Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has been a sensation through five games, leading the Commanders to a 4-1 start for the first time since 2008.
With 1,135 passing yards and 300 rushing yards, Daniels became the first player in NFL history with 1,000-plus passing yards and 250-plus rushing yards in his first five career games.
Given the rookie's dual-threat ability and that the Commanders face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6, the comparisons between Daniels and Lamar Jackson will teem this week.
Commanders coach Dan Quinn has already downplayed the compare-and-contrasting sessions.
"We haven't talked a lot about that specifically," Quinn said when asked about the comparisons between the QBs. "I think everybody knows how exceptional and remarkable Lamar is, and so I get why people would say that here's somebody who's got athletic ability and can absolutely rip it as well. But I've always wanted Jayden to be the best version of him and absolutely go for it in that way. They'll feature different ways in the offense than we do. But as far as comparison, I didn't allow myself to kind of go down all that road. I just really wanted to kind of stay in all the things that he could do and how we would feature him in our offense with our guys."
Given that Jackson and Daniels own the ability to make jaw-dropping plays with their arms and legs, the comparisons write themselves. However, they've entered the league on much different tracks.
Jackson was 21 years old when he was drafted in the first round while the Ravens still had Joe Flacco under center. Daniels is 24 years old after five seasons in college and was drafted No. 2 overall to be QB1 from the jump. The age difference is evident early in Daniels' career. He's a more fully-formed passer than Jackson was as a rookie.
The way the Commanders and Ravens have used their quarterback's dual-threat ability is also different. Much of Daniels' damage has come on scrambles rather than designed QB runs. Of his 300 rushing yards, 244 have come on scrambles, per Next Gen Stats. Washington has called 20 designed runs that have netted 62 yards and three touchdowns (seven designed runs came in Week 1). Jackson, meanwhile, leads the NFL with 30 designed runs for 221 yards and two TDs through five games. For comparison's sake, in Jackson's first five career starts in 2018, he took 54 designed runs (Weeks 11-15).
Ravens coach John Harbaugh echoed Quinn's belief that comparing quarterbacks isn't necessary. It's enough to enjoy their individual greatness.
"I see a really good quarterback. Every week, you look at the quarterback; that's where the offense starts," Harbaugh said. "Joe Burrow is a top quarterback in the league. He's one of the best guys, but he's one of the best guys in his own unique way, and we saw it on Sunday -- the challenges that his game presents. Jayden Daniels is ... Heck, he's played in, what, five games now? And he's been one of the best in the league for five games, so far, as a rookie. He plays [differently] than Joe Burrow. Every quarterback plays their own unique way. Similarities, differences, there is always that part of it, but we just have to look at him and how he fits into their offense, and [we have to] prepare for their offense -- run by him -- and that's a big challenge. I mean, we've got our hands full with that. So, that's how we look at it, as a defense."
Each week, Daniels improves, which is the true mark of a dynamite rookie. In Week 5, he splashed a gorgeous deep shot to Terry McLaurin while on the move. It was the type of play -- keeping the pass alive when he could have scrambled -- that should strike fear into defenses.
With the rookie handling everything that comes his way and Kliff Kingsbury calling excellent games, Washington became the first team since the 1970 merger to score 150-plus points in their first five games of a season while starting a rookie QB in each contest. The Commanders are averaging 31.0 points per game. Their 3.37 points per drive is the best in the NFL in 2024 and third-best by any team in the first five games of a season since 2000 (note: Washington was at 3.52 points per drive before Marcus Mariota took over in the fourth quarter of Week 5).
With Daniels and Jackson facing off Sunday in Baltimore, we can count on fireworks to fly.
