EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Jayden Daniels’ second touchdown pass in Sunday’s 27-22 win against the New York Giants looked perfect to his Washington Commanders teammates, coaches and fans.
But for the rookie, the back-shoulder throw to wide receiver Terry McLaurin could have been better.
Up by seven points with no timeouts and 11 seconds remaining in the first half, Daniels said he had two options from the Giants’ 18-yard line: complete a touchdown to McLaurin along the left sideline, or toss a ball incomplete so the field goal team could attempt a kick.
He went with the first option, dropping a textbook back-shoulder pass to his receiver, just over the turned head of cornerback Deonte Banks.
Fans and analysts called it a perfect pass on social media.
“It’s crazy,” Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner said of the throw. “It’s amazing, man.”
Daniels disagreed.
“I could’ve [thrown it better],” Washington’s quarterback said after the win. “Could’ve put it out in front a little bit more, but Terry made a hell of a play.”
Daniels finished the game with 209 passing yards and 35 rushing yards as he led the 7-2 Commanders to victory.
Fans might lose their minds about Sunday’s back-shoulder gem or last week’s game-winning Hail Mary, but Daniels’ impressive throws have become commonplace around the Commanders’ Ashburn practice facility. His teammates are used to it.
“What you guys see every Sunday is what we see during the week, so nothing really surprises me anymore with the guy,” tight end Zach Ertz said. “He’s as mature of a rookie as I’ve ever been around; I think you see how comfortable he is every Sunday.”
The No. 2 pick in this year’s draft has led the Commanders to their best start since 1996 — before about half of the current roster was born.
The hot start has football fans around the nation’s capital dusting off their burgundy and gold gear on game days.
“I’m just happy for the fanbase that it’s something to be proud of — the product that we’re putting on the field,” Daniels said.
Through nine of 17 games, Washington holds sole possession of first place in the always competitive NFC East and has already surpassed the preseason win total (6.5) that bettors wagered on in August.
But Sunday’s game was far from perfect. After a strong defensive performance in the first two quarters, the Giants found a rhythm after the halftime break.
New York quarterback Daniel Jones recorded all of his 174 passing yards in the second half as the pesky Giants kept hanging around. Anytime the Commanders threatened to pull away, the Giants would respond with a scoring drive, gashing coach Dan Quinn’s squad on long marches down the field.
When Jones tossed a 35-yard touchdown to tight end Theo Johnson with less than three minutes remaining, Washington’s offense took the field with a five-point lead. A three-and-out would have allowed New York a shot at a game-winning drive against a defense that had already allowed two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
But Daniels found wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus for a 42-yard gain, taking the ball into Giants’ territory at the two-minute warning. The Commanders were able to run out the clock to secure the win without sending their defense back onto the field.
That defense, after a pair of strong performances against the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers, showed room for improvement as it struggled to slow the Giants’ comeback attempt.
“We could definitely be better,” safety Quan Martin said, echoing statements from linebackers Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner. “Scrappy win, but we’re able to learn from our mistakes.”
November isn’t a time to reflect or declare a successful season, according to Washington’s players. But a sweep of the division-rival Giants is a great step on the path toward a potential playoff berth.
“If we want to have a chance to win our division, we have to beat the teams in our division,” McLaurin said, noting that the Commanders have struggled against the Giants recently. “But this year is a completely new team. It’s a new vibe and feel. Nothing points to that more than our ability to finish when we had to.”
The Commanders are only a third of their way through their divisional games; tougher matchups with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys wait on the horizon.
“We’ve got to continue to build,” McLaurin said.
The Commanders return to action on Sunday with a matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Northwest Stadium.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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