After the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Washington Commanders 28-27 last week, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin was asked about comparing Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels to Ravens star Lamar Jackson.
“Man, be real slow comparing people to Lamar Jackson,” Tomlin said. “That’s a multi-time MVP. That’s Mr. Jackson. We’ll see Mr. Jackson in a few days.”
Daniels completed 17 of 34 passes for 202 yards in the game but was not helped by several Washington dropped passes.
On Sunday, Tomlin did see Mr. Jackson — and that was not good news for Mr. Jackson.
The Steelers improved to 8-2 by defeating the Ravens 18-16. Pittsburgh won despite not scoring a touchdown, but the game’s big story was how it defended Jackson.
Jackson completed 16 of 33 passes for 207 yards with a touchdown and interception. Jackson rushed for 46 yards. Jackson’s passing numbers were eerily similar to Daniels’, but the narrative surrounding the two passers couldn’t be any more different.
No one says the sky is falling for the 7-4 Ravens and Jackson. After Washington lost its second straight game last week to drop to 7-4, several analysts questioned how good the Commanders were. Others were critical of Daniels.
Slow down.
Daniels didn’t play well in last week’s loss to the Eagles — on a short week. He isn’t the first talented quarterback to struggle on a short week against a good team, and he won’t be the last. As ugly as the game felt, the Commanders led for over three quarters. They wore down in the fourth quarter. That happens when you’re a tired team facing a healthy and rested team. And let’s not forget, the Eagles are really good.
Now, back to the Steelers and Commanders. Pittsburgh’s defense is legit. It’s Super Bowl good. And yet, Washington scored 27 points against the Steelers and made numerous mistakes. There was also the questionable fourth-down spot late. What happens if Commanders’ receivers catch at least one of those drops? Or if tight end Zach Ertz gets upfield for one more yard? We are talking about a different narrative.
The Commanders blew it against the Steelers. They weren’t outmanned or outclassed. Against the Eagles, Philadelphia’s talent advantage did eventually show up late, wearing down the Commanders in the trenches. However, they went toe-to-toe for most of that game and still only lost by a possession.
On Sunday, you saw what Pittsburgh did to Baltimore — a Super Bowl favorite. Remember, the Commanders went toe-to-toe with Baltimore six weeks ago, losing by a touchdown on the road.
As far as Daniels, he performed better against Pittsburgh than Jackson did.
So, if you think the sky is falling for the Commanders after two straight losses and that they’ll revert to their pre-2024 form, relax. The last two weeks should tell you Washington will be just fine. They host the reeling 3-7 Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, followed by a Week 13 game against the 2-8 Tennessee Titans.