Washington DC Sports Today

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UPDATED: Jayden Daniels has won NFL Rookie of the Week for his play against the Chicago Bears

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Chicago Bears v Washington Commanders
Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images

UPDATE

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Well, no one will have to listen to Chicago Bears fans complain about Caleb Williams not getting the Rookie of the Week award for his game against the Commanders because Williams isn’t one of the nominees this week.

The winning quarterback of that game, Jayden Daniels, is nominated, however, and you can vote for him.

Despite facing a week-long battle to overcome a rib injury suffered on the first play of last week’s game against the Panthers that obviously caused him discomfort at times during Sunday’s home game against the Bears, Daniels put up another incredible performance this week.

The Commanders quarterback threw for 326 yards and a game-winning touchdown — a pass that traveled 66 yards in the air. He also ran the ball 8 times for 52 yards (6.5 yards per carry). Those 387 scrimmage yards comprised the bulk of the 481 total yards that Washington’s offense put up against the Bears defense that ranked in the top-10 by DVOA prior to this game (but which fell to 11th once Jayden Daniels and the Commanders offense were through with them).

To cast your vote for Jayden Daniels again this week, CLICK HERE.

By the way, unlike political elections, you are not limited in the number of times you can vote, so feel free to press that “Vote Again” button repeatedly.

The play that will stand out in Washington football lore for decades to come is, of course, the final ‘Hail Mary’ pass that was executed to perfection to win the game, but that was only Daniels’ second completed pass of the day that traveled 59+ air yards.

Earlier in the game, Daniels threw this strike from his own 11-yard line that hit Terry McLaurin in-stride at the 30-yard line on the Bears’ side of the field.

Daniels could have — and probably should have — had another passing touchdown credited to his arm on Sunday.

Look at what head coach Dan Quinn had to say about Jayden Daniels this week when he was asked if it is rare for a team to have so much trust in a rookie:

Yeah, it is rare because it has to be proven over and over, and Jayden has continually done that during his time here.

To show early on as a veteran, ‘Hey, is this guy gonna help us?’ You’re just constantly being put to the test to see how you’ll respond and how you’ll go. And so he’s really earned that respect from his teammates — that’s why they also want to fight so hard for him.

Some of that does come from his humility. You do see him pushing it all back to the guys, and that is a skill in itself that he has that [means] his teammates…absolutely would just fight at the drop of a hat for him. They respect him that much.

After eight weeks, the Commanders have scored the second-most points in the league, having put up 236 points (29.5 points per game), behind only the Ravens at 242 points. Washington’s only two losses of the season have come against those Ravens and Tampa Bay, the 3rd-highest scoring team in the NFL.

Kyle Brandt: We need people to see Jayden Daniels; he is the best thing going right now – the coolest, most fun, most astonishing thing. The best show, right now! It’s not the Vikings; it’s not the Chiefs – it is the Commanders offense, and the Commanders as a whole, and I have never said that in my life.

Daniels’ outstanding play has helped the Commanders to grab and hold onto sole possession of first-place in the NFC East after eight weeks of play.


To cast your vote for Jayden Daniels again this week, CLICK HERE.

By the way, unlike political elections, you are not limited in the number of times you can vote, so feel free to press that “Vote Again” button repeatedly.