Why Jayden Daniels has the wherewithal to lift ailing Commanders into the postseason

ASHBURN, Va. -- Nothing astir the play was typical. It was second-and-goal from the 16-yard statement Sunday vs. New Orleans. Washington Commanders backmost Jayden Daniels needed to scramble for 8 seconds -- 1 clip moreover pushing the shot against the crushed arsenic he stumbled -- earlier throwing the ball.

Receiver Terry McLaurin, sprinting from the different side, was unfastened by little than a yard. Another defender was converging connected the ball.

And yet: After extending the play for 8.04 seconds, Daniels stuck a walk correct wherever it needed to be; McLaurin clutched it and the Commanders' backmost had stuffed different magical play successful his pocket. Not that Daniels is wowed by what he does successful the aforesaid mode others mightiness be.

"It's conscionable going retired location and doing my job," said Daniels, who has the NFL's fifth-best backmost rating. "Doing what the defense allows maine to do. Go retired location and make plays erstwhile plays request to beryllium made."

As the Washington Commanders (9-5) effort to clinch a playoff spot, and arsenic injuries mount, Daniels' occupation mightiness require akin efforts. Fortunately for Washington, Daniels has been making specified plays each season. But, aft a three-game losing streak successful which he dealt pinch the aftereffects of a rib injury, he has responded pinch consecutive games -- separated by a bye week -- wherever he has completed a mixed 50 of 61 passes pinch 5 touchdowns successful wins complete Tennessee and New Orleans.

"You tin show he's conscionable rested, emotion amended and hopefully that tin lead to really bully play down the stretch," Washington violative coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said.

It comes astatine a bully time. Two cardinal violative players -- receiver Noah Brown and moving backmost Austin Ekeler -- already are connected injured reserve. A third, tight extremity Zach Ertz, suffered a concussion Sunday and his position for Sunday's crippled vs. the Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) remains uncertain.

But pinch them retired it puts much load connected Daniels to, well, beryllium Daniels.

Plays specified arsenic the 1 successful Washington's 20-19 triumph complete New Orleans item why the Commanders consciousness good. Ekeler and Brown person a mixed 68 catches. Brown is done for the season, but Ekeler could return for the play finale. Ertz has caught 54 passes, including 8 pinch 4 touchdowns successful the reddish zone. He's their 2nd astir productive walk catcher successful some areas down McLaurin.

However, arsenic Daniels has gained acquisition it puts him and the Commanders successful amended position to flooded immoderate subordinate losses.

"It's ne'er easy to switch [starters], but Jayden's done a awesome job, whoever we put in, of being disciplined successful his sounds and making the correct propulsion and not turning the shot over," Kingsbury said. "That's the biggest thing."

Daniels started the play strong: He was the first subordinate successful NFL history to surpass 1,000 passing yards and 250 rushing yards successful his first 5 games; he group the grounds for the highest completion percent aft 4 games (82.1) and was the first subordinate to complete astatine slightest 85% of his passes successful consecutive games.

But the coaches opportunity he has improved since that time, peculiarly successful his knowledge of the offense.

"It's the things that don't show up connected the stat sheet," Quinn said. "It's checking to the correct play, it's getting to the correct protection, it's taking attraction of the shot pinch awesome decisions."

If the Commanders do gain a playoff berth, those decisions will beryllium a large reason. Daniels has thrown conscionable six interceptions and hasn't mislaid immoderate of his 5 fumbles. With a thinner separator for correction minus cardinal parts, avoiding turnovers becomes much crucial.

It's besides a consequence of Daniels continuing to show up betwixt 5 and 5:30 a.m. to watch movie and, 3 days a week, conducting a walk-through pinch Kingsbury and quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard. One coach said erstwhile he arrives astatine 6:30 a.m., Daniels and Kingsbury are stepping retired of the believe bubble aft a walk-through.

"You're either getting amended aliases you're getting worse, and I don't want to get worse," Daniels said.

Backup backmost Marcus Mariota, who was the No. 2 prime successful the 2015 draft, said consistency helps combat complacency successful a rookie.

"When you're a young subordinate erstwhile you person occurrence it's like, 'OK I tin do this,'" Mariota said. "For him he's done a awesome occupation of, 'That's not capable I want more.' We request to conscionable proceed to promote him to beryllium that way. It really elevates everybody other around."

But Daniels besides is playing faster successful the reddish zone. In the first 8 games Daniels completed 14 of 29 passes pinch 4 touchdowns wrong the 20-yard line. However, successful the past six games he has completed 17 of 23 pinch 9 touchdowns. Daniels has go much adept astatine recognizing which broadside of the defense is playing man aliases area and adjusting accordingly.

Also, connected a 3-yard touchdown walk Sunday, Daniels quickly went done his progressions earlier uncovering his 3rd successful McLaurin. Daniels has improved, McLaurin said, astatine diagnosing what the defense is doing successful this area compared to earlier successful the year.

In the reddish zone, "he's playing fast," Kingsbury said of Daniels.

Daniels has 3,045 passing yards and 17 touchdowns; he besides has rushed for 656 yards and six touchdowns. Against the Saints, Daniels wasn't perfect. His decision-making helped play a domiciled successful the Saints signaling 8 sacks. But Daniels besides made aggregate large plays pinch his legs -- sometimes it was conscionable a scramble for 2 yards connected third-and-2 aliases a leap complete a lineman to prime up a fourth-and-1. Or location were large throws -- connected 1 scoring thrust consecutive 12-yard completions bailed them retired of a second-and-20 situation.

On the 16-yard touchdown walk to McLaurin, Daniels converted a play that had a 16.1% chance of being completed, according to Next Gen Stats. It was a play fewer could make. More for illustration that would spell a agelong measurement for Washington successful the adjacent 3 weeks.

"He made immoderate plays," Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi said. "That is what he does. That's why he won the Heisman Trophy. That's why he's having the play he's having. He's a phenomenal player. He had a mates of runs. He made immoderate awesome throws. Jayden Daniels is going to make those plays."