Jayden Daniels passed for five touchdowns in the Commanders’ 36-33 win over the Eagles. What did he say after the come-from-behind win?
Did Daniels doubt the Commanders could come back to win?
“No, not at all. I always believe that we can win a game no matter what. The game is never over until the clock hits zero.”
The rookie quarterback referred back to a repeated message from head coach Dan Quinn this week:
“This whole week DQ preached it’s going to be a five-quarter game no matter what. Obviously, it’s a very good team over there and what they’ve done over the years and how they’re established in this league. You have to go out there and put up a fight. The game is never done until the clock hits zero.”
He praised receivers Olamide Zaccheaus and Jamison Crowder:
“It means a lot just to have people step up and make plays. Obviously, Terry [McLaurin] gets a lot of attention, rightfully so, but those guys in these types of moments they have to step up and make plays and they did.”
Daniels was asked about what keeps him focused in those last minutes:
“I don’t know. I love those types of situations. Those are–it’s on thin ice and plays need to be made. That’s what you live for if you really love this sport you play for those big-time moments where it comes down to the end. Until the end, everything’s against you, your backs against the wall, how will you respond?”
Did Daniels notice the Eagles had 12 men on the field on the Zaccheaus 49-yard touchdown?
“I did see they had twelve on the field. I think it was [Darius] Slay that was running off late. I knew we essentially had a free play at that and we had a holding call in which they had held on to Zach [Ertz] and I found OZ and he did the rest.”
Apparently, OC Kliff Kingsbury had them prepared for that final touchdown pass play:
“We hit that in practice. That’s the same exact concept, same exact throw so it was kind of just like I see two high safety, middle field open and I already hit this in practice so it was time to just make the throw and end the game.”
What were his emotions after the final touchdown?
“Everybody was excited. It was kind of just like those types of moments you don’t get too many of those. Obviously, I threw a pick the drive before and I got a second chance to make it right.”
What does this win mean for the Commanders morale?
“It just boosts the morale even more, but we still have to put in the work every week. What happened today, you sit on it for twenty-four and you move on to the next one. We have Atlanta next week.”
