Jayden Daniels is getting used to trying to explain bizarre end-of-game and clock-management decisions by the Washington Commanders, and the star quarterback made another attempt to make sense of another “nonsensical” play that closed out a 20-13 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9.
Daniels had the chance to tie with the ball at the Rams’ 31-yard line and three seconds on the clock. The situation called for one last heave into the end zone, but Daniels instead threw short to tight end Chig Okonkwo and the clock ran out.
It was yet another curious decision from Daniels, but he told reporters at Northwest Stadium on Sunday, November 8 he had good reason for checking the ball underneath.
Daniels explained how the Rams “had one versus, I want to say the Raiders? I wanna say. I’m not too sure, don’t quote me on that, but they bring pressure on that. In those moments, last play of the game, I think it was like seven, eight seconds left on the play clock. They wanna get the ball out (of) the quarterback’s hands as fast as possible, so you know you had to take a shot to the end zone, so if they could get home before you get the ball up or you let your guys down there, that was probably ideal, so that was the play that was called and we gotta execute it.”
When asked why he didn’t adjust after the Rams rushed five, instead of sending the blitz he anticipated, Daniels bluntly replied, “that’s the play call, we gotta execute it.”
Daniels is either shielding first-year offensive coordinator David Blough from blame, or else the franchise signal-caller is drawing more attention to a play call trashed as “odd” and “nonsensical.”
Commanders Trashed for Another Late-Game Lapse
The Commanders had two plays from just outside the 30, but Daniels didn’t throw into the end zone once. Instead, as 106.7 The Fan’s Grant Paulsen noted, “The last play was designed to be short it looks like. Rams brought 5, one on a delay. But looks like routes weren’t vertical. Odd.”
WSH got to play he 32 and had two plays left. Neither throw was into end zone. The last play was designed to be short it looks like.
Rams brought 5, one on a delay. But looks like routes weren’t vertical. Odd.
Paulsen’s use of the word “odd” was diplomatic compared with how Doug Farrar of Athlon Sports described this farce in the final seconds. Farrar pointed out how “Daniels is a top-3 fade thrower going back to LSU. Absolutely nonsensical.”
This take exposes how rookie OC Blough isn’t calling concepts to suit his best player. Blough’s questionable play-calling process has become a worrying theme during his debut campaign on the headset.
The issue proved costly against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6, but Blough isn’t the only coach facing the backlash. Head coach Dan Quinn is also getting skewered after the Commanders’ latest barely believable lack of awareness of clutch, situational football.
Quinn revealed to reporters, including The Washington Post’s Tashan Reed, the “final play had a check. The first read is to throw it to the end zone, but the second one is to throw it short if the defense sends an all-out blitz. The Rams showed that look presnap, which must be why Daniels went to Okonkwo, but they only sent 5.”
Daniels and Quinn batted blame back and forth after allowing the clock to run out during overtime against the New York Giants in Week 5. This time, Daniels may feel vindicated to put the lion’s share of the blame on his coaches.
Particularly after the way they left him exposed against the Rams’ fearsome defensive line.
Jayden Daniels Wasn’t Prepared for Rams
Those Rams had the NFL’s record-holder for sacks in a single season, edge-rusher Myles Garrett, back in the lineup. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year ran riot against Commanders’ blocking schemes that rarely had him chipped and double-teamed out of his stance.
Garrett got to Daniels for three sacks and forced a fumble. His second takedown, when he beat obviously overwhelmed, stand-in left tackle Brandon Coleman, summed up how unprepared the Commanders were for No. 95.
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Blough didn’t have special plans for Garrett. Nor did Washington’s OC try another way to slow down a Rams’ pass rush also led by all-world defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
Those alternative schemes might’ve involved splitting more than just 15 carries between veteran running backs Rachaad White and Austin Ekeler in a close game.
Daniels has his own culpability for what happened on the field, but he wasn’t given enough help from the sidelines to find an edge against the Rams.
Commanders’ Jayden Daniels Reacts to ‘Odd’ Final Play vs. Rams