharp decision-making have earned him comparisons to some of the league's elite.
That composure was on full display during the Commanders' 45-31 victory over the Detroit Lions, a team pegged as the NFC favorite for most of the season. Daniels carved up Detroit’s defense, delivering one of the most impressive performances by a rookie quarterback in recent memory.
According to Next Gen Stats, Daniels thrived against the Lions’ blitz-heavy approach, completing 12-of-16 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown. That’s the second-most completions in such scenarios by a rookie in any regular or postseason game since 2016. Even under direct pressure, Daniels shined, going 7-of-9 for 109 yards. And when forced to hold the ball for over 2.5 seconds, he delivered again, completing 10-of-16 passes for 172 yards and another touchdown.
Detroit’s defense didn’t stand a chance. They failed to record a single sack against Daniels, who has excelled against pressure all season, finishing the regular season with a 114.7 passer rating against the blitz—the highest by a rookie quarterback since 2016.
Overall, Daniels threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns on 9.6 yards per attempt against Detroit. His quarterback rating stood at an elite 91.8, with a passer rating of 122.9—dwarfing Jared Goff’s numbers, as the Lions’ veteran QB finished with a quarterback rating of 41.5 and a passer rating of 59.7.
The Commanders now face a tall task this weekend as they head to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. However, Daniels might find himself under even less pressure against a Philly defense that blitzes at the fifth-lowest rate in the league (19.1%) and ranks middle of the pack in sack percentage (7.0%) and total sacks (41).
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