Washington Commanders’ rookie QB Jayden Daniels has been a phenom as the team’s starter. However, his performance against the Cardinals with a dominant 42- 14 victory just solidified this narrative. The NFL world applauded the young QB as one expert, in particular, compared his play to Aaron Rodgers’s MVP year.
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Daniels threw 26 passes with an impressive 86.6% pass completion rate covering 233 yards for 1 touchdown. His running prowess was also on display when he swiftly found a gap in the Cardinals’ defense and covered 9 yards for an easy TD. The Commanders dominated the Cardinals to take home a 28-point win continuing their winning streak.
Former NFL scout John Middlekauff appeared on the Colin Cowherd Show to discuss the game. He was amused with the young quarterback’s versatility and compared his performance to Aaron Rodgers’ MVP year with the Packers.
“This guy this this looks like 2015 Aaron Rogers or something right now. I mean just hitting guys in stride on every pass short wheel routes, intermediate routes, deep routes two-point conversions where there’s the the field is way wider than it is long so you got to be precise.”
Middlekauff was referring to Rodgers’s 2014 season (not 2015) when he took the Packers to the NFC Championship game and won the MVP award. In his opinion, Daniels’s performance put him a ‘class above‘ the other rookie quarterbacks and made him a top candidate for the ‘Rookie of the Year award.’
The Washington rookie is the only one who has managed to find stable ground in the league. Other QBs from the 2024 draft are still struggling to play in the pocket, including the overall No. 1 pick Caleb Williams with 16 sacks in his bag.
Another promising QB Bo Nix hasn’t also been able to deliver consistently. Despite a much-needed win against the Aaron Rodgers-led Jets, Nix did not put forth a promising show. The team even gained negative yards( -7 yards) for the first time since 1998.
Nonetheless, Daniels has been performing in his league. His stats and the team’s overall performance in the division have even brought forth the possibility of a playoff berth for the Commanders, per NFL gurus.
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Middlekauff further revealed that if Daniels can continue his ‘momentum‘ the Commanders could even be surprise playoffs contenders this season. With a three-game win streak, rookie Daniels is doing better than many players who receive ten times more in salaries and benefits.
This season, the Commanders are leading the NFC East tables as the Eagles and the Cowboys are struggling with their offense. Despite making $50 million+ both Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott failed to deliver strong performances and both the team have two losses in four games.
Recently, Daniels-led Commanders outsmarted the Giants but he’s yet to face the Cowboys and the Eagles. If he manages to keep his form and win those games, the team will be a tough competition. They might make a playoff run or even take the NFC East title.
