The NFL season is already 23.5 percent complete. Today, the Washington Commanders find themselves in sole possession of first place in the NFC East on this Victory Monday.
The Commanders also have the bragging rights for the top rated rookie quarterback in the NFL, Jayden Daniels, who has a 73.4 QBR at this point. Daniels leads all NFL quarterbacks in completion percentage at 82.1 percent and third overall of all NFL quarterbacks in passer rankings at 107.4. For perspective on how great that is, that 82.1 percent mark is the highest completion percentage of any quarterback through four games since Tom Brady had a 79.2 completion percentage through four games in 2007.
Yesterday, the rookie completed 26 of 30 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 47 yards and a touchdown en route to a runaway win in Arizona to take the Commanders to a 3-1 record.
With Austin Ekeler out with a concussion suffered last week on Monday night, the Commanders tabbed journeyman Jeremy McNichols with Ekeler’s role. McNichols is a feisty 5’9″ running back who had all of one carry before this game for just 1-yard, and busted out for two touchdowns in this game with an average of 8.5 yards per carry. Somehow it worked. Nobody knows how. Credit to offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury who is doing it — and head coach Dan Quinn certainly recognized Kingsbury’s contributions with the first game ball after yesterday’s triumph.
Everything has seemed to click and when Washington had to punt for the first time yesterday in three games — that was big news as some thought punter Tress Way did not exist. The 2-time Pro Bowler has only punted four times this year.
By the end of the eighth possession in Sunday’s game, wide receiver Terry McLaurin took a 10-yard pass from Daniels into the endzone for the touchdown catch and then Daniels dotted a ball to Zach Ertz for a two-point conversion that sealed the game away at 35-14 en route to the 42-14 thumping of the Cardinals.
You have to think that Kingsbury who was the former head coach of Arizona knew every move that Cardinals’ quarterback Kyler Murray was going to make because Washington’s defense seemed to know his dance moves better than his receivers. Murray only completed 16 passes for 142 yards and the Commanders defense sacked him four times.
“There are some things after a win like this to [improve], and that’s what we’re going to chase, just the constant improvement. But big for us on a road trip — to leave with two wins.”
— head coach Dan Quinn said after the game
Washington returned back home last night on their charter flight and will prepare for their next game on Sunday at 1 pm EDT against the Cleveland Browns at Northwest Stadium in Maryland. The early Vegas lines has Washington as a 3.5 point favorite.
