The Commanders’ offense didn’t start Sunday’s game well, based on the eye test or any other proven measure. The attack on Washington, at point blank range and without firing a shot, was horrible.
They went just 18 yards in seven plays after a great opening return from Luke McCaffrey, then missed a field goal largely because of back-to-back false starts taking a third-and-1 to a third-and-11. The second series went three-and-out. The third started with two more penalties, an ineligible man down and a false start.
Daniels threw a rocket to Chig Okonkwo to catch up, who caught it in stride and then spit it out.
Daniels had seen enough. The normally smooth and even-keeled quarterback gathered his offense together after three series, four penalties and zero points.
The Commanders were down by 10. Daniels was not happy. He responded in a way that was both atypical and justifiable.
Daniels had something to say. And he was forceful about it.
“Honestly, it was complete BS how we started and what we were doing,” Daniels said in his postgame statement. “We had a promising drive the first practice, then we had some mental errors like penalties and stuff like that. And then the second practice we found ourselves behind the sticks with a lot of penalties before the snap and then a fumble.
“At that point, it just wasn’t our brand of football that we as players wanted to showcase. It was at that point, you kind of get frustrated and you have to say what you think. That’s what I did and helped everyone get back together.”
The discussion worked. The Commanders reeled off 27 unanswered points to win a crucial game against the Eagles Sunday night at Northwest Stadium that ended 27-10. Washington scored on six of the next eight drives after that sideline talk — there were still too many field goals in that stretch — and defense was key to closing out this vital victory. It’s also worth noting that the Commanders only took two penalties (both false starts) the rest of the way.
This sideline discussion helped commanders succeed.
“He turned up the offense and mentally reset us, ‘Hey, we know if we don’t get stops we can score points,'” veteran running back Austin Ekeler said, via ESPN reporter John Keim, who played with Daniels as a rookie and for a short time last year. us standing like that.
Daniels was most frustrated by the unforced errors. Commanders often fought from the start and, given what was at stake, it was untenable.
The third-year quarterback, without going into detail (or swearing), explained what he told the group during his postgame press conference.
“We had communication issues on a number of different things, so it was frustrating,” Daniels told reporters on site. “I was telling everyone, PG style, to lock down and focus and overcommunicate. It doesn’t matter if they know the snap count or whatever, just make sure everyone knows we don’t have these mental lapses.”
Daniels didn’t just demand better from others. He knew he had to tighten things up. He did it. He was 4 of 11 for 26 yards in the first quarter. He was 12-for-18 for 191 yards and a touchdown afterward.
Penalties have decreased and production has increased. Was this all because one misfit was speaking? Certainly not. Football matches are not fairy tales. It’s not Charles S. Dutton in Rudy.
But the fact that Daniels brought everyone together and gave such a passionate speech, and it wasn’t a regular speech or talk, clearly had a positive impact on the team moving forward and clearly contributing to Sunday’s result.
“What I see a lot about him is his composure,” Quinn said. “The precision and tenacity – he made a real shot late in the first half. Seeing him make multiple plays was a real milestone. Offensively, I thought we started slow, but by the end of the first half and into the second, I thought we had control.”
Let’s be real here. What was the impact of Jayden Daniels’ speech? And why do you think the commanders changed things in Week 8? Let us know in the comments:
Gn sports
