LOVERRO: Anything seems possible now with Daniels at quarterback

Anything seems possible now.

Why not?

We are seeing a Washington Commanders quarterback do things that many have never seen before.

Wait a minute. We are seeing Jayden Daniels do things that none of us have seen any quarterback in the NFL do in a lifetime.

His 82.1 completion percentage after four games, with a minimum of 100 passes, is the highest of any NFL quarterback since 1950. He is the first quarterback in league history to have two consecutive games of at least 85 percent or higher completion percentage.

On Sunday, the rookie quarterback completed 26 of 30 passes for 233 yards, one touchdown, one interception and a 96.3 passer rating in a 42-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, leading the Commanders to a 3-1 record and first place in the NFC East.

That warranted a hug on the sideline from a former Washington quarterback who, on the biggest stage, had his biggest moment when Doug Williams completed 18 of 29 passes for four touchdowns in Washington’s 42-10 Super Bowl win over the Denver Broncos nearly 40 years ago.

Was that one big-game quarterback hugging another one?

Anything seems possible now.

Only four games into his NFL career, it would be foolish to claim any of them were big games – certainly not Super Bowl games. Yet for a rookie quarterback, every moment he steps on the field is a big game, with big moments, many times overwhelming a young passer.

There hasn’t been a moment too big yet for Jayden Daniels. He meets every challenge so far like Doug Williams in San Diego that January afternoon.

The numbers and accomplishments are unprecedented and awe-inspiring. His 96.3 passer rating and 82.1 completion are NFL records for a rookie quarterback in a four consecutive game span, tied with Dak Prescott.

Daniels is compiling a list of big numbers. But it’s his big moments that make anything seem possible – like when, on a third and 13, Daniels connects with Noah Brown for a 14-yard catch and a first town. Or when several Washington penalties were pushing the Commanders out of scoring range, Daniels hit Luke McCaffrey on a second and 15 for a 17-yard reception.

These are moments when rookies typically fold. Daniels went the opposite way. He erased the penalty damage.

There was a test for the quarterback when he finally threw his first interception of the season to Cardinals’ cornerback Garrett Williams in the second quarter. But Daniels would respond by leading the offense to 28 more points.

“You don’t want to throw a pick at all, but that is football,” Daniels told reporters after the game. “Things happen, you’re going to have a pick, you’re going to have a turnover, but how can you bounce back and limit those and keep moving forward.”

Things like that don’t happen to Daniels too often. He threw 40 touchdowns in his Heisman Trophy season at LSU. He had just four interceptions.

“I think he’s really confident in what he’s seeing,” said receiver Terry McLaurin, who caught seven passes for 52 yards and one touchdown. “I think his preparation is very unique for a guy who’s just got into the league, and that was him (from) the first day we met him when he got here in the spring.

“I think last week and the weeks leading up, he’s just gotten better and better. He is really trusting what he is seeing. He is giving us chances to make plays down the field. As playmakers, we just have to continue to come through for him”

The five-year veteran feels he can’t let down the rookie quarterback.

Last week, running back Austin Ekeler sparked the offense, on their way to a 38-33 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, with 35 yards rushing early in the game, including a touchdown. But he was out this week with a concussion. Typically, when a rookie quarterback loses a weapon like Ekeler, it puts pressure on him.

No pressure. Jeremy McNichols steps in with eight carries for 68 yards. Receiver Olamide Zaccheaus had four catches for 29 yards in his first two games. He pulled down six receptions for 85 yards Sunday.

Washington rushed for 216 yards. The offensive line protected Daniels, with no sacks. The defense, which had been under fire, stepped up with four sacks of Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray and four third-down stops of the Cardinals offense.

Dan Quinn and his coaching staff get a lot of credit for seemingly pulling things together after three games. But it is Jayden Daniels who is lifting all boats.

“He leads us on and off that field,” McNichols said. “So, we’re going to rally behind him.”

Anything seems possible now.

• You can hear Thom Loverro on The Kevin Sheehan Show podcast.