LOVERRO: Daniels has answers for franchise buried under decades of questions, doubts, despair

OPINION:

Jayden Daniels. Jayden Daniels. Jayden Daniels. Jayden Daniels. Jayden Daniels. Jayden Daniels. Jayden Daniels. Jayden Daniels. Jayden Daniels. Jayden Daniels.

The answer. The cheat code, as the kids like to say. The path to a 36-33 victory over perhaps the best team in the NFC. The formula for a 10-5 start through 15 games, the likes of which this Washington franchise has not seen since 1991.

Your Commanders team is down 14-0 before the Philadelphia Eagles fans even settled in their seats at Northwest Stadium? No problem. Jayden Daniels.

Your team commits five turnovers? No problem. Jayden Daniels.

One of your valuable offensive weapons, running back Brian Robinson, fumbles twice while running with his foot in his mouth after mouthing off on the radio that his team was better than the Eagles? No problem. Jayden Daniels.

Your prize new celebrated cornerback, Marshon Lattimore, gets flagged for three pass interferences penalties trying to cover Eagles all-world receiver A.J. Brown? No problem. Jayden Daniels.

Your plans for a new District stadium at the old RFK site are derailed when Elon Musk sabotages the spending bill that included transferring control of the land from the federal government to the city with misinformation? No problem. Jayden Daniels.

OK, I got carried away with the last one. But the Tesla Terror versus Jayden Daniels? My money would be on the rookie quarterback who is playing the position like no one has ever played it in his position.

Five touchdown passes, the finale a dramatic 9-yard game-winning score to Jamison Crowder with just six seconds remaining. Rushing for 81 yards, including running for 30 yards on a do-or-die fourth and 11.

“Today he became a heavy hitter,” coach Dan Quinn said.

There were a number of contributing factors that helped the Commanders win Sunday, not the least of which was Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts leaving the game early due to a concussion. 

That meant Washington was now facing backup quarterback Kenny Pickett, who managed to throw for 143 yards over three quarters and put 19 points on the board.

This was still an Eagles team with the best defense in the league that was staked to a two-touchdown lead.

But Washington had Daniels, who has created an atmosphere of optimism.

“If you give him moments, he really lights up in those spots,” Quinn said.

The light shines brighter than perhaps other places because darkness has covered this franchise for decades. But make no mistake — this is not just about the Washington turnaround. 

Daniels’ rookie year performance would be special in any place, under any conditions.

He rewrites the record books for rookie quarterbacks every week. He is something that few, if any, have ever seen before. The talent. The poise.

“Man, he’s so poised,” said Terry McLaurin, who had five catches for 60 yards and is having a career year. “No matter if we’re making plays or we’re missing plays, he just has a way to stay even-keeled that I’ve never seen from a rookie at any position, let alone quarterback.”

Bobby Wagner has seen a lot in his 13 years at linebacker in this league. He, too, marvels at Daniels’ poise. “A lot of it is just composure,” he said. “One of the first things is your (Daniels’) work ethic. I think that’s the biggest thing, especially when you come in as a young guy, rookie, veterans and everybody around you is going to respect you the harder you work and I think that’s something that he did from the moment he got in here is just he works.”

What Daniels has built with that work ethic is a belief that anything is possible. With his team down 33-29 with less than two minutes left in the game, a comeback was plausible — maybe even probable — because Daniels was behind center for Washington.

When asked by reporters if he had any doubts they could win the game when he took the field for that final drive, Daniels spoke what others believe.

“No, not at all,” he said. “I always believe that we can win a game no matter what. The game is never over until the clock hits zero.”

For many years, a Washington football game was often over before the clock started.

As broadcaster Bob Costas once said when another legendary Washington rookie, Stephen Strasburg, had his unforgettable Nationals debut, “Unleash all the superlatives. They all seem to apply.”

• Catch Thom Loverro on The Kevin Sheehan Show podcast.