Jayden Daniels has made a significant mark in his playoff debut, joining the ranks of Slinging Sammy Baugh. The rookie quarterback for the Commanders achieved a remarkable accomplishment on Sunday night, leading his team to a 23-20 victory against Tampa Bay. This victory marked an extraordinary moment as Daniels became the first rookie in the NFL to secure a playoff win on the road since Baugh did so back in 1937 during the franchise’s inaugural season in Washington.
Daniels not only clinched the victory but also showcased his skills by throwing for 268 yards and leading the rushing game with 38 yards, thereby becoming the first rookie in NFL history to lead his team in both passing and rushing yards in a single playoff win. With this game, he joined Baugh as the only other rookie to throw multiple touchdown passes in a playoff victory on the road—Baugh accomplished this with three touchdowns during the 1937 NFL title game against the Chicago Bears.
During his rookie campaign, Daniels has accumulated a notable total of 13 wins across both regular season and playoffs, falling just short of the rookie record of 14 held by Ben Roethlisberger since 2004. Additionally, he has proven to be clutch, leading five fourth-quarter comebacks and boasting an impressive 117.3 passer rating whenever the game is tied or he is down by eight points or fewer in the final quarter or overtime, ranking him first among 233 quarterbacks with at least 50 attempts in similar situations since 1991.
This season, under Daniels’ leadership, the Commanders have also achieved an impressive feat: this marks their third game without committing a turnover or punting the ball. Only twice before have teams accomplished this in playoff history, with Josh Allen’s Buffalo in 2021 and Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis in 2003.
The positive trajectory of the Commanders can also be attributed to their coach, Dan Quinn, who has made an impactful entrance in Washington during his first year as head coach. Quinn transformed a struggling four-win team into a serious contender, successfully guiding them to the divisional round. Such rapid success in the NFL is not unheard of, as favorable draft positions, easier schedules, and a natural regression to the mean can contribute to swift turnarounds for teams.
In the past decade, Quinn is the ninth coach to guide his team to the divisional round in his first full season, with only two seasons in that stretch failing to see a coach achieve this feat. In 2022, both the New York Giants and Jacksonville, led by first-year coaches, also made it to the divisional round.
Historically, three of these eight coaches have advanced to the conference title game, while Gary Kubiak memorably won the Super Bowl in his rookie season with Denver in 2015.
Meanwhile, the AFC divisional round will present a familiar showdown, as the same four teams return: Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore, and Houston. This season’s matchups will see the Chiefs taking on the Texans and the Bills hosting the Ravens—both rematches from last year. This repeat occurrence in the AFC has only happened once before during the 2011-12 seasons.
On the other hand, the NFC will feature only one repeat contender, with the Detroit Lions returning to the divisional round for the second consecutive year after a long absence since 1991.
In contrast, the Pittsburgh Steelers and coach Mike Tomlin faced another disappointing playoff exit, falling to the Baltimore Ravens 28-14. This marked the Steelers’ sixth consecutive playoff defeat, placing Tomlin alongside notable coaches like Marty Schottenheimer and Marvin Lewis, who have faced long postseason losing streaks. The team hasn’t demonstrated competitiveness lately, being outscored significantly in the first quarters of these games and failing to capture a lead.
The Houston Texans’ defense has proven to be a formidable challenge for quarterbacks this season. Notable performances against prominent quarterbacks, including a particularly troubling outing for Justin Herbert, who threw four interceptions in a loss to Houston, highlight the Texans’ defensive strength. Their ability to intercept passes in crucial playoff contexts has propelled them, resulting in their second straight divisional round appearance with quarterback C.J. Stroud leading the way.
Stroud has now joined a select group of quarterbacks, marking his name alongside legends who have won playoff games in their initial two seasons.
