The numbers behind QB Jayden Daniels' hot start in Washington

PHOENIX – It's been three games, but Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has already made an impression on his team and the NFL.

He was named Player of the Week multiple times, delivered a near-perfect performance in front of a national audience, and inspired hope in an organization that hadn't had much to offer in a long time.

“It’s unbelievable,” senior linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “It's a good start (but) let him finish his story for the season… but what he accomplished, his composure, the way he handled himself from the moment he came in, “Did you know he was going to be special and” he shows it.

The numbers support Wagner's statement. A key to Washington's 2-1 record heading into Sunday's game at the Arizona Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox) is Daniels' outstanding performance early in the season.

He completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns while going for another score in a win Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Week, two weeks after being named Offensive Rookie of the Week.

Two days after his breakthrough in Cincinnati, he was unimpressed.

“It’s a different game,” Daniels said. “This game is a thing of the past, it no longer has any meaning.”

A look at his numbers in the first three games shows that his season so far is not just another start to the season for a rookie.

Here are the stats behind Daniels' impressive NFL start:

Daniels is the only player since at least 1970 to score three touchdowns, catch two more passes and throw no interceptions in his first three games.

That includes what Daniels has provided so far: a good arm, strong decision-making ability and the ability to run. Both touchdown passes came against the Bengals on Monday, including a 27-yarder in the fourth quarter against an all-out blitz. He was canceled out by a free rusher on the play, but threw a perfect pass to receiver Terry McLaurin in the end zone to secure the 38-33 victory.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, coach Dan Quinn said he was “proud of the decision making and the process he's going through.”

“He’s difficult to defend because of his legs. He can get out of the pocket. There is a double threat.”

Daniels threw 90 passes without an interception early in his career.

That's impressive, but he hasn't even reached half of the record set last season by Houston's CJ Stroud, who attempted 192 passes before being intercepted in Week 6. Dallas' Dak Prescott previously held the record at 176 after breaking Tom Brady's mark of 162.

Daniels has completed 80.3% of his pass attempts, leading the NFL.

It helps that 36.8% of his throws come at or behind the line of scrimmage. But for comparison, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ranks second in the NFL in this area at 39.1% behind Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis.

Prescott set the NFL record for rookie completion percentage (67.6) in 2016 and ranked 14th in air yards per attempt.

“If you have a good chance to win it at the end of the game,” Quinn said of Daniels, who has led Washington to a score on the final possession of every game except for a kneel-down against the Bengals. “And you smile because you know you're ready and you've been in that area, that's one of the things I love about him.”

Daniels ranks 13th in overall QBR with 67.9.

His 92.5 QBR rating against the Bengals is the sixth-best by a Washington quarterback since 2015.

The Commanders have only had nine total games in the last five seasons in which a quarterback finished with such a high rating. From 2018 to 2023, Washington's QBR for the season was never higher than 45.7. The last time the franchise finished with a QBR of 60 or better was in 2016, when Kirk Cousins ​​started every game. This was also the last time the Commanders finished with a winning record.

Daniels has completed 40.8% of his passes for first downs, fifth in the NFL.

The highest percentage of first downs per pass attempt by a rookie quarterback since 2000 is 44.1% for Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Stroud completed 37.7% of his passes for first downs last season, ranking 10th. place in the NFL.

Only one player ranks in the top five among qualified rushers in first downs per run and first downs per pass attempt: Daniels. He trails Baltimore's Lamar Jackson by just half a percentage point in first downs per rush (40.0%). Jackson ranks eighth in first downs per pass attempt at 36.7%.

There's room for growth with Daniels, as Quinn pointed out – he keeps his eyes up when he's defending and continues to make big plays downfield. However, commanders are confident these games will become more common as he becomes more comfortable and continues to develop.

“He’s still growing,” Quinn said. “I can’t wait to see who he becomes.”