Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season for the Washington Commanders will forever be remembered as Jayden Daniels' breakout game.
The Cincinnati Bengals are simply speechless after suffering a 38-33 defeat at home to Daniels and Co. to drop to 0-3 on the season.
The Commanders are 2-1 this season, and a big part of that is down to a standout performance on “Monday Night Football” from the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, who completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and caught the first two touchdown passes of his career.
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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws a pass during the second quarter of the NFL's Week 3 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Commanders at Pacor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. The Commanders led 21-13 at halftime. (image)
And Daniels could have used his legs to get to the end zone, as he did earlier this season, but the biggest highlight of the night was the Commanders' final drive, when the league got to see what Daniels is made of.
On fourth down and four from the Cincinnati 39-yard line, Daniels had no intention of leaving the field and was calling for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to write a play on his helmet and prepare to attack. At that point, Joe Burrow had just completed his second pass of the night to Ja'Marr Chase in the end zone and the Commanders were leading 31-26.
Daniels took the snap with confidence and completed a nine-yard dot pass to tight end Zach Ertz to move the chains and keep the time off the scoreboard.
Bengals, 0-2, confident going up against Commanders' “college offense”
But rather than just run out the clock, Daniels threw a bomb pass down the right sideline to Terry McLaurin on third down and seven for a 27-yard touchdown.
Daniels sealed the game with the pass, giving McLaurin four catches for 100 yards.
Burrow and the Bengals offense tried to pull off a miracle with two minutes left, during which Zack Moss ran in to put the score up 38-32, but the Bengals couldn't recover the onside kick, giving the Commanders a shocking victory at Paycol Stadium.
Cincinnati came into this game knowing that no team in the modern era had ever made the playoffs with a 0-3 record, so while it was a cliché, it was true: In their minds, this was a must-win game for the Bengals.
Burrow then burst out with energy, throwing a 41-yard touchdown pass to Chase to put the Commanders up by seven points in the blink of an eye.
But Washington's offense took control early and responded with a touchdown of its own, Brian Robinson racing through a hole and into the end zone with 6:12 left in the first quarter.
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) warms up before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paco Stadium. (Joseph Maiorana – Imagine Images)
Washington scored touchdowns on its first three drives, all on the ground, including a 24-yard rush by Austin Ekeler, who left the game early with a head injury, and Daniels keeping the score at bay on a read-option run.
The Commanders led 21-13 at the end of the first half and quickly extended their lead on their first drive of the second half, which resulted in Daniels' first career passing touchdown, but it was to a man no one expected to receive the pass.
Offensive tackle Trent Scott got out with a fake Crumpley and caught a 1-yard pass from Daniels for the score, scoring a “big man touchdown.”
Looking more closely at the box score, Burrow completed 29 of 38 attempts for 324 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, which would usually win the game.
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at Paco Stadium. (Katie Stratman-Imagn Images)
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But the Commanders proved this season that they should never be taken lightly, and their rookie quarterback seemed to start his first season cold.
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