It looks like the narrative his second-year slump was about more than injuries is getting to Jayden Daniels. At least based on how the Washington Commanders’ quarterback gave a spiky answer to a question about his problems against the blitz.
Daniels spoke with reporters after practice on Wednesday, September 9, mere days before the start of his third NFL season. The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year couldn’t duck questions about how he regressed last year, but acknowledging his struggles against pressure appeared to irritate Daniels.
He was asked, “Did you notice any difference from year one to year two and the type of pressures that you got?” Daniels offered a terse response: “I just think I didn’t get into a a flow, you know, in and out the lineup with injuries, but you know, as for all the analytics people, stats, whatever, it is what it is, man. What I did year one, What I did year two doesn’t matter. I mean, that’s what people are going to talk about. You know, recency bias and all that. Year two is, it is what it is. Now, we’re onto year three. You know, whatever happens on Sunday, that’s what people are going to talk about more than what they talk about year two.”
There was more than a hint of defiance behind those words. Yet, Daniels can’t risk dismissing talk about how he handles the blitz as merely the chatter of so-called stats nerds.
Not when he’s going to match wits with the Philadelphia Eagles and creative defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in Week 1.
Jayden Daniels Can’t Downplay Blitz Narrative
Daniels has faced a narrative he struggles to figure out the blitz since he was a rookie. Fangio and the Eagles were among those who gave him trouble with extra rushers and changing coverages during his debut campaign. That history makes the trip to Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, September 13 the ideal acid test for Daniels’ improvement against pressure.
He didn’t show much improvement in 2025, when Daniels posted mediocre numbers against the blitz and single-high coverage looks, according to Steven Ruiz of Fox Sports.
The caveat here is those numbers represent a smaller sample size. Daniels only played a mere seven games last season thanks to knee and elbow injuries.
Keeping Daniels on the field is the priority for the Commanders this year, but a lot will depend on how he diagnoses and deals with pressure. The hopes for improvement in both areas rest on new offensive coordinator David Blough’s schemes, but his grand design could be wrecked by the Eagles’ obvious advantage in the trenches.
Commanders Must Hide Fatal Flaw vs. Eagles
Blough’s under-center concepts and play-action passing must mask the Commanders’ frailty along the line of scrimmage. A powerful Eagles’ defensive front can shred Washington’s injury-hit offensive line.
Dominant tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis look set to feast on center Nick Allegretti. He’s a converted guard who spent most of the preseason sidelined.
Allegretti’s job will be tougher if the Commanders have to slide protection to compensate for the absence of standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Fill-in starter Brandon Coleman looks a likely target for some of Fangio’s blitz designs.
Daniels will punish pressure if he trusts the pocket more and makes quick throws to seven-time 1,000-yard wide receiver Stefon Diggs and his other capable targets. That’s the only way Daniels can prove any more discussion about his second-year struggles is just idle chatter.
Jayden Daniels Gives Spiky Answer to Commanders’ Blitz Problem