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Washington Post (paywall)
Jayden Daniels keeps wowing teammates, and the Commanders keep winning
Daniels is ‘something special to watch’ as he throws two TD passes and Washington sweeps the season series against the New York Giants with a 27-22 victory.
As his teammates rushed toward him in celebration, Terry McLaurin stood in the end zone, turned to New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks and, with a sly smile, shook his head.
With only 11 seconds remaining in the second quarter, McLaurin started a go-route from the 18-yard line, jabbed inside slightly and then back out to throw off Banks in coverage. The move created just enough separation for his quarterback to drop it in the back of the end zone.
The grin and head shake that followed were perhaps a by-product of two years of chirping from Banks — McLaurin insists he doesn’t initiate the chatter but enjoys clapping back — and a reflection of pure joy from the wide receiver. Finally, finally, McLaurin has a quarterback, and never was it clearer than Sunday, when Daniels routinely dotted his receivers with big throws and salvaged a game nearly lost by Washington’s defense.
“Shoot,” McLaurin said as he shook his head in disbelief. “His ability — I’m just going to say it straight up: It was like he walked that ball to me. … The receiver position is one of the most dependent positions on the football field. There are so many things that you have to depend on to go right for an opportunity, but when you play with a quarterback that you can continue to build with, how competitive he is, how smart he is and his ability to make the throws when we need him most, that’s fun for a guy like me.”
Daniels’s consistency in a scheme tailored to him has allowed Washington to fill in gaps. On Sunday, that glaring hole was the absence of Brian Robinson Jr., who was inactive because of a hamstring injury.
No problem. The Commanders still ran the ball 38 times for 149 yards.
Washington’s offensive line continues to spur the running game and keep Daniels protected. Against a Giants front that includes nose tackle Dexter Lawrence (nine sacks in his first eight games), the line kept Daniels clean: zero sacks and only two quarterback hits.
Washington Post (paywall)
Terry McLaurin finally has a quarterback. He deserves this.
Through years of losing, McLaurin never caved to cynicism. His professionalism has ‘shaped the standard’ for the Commanders.
Terry McLaurin made only two catches Sunday, but they came, as they always do with him, “in the moments we got to have it,” as he said afterward. They gave the Washington Commanders a sense of hegemony, as if there was nothing they couldn’t take or seize from the New York Giants if they wanted it. The funny thing is, his two touchdowns were no different from innumerable other catches McLaurin has made in the past five-plus seasons — with his unvarying devotion to craft, even in the worst dregs of the most bitterly hopeless seasons. They just never counted like this before.
He has played for four coaches and with 13 quarterbacks since he was drafted in 2019, and his basic commitment has never wavered. The only thing that has changed is this: Finally, a team is meeting his level of professionalism. “A pro’s pro,” Coach Dan Quinn called McLaurin in the wake of their 27-22 victory over the New York Giants to sweep their NFC East season series. A road win against a division rival in which they never trailed? This was a taking care of business that felt entirely new.
“I’m just glad we win, man, just glad we’re winning,” McLaurin said. “The stress I may have had in the past doesn’t really weigh on me as much. I just try to be ready for my moments, be a good leader out there and cheer for the guys.”
This is why an offensive line is working so cohesively that Daniels didn’t take a single sack, after suffering five in his Week 2 meeting with the Giants. It’s why a practice squad guy named Chris Rodriguez Jr. can be called up to replace injured starter Brian Robinson Jr. and everybody blocks for him like he’s an all-pro, allowing the Commanders to grind out the clock. It’s why, when the Commanders led 24-10 going into the fourth quarter, you never questioned they would answer any late surge by the Giants.
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders handle business vs. Giants, continue to ‘demonstrate improvement’
They say throw out the records when division rivals meet. History shows weirdness happens in NFC East games. Washington certainly had its share of nightmares on New York’s turf. Not this time. The 7-2 record, the franchise’s best through nine games since 1996, reflects this surprising turnaround. Quinn’s squad moving from last week’s celebrated victory to beating the reeling Giants (2-7) is the latest example of a team that grasps the formula for winning.
