Jayden Daniels eyes super bowl appearance in rookie year
For the first time since 1991, the Washington Commanders are headed to the NFC Championship game, on the back of rookie quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels. The former LSU product ended the Divisional win over the Detroit Lions with 299 yards on 22-of-31 passing with two touchdowns to zero interceptions, while also rushing for 51 yards.
The Commanders face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. CT on Fox.
“It’s just the preparation,” Daniels told Tom Brady on Fox after the win. “Kliff and I talk for countless hours about how we want to attack the defense and what we see and I trust my eyes and I prepare for these moments like this. I prepare the right way. You have to prepare to get the right product out on Sundays, so I just thank our coaching staff.
“[My preparation] has stayed the same,” Daniels said. “Obviously, everybody will put more magnitude on the games because its win or go home, but you have to go out there and stay consistent.”
The Commanders and Eagles split two games during the regular season, with each team rallying in the fourth quarter for wins on its home field. Washington opens as 5.5-point underdogs on the road. The winner of this rubber match earns a trip to Super Bowl LIX February 9 at The Superdome in New Orleans.
“I always believed we could achieve more than what people give us credit for,” Daniels said. “You have to go out there and put in the work each and every day. Just put your head down and grind and when you look up at the end of the season, you could be in a position like this.
“I love my team and I’m confident in my team, so we’ll roll into the next game and focus on that opponent.”
Top 10
- 1New
Psychotic Obsession
Desmond Howard shades OSU fans
- 2Hot
Inauguration caller
CSPAN gets Alabama complaint during inauguration
- 3
Michigan provided OSU spark
Quinshon Judkins confirms
- 4Trending
Way-Too-Early Top 25
Can Arch lead Texas to top?
- 5
John Calipari
Anon SEC head coach shreds Cal
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
Former Tigers Andre Sam and Ty Davis-Price are on the Eagles roster, but were not on the 53-man playoff roster against the Rams. Daniels looks to join Joe Burrow as LSU’s Heisman winning quarterbacks to make the Super Bowl, both doing so relatively early in their NFL careers.
The Commanders have now won seven in a row and Daniels is being lauded as one of the greatest rookies in NFL history, by ESPN’s Mike Greenburg and CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo.
The Detroit Free Press’s Dave Birkett raved about Daniels’ ability and what he showed in the win on Saturday over the Lions:
“Daniels showed remarkable poise for a rookie Saturday. He wasn’t flawless. He short-armed two passes that should have gone for touchdowns. But he was unflappable in one of the most ferocious road environments in football. Daniels’ legs make him a unique weapon, not quite on par with Jackson and Allen but dangerous in his own way. He looked like a star Saturday and one that will be a thorn in every NFC team’s side for a while to come.”
