DETROIT – Something strange happened at Ford Field on Saturday night.
The NFL’s most raucous venue turned quiet. Eerily silent.
Jayden Daniels didn’t notice.
How fitting. The unflappable Washington Commanders rookie was smack dab in the middle of a wild second quarter, when the game’s momentum swung, the teams combined for a playoff-record 42 points and all the noise was hushed.
And it was no big deal. After punching a ticket to the NFC title game with a 45-31 knockout of the Detroit Lions, he pretty much shrugged about it afterward.
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“The crowd came out, they were very hyped,” Daniels reflected in a crisp, even tone. “But I wasn’t focused on the crowd noise when I was out there.”
In other words, it didn’t matter to Daniels when the decibel levels hit triple digits or when the shock set in for the rowdy fans that the home team was in serious trouble.
Daniels passed for 299 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for more than 50 yards. Meanwhile, Jared Goff, Detroit’s ninth-year quarterback, looked so rattled as he coughed up the football four times, Daniels didn’t commit a single turnover.
That’s how you win in the playoffs. And Daniels, who posted a 122.9 passer rating, was pretty close to perfect. There was a 38-yard dime to Dyami Brown that set up a touchdown. A well-timed swing-screen that Terry McLaurin took 58 yards for a touchdown. Three conversions on fourth downs. And he kept beating the blitz.
All of it came wrapped in what we’ve learned is essentially Daniels.
Man, is this kid cool. For all of his precision throwing and the smooth-gliding running, composure is his secret sauce. It’s no wonder that heading into the divisional round, he led Washington to five consecutive victories, when in each case he had the ball in his hand at the end. His demeanor undoubtedly brings out the rest of his game.
“No moment gets to him,” Austin Ekeler, the eighth-year running back, told USA TODAY Sports. “Good or bad.”
Sure, we’ve heard this all season as Daniels, 24, has layered one wow moment on top of another. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, drafted second overall, has only been the centerpiece to the revival of a signature NFL franchise and played his way to front-runner status for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Now he’s continued the vibe in the playoffs, when conventional wisdom suggests it would be tougher.
Isn’t Daniels due to crack under playoff pressure?
Apparently not. Nobody sent him that memo. He feels no need to change his approach.
“Not at all,” he said. “Stay the same. Obviously, the media and everybody will put more magnitude on the game because it’s win or go home. But you’ve got to go out there and stay consistent.”
That’s hardly lip service. When the TV cameras caught glimpses of Daniels sitting on the bench on Saturday night, he was typically mellow. Teammates will tell you that’s pretty much been the case with him all season, no matter the circumstance. Doug Williams, the in-house legend and personnel executive, has been saying something similar since Week 1.
Daniels is that guy you might have heard about who doesn’t get too high when things are going well, and he doesn’t get too low when adversity strikes. He’s the same guy. You know his teammates love this quality about him because they are, well, rather consistent in describing his persona.
Does he ever change his expression?
Ekeler grinned, then offered, “Sometimes, he cracks a joke here or there. But that’s him. He’s laid-back. He’s looking to have a good time, play some ball with his friends.”
The Commanders (14-5) are one victory from the Super Bowl. How crazy is that?
It’s about as crazy as a rookie stepping into the NFL and playing like a 10-year vet. The Lions were certainly wary. During the week, coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn raved about Daniels’ knack for making savvy decisions. The respect was authentic – and proven on the film and with the results.
Then Daniels went out and proved it some more. The Lions blitzed at a higher rate than all but one NFL team during the regular season, sending an extra rusher on 34.6% of the snaps, which undoubtedly was influenced by the rash of injuries to the defense.
Sensing a heavy dose of blitzes, the Commanders felt that the effectiveness of their offense would hinge on winning the man-to-man coverage matchups – and with Daniels getting the ball away quickly. Done. He threw 31 passes and was never sacked.
“He’s amazing,” said Brown, who led Washington with six catches and 98 yards. “A true competitor.
“Just (him) being a rookie, man, I can’t wait to see him in his prime.”
That goes for the rest of us, too. But first things first. Before Daniels gets to his prime, there’s a date in the NFC title game.
Of course, he likes his chances, having advanced this far. Nothing about this situation seems too big for him. But he’s so cool in expressing that. As you might expect.
Do you feel like you can beat any team, anywhere?
“I love my team,” Daniels replied. “I’m confident in my team. We’ll roll with the next game and focus on that opponent.”
No, there’s no reason for Daniels to add to the noise.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell on X @JarrettBell.
