Commanders QB Jayden Daniels takes more hits but shrugs off rib injury and throws winning Hail Mary

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jayden Daniels had a superb feeling after training late within the week that he would have the ability to begin at quarterback for the Washington Commanders in opposition to the Chicago Bears regardless of coping with a rib damage.

He and the workforce left everybody guessing till hours earlier than kickoff. Certain sufficient, Daniels was on the sector and delivered a gutty efficiency in an 18-15 victory Sunday that culminated together with his Hail Mary landing after absorbing a number of massive hits alongside the best way.

“As quickly as I stepped on that discipline, wasn’t even anxious about it,” stated Daniels, who was 21 of 38 for 326 yards and the TD throw to Noah Brown with no time left on the clock. “You possibly can nonetheless really feel it, however on the finish of the day I began the sport. I wished to complete it, so there was nothing else that was going to take me out of that recreation.”

Daniels received knocked out of Washington’s 40-7 rout of Carolina final weekend with the damage, which precipitated him to overlook follow Wednesday and Thursday. He was a restricted participant Friday, and that turned out to be the important thing second that paved the best way for the No. 2 general choose within the NFL draft to be in uniform.

“We pushed him on Friday when it comes to the totally different throws,” coach Dan Quinn stated. “As soon as all of the markers had been hit, then we felt comfy with him enjoying. However it was as a result of all of the work that was put in Friday.”

Daniels stated he felt like himself after that exercise, then wakened Sunday morning feeling adequate to play.

And but there was nonetheless an opportunity veteran Marcus Mariota would begin if Daniels felt something was off throughout pregame warmups. The Commanders wished to attend so long as attainable earlier than making a choice with their rookie face of the franchise.

“It was his first damage that we needed to undergo collectively this week to search out out what could be attainable and what wouldn’t be as a result of he additionally has distinctive abilities and items that he’d have to have the ability to get outdoors the pocket and run some when he can,” Quinn stated. “I wished to see him show that earlier within the week to permit him to play as a result of if he wasn’t in a position to try this, then he wouldn’t have been capable of play. We’d not have put him into that spot.”

Daniels was sacked twice and knocked down a number of extra instances after letting go of the ball. He additionally ran eight instances for 52 yards.

“He took a number of hits as we speak — in all probability extra hits than I’ve seen him take all season,” working again Brian Robinson Jr. stated. “Already coping with one thing, he simply confirmed how powerful he’s. Clearly you need to reduce these hits on him, however he simply continues to show how powerful he’s.”

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