“Divisional games have a little more significance,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “But you want to go out there and win every game, especially the games you’re supposed to win. It’s (against) a team that was struggling, so you want to make sure that the game that happened last week doesn’t bleed into this game. I feel like it didn’t, so that’s a positive.”
The offense was more workmanlike than in previous outings, though Daniels continued making wow throws. No prayers were required on two touchdown passes to Terry McLaurin or a pinpoint 31-yarder in traffic to Noah Brown, last week’s pass-catching hero.
2 catches = 2 touchdowns for @TheTerry_25
#WASvsNYG FOX pic.twitter.com/j2PWcq6WQG
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) November 3, 2024
Having sacked Daniels five times in Week 2, the Giants rarely put a hand on the mobile threat this time, even with rookie left tackle Brandon Coleman protecting Daniels’ blindside with Cornelius Lucas (ankle) unavailable.
Despite the absence of leading rusher Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) — he appeared limited in his pregame workout — Washington rushed for 149 yards on 38 carries. Five rushes by practice squad running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. on the final drive helped run out the clock on any of New York’s comeback dreams after closing the gap to five points with 2:48 remaining.
The poised 23-year-old Daniels feeding wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus for a 42-yard reception before the two-minute warning helped cement the two-game season sweep. Daniels finished 15-of-22 for 209 yards and two touchdowns, plus 35 yards on the ground, all without a turnover.
Former tight end Logan Paulsen witnessed many of those moments as a player and analyst. Shortly after the game, the sideline reporter for the team’s radio broadcast shared his changed view.
“They don’t blink,” Paulsen said.
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders get contributions from all over their roster to keep the party going
It was Coleman’s show Sunday, for all 60 of Washington’s offensive plays, despite dislocating his finger in the first half. And in at least a handful of those plays, Coleman was lined up against Brian Burns, New York’s premier defensive end.
Burns had no sacks. Nor did any of his teammates. Daniels’ still-tender ribs were rarely touched, nor was he often hurried, seven weeks after New York had sacked him five times in Washington. When New York brought the occasional corner blitz, as the Giants did when they sent Dru Phillips in the first half, Daniels just joysticked his way around the pressure and took off.
“I really worked on my conditioning this week, knowing what I was going into, knowing I only played, like, half of the games. I made it a point of emphasis this week to be ready,” said Coleman, who took his 300-plus pounds out for extra sprints in preparation.
Coleman also spent the week in the classroom, trying to tweak aspects of his pass protection.
“Bobby (Johnson, Washington’s offensive line coach) and coach Stape (assistant offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton), they were able to kind of help me, give me some pointers,” Coleman said. “I watched tape from training camp, so I was kind of feeling good, and then we talked about that. They were able to get me right for the game. … Going back the past few games I played, I overset a lot (in pass protection) and reached. And this week, I was more able to stay patient. I wasn’t worried about what (Burns) was doing; I was worried about if he doesn’t move, punching, staying in front, not leaning. That was a big emphasis.”
[T]he RB trio combined for 30 carries and 114 yards. Nothing earth-shattering for most of the day, but 3 and 4 yards at a time on the road keeps your quarterback in front of the sticks rather than way behind them. Rodriguez, who was on Washington’s practice squad, didn’t know until 90 minutes before kickoff that he was going to be promoted.
Washington ground out the last 2:48 of the game, after New York closed to within 5. All but one of the Commanders’ final six non-kneeldown plays were runs.
Commanders.com
Instant analysis | Commanders sweep Giants for first time since 2021
While the Giants came into Sunday’s game struggling in multiple areas, their pass-rush was not one of them. The team led the NFL with 35 sacks, spearheaded by Dexter Lawrence and his nine quarterback takedowns. And the Giants did try to bring Daniels down, but they were met by a wall of white jerseys that had been bolstered by Brandon Coleman’s return from a concussion.
