Jayden Daniels, the first round quarterback of the Washington Commanders, will be making his return this Sunday. He’ll take on the Minnesota Vikings in his first appearance. Daniels had last played on November 9, when he dislocated his left elbow after landing awkwardly during a game. He sat out two games recovering from a sprained left knee and one game for a right hamstring strain. Today, he’s poised to take the field with the team once more!
Daniels’ comeback comes as the Commanders face a formidable opponent in the Vikings, who boast the NFL’s fifth-rated passing defense. To the delight of Daniels, this matchup is incredibly important for him. For the first time this season, he’ll have all of his top three receivers available to him. The rookie quarterback has appeared in five-and-a-half games, six at the most, while dealing with a litany of injuries.
He has enjoyed a strong season overall. He has passed for 1184 yards while totaling eight touchdowns to just two interceptions. On top of that, he has 262 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. With all he’s been through, not only with COVID and the other unfortunate circumstances that happened to him this season, Daniels hasn’t returned shaken up.
Daniels was listed as a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday. His head coach, Quinn, praised his readiness.
“The throwing part, he’s been on that the whole time. That’s looked as sharp as ever.” – Quinn
Quinn put great focus on Daniels’ continued refinement as a player. He pointed out that every game is helping him learn and grow and develop more of an understanding of the game.
“All these [games] matter. As he’s developing, there are certain things he has to work on, too, to be as competitive and take care of things.” – Quinn
For all of his artistic inclinations, Daniels has always been one of the most competitive players in the game. Quinn joked that Lloyd made the game violent.
“You want to attack first; that’s who he is as a ballplayer and competitor,” – Quinn
Beyond the on-field preparation, though, Daniels has been focusing on the critical decision-making aspects of his game to improve this phase of his play. Quinn said knowing when to extend plays or just make the smart play is a big part of his development.
“When is the time this play has to get extended, when can I throw it away, when can I slide? All are important parts of the development. That’s why it matters.” – Quinn
Daniels’ sophomore campaign hasn’t been any easier than his rookie season. Persistence through injuries at the most inopportune times has haunted him, but through it all he’s been relentless in his pursuit of improvement and helping his team win games.
Even newer to the program, but equally influential in reshaping Daniels’ approach to the game was fellow offensive and passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Blough.
“Helping him see big picture is really important,” – Blough
Jayden Daniels prepares to take on the Vikings. He brings his own dreams and the dreams of the entire Commanders’/fanbase. With a fresh start after recovery and newfound support from his teammates, Daniels aims to make a significant impact in what promises to be an exciting matchup.
Leave a Reply