The Washington Commanders brought in veteran Marcus Mariota, but star rookie QB Jayden Daniels won the competition and is set to start the season as QB1. It’s no surprise, given how he impressed throughout the offseason with his high-IQ plays. Well, Dan Snyder reviewed these plays of his QB in the film room during his appearance on the Game Plan.
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Breaking down one particular play from their preseason game against the Jets, the Commanders’ head coach highlighted how Daniels adjusted the play at the line of scrimmage when he sensed that the original call wouldn’t be effective against the coverage.
With all receivers covered in man-to-man, the former Heisman winner felt the play needed adjusting. As everyone was set to run vertical routes targeting the middle safety, he shifted his focus to the safety and turned inside before delivering a deep throw to the sidelines.
Quinn and Logan Paulsen then dissected the third play that Jayden ran against Miami, highlighting his calmness and positional play. A subtle dig route was the play assigned, but upon seeing the player on the far end being double covered and fully marked, he chose the near hitch receiver to make sure that the team was within the field-goal range.
In another play against the same opponent, the play broke down as Miami’s defense penetrated past the offensive line. Rather than panicking and taking a sack in a poor field position, the rookie quarterback calmly delivered the ball to his only viable option, Terry McLaurin, on the left sideline.
Clearly, Daniels has shown the mental toughness and acumen of a veteran, changing plays after reading the defense. He has worked through his progressions, maintaining composure and showing great movement in the pocket.
With Daniels leading the charge even as a rookie, the team showed a fighting spirit, giving them all on the tough outings. This was the moment when Quinn felt confident about his team’s chances against the tough opponents.
The moment Dan Quinn knew this team was ready
During the same episode of Game Plan, the head coach also discussed the road trips to New Jersey and Miami during the preseason. He noted that these trips highlighted his team’s readiness to compete against top opponents, especially as they demonstrated resilience in overcoming adversity.
In those tough outings, competing against the other players after practicing and competing against each other, the players showed mental fortitude and showed no signs of quitting.
“We had two road trips together. We went to New Jersey for four days and we went to Miami for four days. So in those moments, you want to see the team connect, to see how they’re gonna respond to one another going against other people. They wouldn’t back off. They were competing and having those four days together away from here was really valuable for us. I trust these guys and I trust them on and off the field.”
The Commanders, after many challenging seasons, finally have a promising QB in Jayden Daniels and a strong supporting cast to vie for a playoff spot. Quinn, with his wealth of experience as head coach, along with new ownership placing their trust in him and Eric Pieters, is set to make a significant impact.
Many anticipate they could make the postseason in the NFC East, possibly ahead of the Cowboys, but only time will tell if the newly assembled roster is up to the challenge.
