How did Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels make NFL history against Bengals?

When the Washington Commanders selected quarterback Jayden Daniels out of LSU with the No. 2 overall pick, expectations were high. To that end, when the rookie was only able to pass for 410 yards without a touchdown or interception in his first two NFL games, concerns were raised. In Week 3 against the Bengals, Daniels laid any doubts to rest as he put on a historic show.

Jayden Daniels is something special

It would be fair to say that the Washington Commanders laid down a marker this week when they defeated the Cincinnati Bengals on primetime during Monday Night Football. At the center of that performance was rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels who was quite literally close to perfect on the night as he helped his team to a 38-33 win on the road in what was his third game in the league.

On the night, the former LSU star was relentless as he notched a total of three touchdowns including the first two passing touchdowns of his career. When the final whistle blew, he had completed 21-of-23 pass attempts which it has to be said, earned him a place in the NFL’s history books. To be clear, Daniels’s 91.3% completion rate was the best by a rookie quarterback in league history, surpassing the record previously set by Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott back in 2016, according to the ESPN broadcast.

Truthfully, it was a night that left many impressed not just by what he did, but how he did it. Indeed, between his varied repertoire of passes, Daniels also found space and time to rush for a 4-yard touchdown right before the two-minute warning. There was also the 55-yard deep shot to wide receiver Terry McLaurin, which should be noted given that he could only produce 39 receiving yards on eight receptions in his first two Games with Daniels at quarterback.

Overall, Daniels has completed more than 80% of his pass attempts in his first three games, and it’s now clear that he has no problems going deep as we saw during Monday’s win. In addition to that above-mentioned 55-yard bomb, there was also a sensational 27-yard touchdown pass to McLaurin as well. On top of it all, Daniels has yet to throw an interception in the NFL which again, speaks to his veteran-like poise. Ultimately, the future looks bright in Washington. Up next is a date with the Arizona Cardinals and something tells us we’re in for a show.