Any defender that did get past Washington’s offensive line was left either grasping at air or didn’t get there in time because of how Daniels handled the ball.
Chris Rodriguez barreled through defenders and was stopped just short of the goal line. Failing to score in the red zone was a familiar storyline for the Washington Commanders from their last matchup against the New York Giants in Week 2, only this time, in this particular instance, it wasn’t so bad that they didn’t score.
By the time Rodriguez was taken down at the Giants’ 1-yard line, the Commanders had already done enough to keep the game in their control. [A]ll Daniels needed to do was take a knee to secure the victory.
Commanders.com
Five takeaways from Washington’s Week 9 win in the Meadowlands
No Brian Robinson, no problem.
The Commanders know that Brian Robinson Jr. is an important piece to their offensive success. Aside from being their leading rusher, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said as much during one of his press conferences earlier in the season. Robinson was listed as questionable with a hamstring injury and ultimately ruled out hours before kickoff, leaving the Commanders to look to other players for success on the ground.
It was a group effort, but Washington still managed to put up 150 rushing yards on 38 carries. They were led by practice squall call-up Chris Rodriguez, who paced the team with 53 yards on 11 attempts. Rodriguez had a 17-yard run in the fourth quarter, but his biggest contribution was helping to milk the clock on Washington’s final drive with five carries.
Austin Ekeler came in second with 42 yards on 11 attempts and scored one of the team’s three first-half touchdowns, which was set up by Jayden Daniels converting a fourth-and-1 with his legs. Daniels only had 35 rushing yards but had impactful carries that kept the offense moving, like he did on his 16-yard run in the third quarter.
The hope is that Robinson will be back in time for the Pittsburgh Steelers game next week, but the Commanders showed they can put together an effective ground attack without him.
Upcoming opponent
Behind the Steel Curtain
Steelers open as 2.5-point underdogs for Week 10
Here’s a first look at the odds on the board for the Steelers Week 10 matchup against the Washington Commanders.
In Week 8, the Steelers defeated the New York Giants 26-18. Pittsburgh had no problem getting yards on offense, but struggled to find the end zone with only one offensive touchdown. On defense, the Steelers once again held their opponent to under 20 points, but gave up several big plays to a struggling Giants offense.
On the injury front, the Steelers look to get healthier following the bye. Several key depth players such as outside linebacker Nick Herbig and running back Cordarrelle Patterson could be back for Week 10. Star rookie center Zach Frazier is also expected to return, which would be a massive boost for the Pittsburgh offensive line.
The Steelers’ record is surprisingly strong, but no team has defied preseason expectations more than the Commanders. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has led his offense to over 29 points per game, and he’s drawing some MVP buzz to go along with an expected Offensive Rookie of the Year award. In Week 9, the Commanders defeated the Giants 27-22.
Washington had to play the Giants without star running back Brian Robinson, but he’s expected to return against the Steelers. Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jonathan Allen was lost for the season with a torn pectoral in October. Still, Daron Payne and Dante Fowler Jr. will present a challenge for Pittsburgh up front.
The Commanders make sense as slim home favorites here, even if Pittsburgh should put up a good fight. More interesting is the 44.5-point over/under. It’s unusually high for a Steelers game, but with Washington’s high-octane attack and the Pittsburgh offense starting to improve, it’s a surprisingly reasonable number.
Podcasts & videos
And now on video. Wrapping up another Commanders win. The Run game. Why it works so well. Jayden Daniels taking care of the ball — compare turnovers to last years total. Shocking. More. @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/8sf4VOdzoo
— John Keim (@john_keim) November 4, 2024
Washington Commanders Defeat New York Giants 27-22 to Sweep Series Against NFC East Division Foe
Beltway Football – Giants post-game pod: Terry McLaurin scores twice as Commanders move to 7-2
Photos
Commanders.com
Commanders vs. Giants | Week 9
Check out the top photos of the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium for their Week 9 matchup against the New York Giants, #ShotonSony. (Photos by Emilee Fails/Washington Commanders)
