PHILADELPHIA – In the end, Jayden Daniels’ record-setting rookie campaign wasn’t historic in the way he wanted it to be.
Still, no first-year quarterback has led his team to the Super Bowl, and now Daniels joins the list of those who lost in the conference title game, as the Washington Commanders fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 55-23 on Sunday in the NFC championship game.
Still, there is no denying that the Commanders have a chance at advancing this far in the postseason so long as Daniels is their quarterback.
“Lot of blame to go around,” defensive lineman Jonathan Allen said after the loss, “but number five’s been special for us this year.”
The raw disappointment after a loss to a division rival with Super Bowl 59 one victory away had Daniels asking the media to excuse his (non-explicit) language.
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“Man, it sucks. Man, it just sucks,” Daniels said. “Excuse my language, but I couldn’t be prouder of the guys in the locker room. You know, just year one, everybody not really knowing each other, rookies, the vets did a tremendous job of bringing us in and helping us out. And we all just meshed. And we got to this point, but at the end of the day, man, we lost. It sucks, but we’ll move on from this.”
The motivation of knowing what it feels like to lose the NFC title game has been earned in Year 1.
“I don’t want to have a feeling like this again,” Daniels said. “But you have to deal with it, you know, move on from it.”
Daniels finished 29-for-48 with 255 passing yards, one touchdown through the air and another on the ground, along with one interception. He was sacked three times and spent much of the night on the run from Philadelphia’s four-man rush that consistently beat the banged-up Commanders offensive line trying their best to keep Daniels clean.
“It’s just another game for me. That’s how I treated it. That’s how I treat every game,” Daniels said. “You have to go out there and earn it. You have to prove it. And even though tonight, we didn’t earn it.
“We believe that we belong here. Kudos to Philly and what they did. Heck of a team, and good luck to them.”
Playing deep in January won’t be new to Daniels and the Commanders the next time it happens. But nothing is given in the NFL.
“Each year is different. It’s hard to look too far into the future,” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said. “What I will say is that it’s been an unbelievable ride. I’ve genuinely enjoyed this.”
Washington was a team that was not simply happy to reach this stage, though, because the group fell short of its goal: lifting the Lombardi Trophy. McLaurin said it will take some time to put the turnaround the organization experienced during Daniels’ rookie campaign into context.
“I’m excited with where things are heading,” he said. “It’s been fun, but to go out like this is tough.”
Having veterans like McLaurin and linebacker Bobby Wagner – who’s taken on the role of “big brother” for Daniels in the locker room – to uplift his teammates is something Daniels appreciated. McLaurin will be back. Wagner and tight end Zach Ertz, who had 11 catches for 104 yards, among others, may not.
“Obviously, it’s tough,” Daniels said. “Obviously taking this loss pretty hard.”
As he did all season, Daniels displayed high-level decision-making and took care of the football (until the end, when Eagles rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell recorded an interception in the end zone). He was his typical playmaking self when he snaked for a 10-yard touchdown to bring the Commanders within 11 in the third quarter, and he once again stole points before the half by leading a field-goal drive with no timeouts on the clock to make it 27-12.
“That kid can do it all,” Eagles linebacker Zack Baun said. “He can read defenses. He can use his legs to extend plays to throw or to run. He makes great decisions. It takes all 11 guys, in coverage and the rush, to corral him.”
Daniels will almost surely take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in less than two weeks.
In the biggest game yet of his career, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn saw the same quarterback he’s been watching all year. Smiling after taking a big hit. Never hanging his head when his teammates fumbled the ball, which happened three times. Staying consistent in the toughest of environments – and Lincoln Financial Field on Championship Sunday certainly qualifies.
“It just doesn’t seem like there’s going to be (a game) that’s too big, honestly,” Quinn said. “He has rare competitiveness that makes him unique in a lot of ways.”
On the Commanders’ final drive, with the outcome of the game already decided, Quinn pulled Daniels.
“It hurt him to come out at the end,” Quinn said. “He wanted to stay in. I said that’s my call. But that’s the competitor (he is). Honestly, he’s just kind of wired in that way.”
And it’s why the Commanders will always have a chance of reaching this stage with Jayden Daniels.
Follow Chris Bumbaca on X@BOOMbaca.