Jayden Daniels only attempted three passes during the second quarter of the Washington Commanders’ win against the New York Giants, leading to a solid 7-2 record this season. Despite this limited action, the rookie quarterback remained unfazed by the situation. “
Sometimes that’s how it’s got to be,” remarked Daniels. “We adjust.”
The Commanders are experiencing their best start through nine games since 1996, thanks largely to Daniels’ performance and a well-rounded offense, alongside a defense that has seen considerable improvement over the past two months. They are one of five teams in the NFL that run the ball more than they throw it, topping the charts in rushing touchdowns with 15 and ranking second in rushing yards with 1,475.
Coach Dan Quinn noted that the entire team plays a role in their offensive strategy: “Defending us is really all 11 (players), as the quarterback has a factor in this too on plays that could be designed option plays,” Quinn explained. “You have to be able to defend the quarterback runs.” Despite dealing with sore ribs in recent games, Daniels has significantly contributed to the rushing game, with 459 yards on the ground, just behind Lamar Jackson of Baltimore among quarterbacks.
Even when taking Daniels out of the equation, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury remains firmly committed to their running game. The Commanders have given the ball to running backs a total of 196 times so far this season. During their recent matchup, they achieved 149 rushing yards even with starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. sidelined due to a hamstring strain.
Daniels praised his teammates, stating, “That’s just the next man up mentality,” in response to Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols, and Chris Rodriguez Jr. stepping up in Robinson’s absence. “It doesn’t matter when. Our coaching staff does a tremendous job of bringing confidence into the players, regardless of if you’re the starter or on the practice squad. You never know when your number might get called.”
On defense, even with standout tackle Jonathan Allen’s season-ending injury, rookie Johnny Newton has stepped into the role effectively. Linebacker Bobby Wagner and safety Jeremy Chinn have also excelled, contributing to the team’s notable rise from 29th to 14th in defense rankings over the last few weeks.
Wagner commented on the progress, stating, “Defensively, we can still be better. If we fix those mistakes that we make, we’ll be a really good team.”
The Commanders have been effective in maintaining a favorable turnover margin, boasting only three turnovers against eight takeaways. In their last game, Dante Fowler forced a fumble from Daniel Jones, which Wagner recovered. Interestingly, Washington has not turned the ball over in their last four games.
However, they are facing challenges in run defense, having allowed the Giants to gain 164 rushing yards, which puts them close to the bottom of the league in terms of defending against the run. Quinn has expressed concern about his team’s susceptibility to big gains, like DeAndre Swift’s 64-yard touchdown run the previous week. With mobile quarterbacks coming up on the schedule, this area needs to be addressed moving forward.
In a positive light, Chinn led the team with 12 tackles against the Giants, marking what Quinn dubbed Chinn’s best game of the season, demonstrating improvements in coverage. “
He’s worked really hard on the man-to-man side of things,” Quinn noted, commending Chinn for his dedication to improving.
Conversely, the performance of second-year cornerback Emmanuel Forbes raised concerns as he did not see any playing time despite being active. Quinn explained it wasn’t a deliberate choice but a result of how the game unfolded—indicating that Forbes has not progressed as expected this season.
Injuries will need monitoring, particularly Robinson’s hamstring issue. Caution was taken with his status, as seen when he was sidelined in a previous matchup against the Ravens. As the primary back, his health is vital to maintaining the offense’s strength and allows Ekeler to effectively serve in a complementary role.
A noteworthy statistic is that the Commanders ended a streak of seven consecutive losses by teams that had previously secured wins with game-winning touchdowns coming in the final seconds.
Looking ahead, Washington faces a challenging schedule with games at home against the 6-2 Pittsburgh Steelers and then at the 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles within a short span. They are currently favorites in their matchup against the Steelers, who are well-rested after their bye week.