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Mind-boggling stat highlights Jayden Daniels' unbelievable start
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Mind-boggling stat highlights Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels' unbelievable start

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels didn't help the team pull off a one-in-a-million feat on Monday. He helped it do something even more improbable. 

Per CBS Sports' Douglas Clawson, the Commanders (2-1) have scored on every drive in consecutive games, excluding kneel-downs. In a 38-33 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals (0-3) on "Monday Night Football," Washington had eight drives: five touchdowns, one field-goal attempt and two kneel-downs. 

"One game like that is extremely rare," wrote Clawson. "There have been 10 games since 2000 where a team scored on every drive, excluding kneel-downs. That's over a 1 in 1,300 chance (considering there have been 12,990 games, including playoffs). The Commanders did this twice in a row, making it a 1 in 1.7 million feat."   

Clawson added that elite QBs, including Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, have combined to do this twice in their entire careers (1,094 starts, including playoffs). Daniels has done this twice through three games, which is a fantastic start for the 23-year-old LSU and Arizona State product. 

No. 2 overall pick Daniels is flashing franchise-QB potential. Over his past two games, he has completed 84.6 percent of his passes for 480 yards and posted a solid 72.6 QBR. 

Against the Bengals, Daniels completed a rookie-record 91 percent of his passes for two TDs, including a 27-yarder to wide receiver Terry McLaurin with 2:10 left in the fourth quarter and Washington leading 31-26. He also rushed for 39 yards and one TD on 12 carries.

Unsurprisingly, Daniels leads the early Offensive Rookie of the Year race. As of Tuesday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives him the best odds (+145) to win the award. 

Before Cincinnati's game with Washington, Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt said the Commanders run a "college offense." If Washington's system is a college offense, why can't teams seem to stop Daniels and company? 

Perhaps it's time to acknowledge he's a budding star who could continue to propel Washington's offense to new heights.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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