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LANDOVER, Md. — Jayden Daniels is running all over opponents and away with the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. His legs are arguably as big a reason the Washington Commanders are heading to the playoffs as his right, throwing arm.
"That guy's an absolute beast," Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Sunday night after Daniels torched his team for 127 yards on 16 carries. "He's a tough tackle. He's hell on wheels."
Daniels' wheels have become the key to Washington's running game, even as Brian Robinson Jr. has struggled to regain the foothold he had earlier this season. The rookie quarterback has been the Commanders' leading rusher in half of their games, including four of the past five, and his mobility opens up everything for the NFL's fifth-highest-scoring offense.
"He is a dangerous player — and not by design that some of these runs took place," coach Dan Quinn said. "I cringe sometimes, but I also know what the competitor is, too."
Daniels passed Robert Griffin III — Washington's last best hope to turn the franchise around back in 2012 before things went horribly wrong — for the most yards by a rookie QB. His 864 yards on the ground are a team high, ahead of Robinson and with a better average per carry, and Daniels has rushed for six touchdowns while throwing for 25.
Those 31 combined TDs are the third-most by a rookie QB behind Justin Herbert's 36 in 2020 and Cam Newton's 35 in 2011. His five in the final 30 seconds of regulation or overtime is the most by any player at the position since at least the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
"He's the most mature rookie I've ever been around," said tight end Zach Ertz, who caught his second touchdown pass Sunday from Daniels to beat Atlanta in overtime. "Whether it was OTAs when we're working two-minute drill against the defense or with the opportunity to go to the playoffs or solidify ourselves with an opportunity to go to the playoffs, he's literally the same guy."
For a second consecutive week, the Commanders' defense shut down the opponent's running game after a rough start. Sure, the Eagles lost Jalen Hurts to a concussion and that put the focus on Saquon Barkley and, yes, Morris and the Falcons inexplicably stopped handing Bijan Robinson the ball and left five timeouts unused for some reason.
But, either way, it worked. Robinson had just 8 yards rushing in the second half after racking up 82 and two touchdowns in the first.
"We just went back to our technique and fundamentals: keep it simple for stopping the run and keep it on the passing game," linebacker Frankie Luvu said.
Washington's banged-up offensive line got bulldozed at times by the Falcons, allowing Daniels to get sacked five times for a loss of 31 yards.
Playing without starting right tackle Andrew Wylie because of a groin injury, replacement Cornelius Lucas left with a groin injury and center Tyler Biadasz with an ankle injury while rookie Brandon Coleman struggled on the other side. The O-line also had a handful of penalties to negate big gains.
Chris Rodriguez Jr., one of just a dozen draft picks left from the 33 made during coach Ron Rivera's time in charge from 2020-23, has emerged as a reliable runner when Robinson needs a breather or a change of pace is required. He had the only non-Daniels touchdown against Atlanta, a 2-yard run into the end zone to put Washington ahead in the fourth quarter.
"Chris has a significant role here with us," Quinn said. "He plays square and downhill. And so sometimes between Robinson and him and Jeremy (McNichols), when they bring another guy in fresh and ready to go fight, it's a big deal."
Veteran cornerback Michael Davis got thrust into an unenviable position of defending Drake London, with Marshon Lattimore out after aggravating his hamstring injury. London finished with seven catches for 106 yards.
The Commanders acquired Lattimore from New Orleans at the trade deadline to get a lock-down defender and they need him back on the field to make any kind of playoff run.
Even with the NFC's sixth seed and a more favorable matchup at Tampa Bay or the Los Angeles Rams (as opposed to a game at Philadelphia) at stake, Lattimore, Wylie, Biadasz and others could rest instead of playing Sunday at Dallas. The key is getting them healthy for the wild-card round.
$750,000 — Earned by Ertz on Sunday night by hitting $250,000 incentives for six-plus TDs, 600-plus yards and 60-plus catches this season.
Beat the Cowboys without CeeDee Lamb, and the Buccaneers and Rams are the first-round matchup. Washington opened as a 3-point road favorite on BetMGM Sportsbook.
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