Five major observations from Jayden Daniels' performance at Eagles in Week 11

Jayden Daniels is coming off arguably the worst game of his professional career in defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fortunately for the rookie quarterback, he's got an immediate opportunity to put things right.

Daniels wasn't helped by some key drops and the Steelers took away his ability to get out of the pocket. It was still a decent effort from the signal-caller, one he'll have learned lessons from before another significant test of his credentials.

The Heisman Trophy winner got his first taste of the Lincoln Financial Field cauldron in Week 11. Daniels and the Washington Commanders traveled to take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football, which had huge ramifications for both teams looking at how things stand in the NFC East currently.

Philadelphia's defense posed a different set of challenges for Daniels. He's passed every test with flying colors so far. The No. 2 pick also has the mentality and flawless demeanor capable of coping with the most hostile environments imaginable in pursuit of success.

As it turned out, Daniels and the Commanders couldn't get much going offensively en route to a demoralizing loss. Washington is now 7-4 on the season with the Dallas Cowboys coming to town in Week 12.

With this in mind, here are five major observations from Daniels' performance at the Eagles in Week 11.

Major observations from Jayden Daniels' performance at the Eagles

Jayden Daniels' early hesitancy

There was a lot more hesitancy from Jayden Daniels than usual. Perhaps it was the high-stakes situation or the raucous Philadelphia atmosphere, but the signal-caller had a hard time settling down and getting into any sort of rhythm.

Daniels looked a little jumpy in the pocket, missed some wide-open reads, and didn't get the football out on time nearly enough during the opening exchanges. The Eagles did a good job of keeping him contained and took away his ability to generate yards on the ground for good measure.

Teams are now getting a good feel for Daniels' strengths and how best to counteract them. We'll get to the main reason behind this increased hesitancy shortly, but it was noticeable when one considers how much conviction the No. 2 pick had under center earlier in the campaign.

It's nothing to be overly concerned about right now.

Philadelphia's defense is among the league's best for a reason. It was the same case last weekend against the Steelers. Daniels needs to come up with the right answers to keep things ticking over regardless of the opposition standard.

Jayden Daniels' indifferent first half

Fans were expecting a high-scoring affair between the Washington Commanders and the Philadelphia Eagles. Instead, the defensive units of both teams had the upper hand in no uncertain terms over the first half.

Jayden Daniels didn't get much going over the opening two quarters. The magnitude of the occasion and the finer margins attached against a formidable defense played a role. There was no time for the signal-caller to get comfortable, either.

Drops were an issue once again, but the player's accuracy was nowhere near the level expected within a much more conservative offensive strategy. This was reflected in Daniels' first-half statistics as the Commanders held a slender 7-3 lead at the interval.

• 62.5 percent completion
• 83 passing yards
• 0 touchdowns
• 0 interceptions
• 8 rushing yards (3 carries)
• 2 sacks against
• 80.0 passer rating (ESPN)

This wasn't the best half of football from anyone on either offense not named Saquon Barkley. Daniels can play better, the Heisman Trophy winner has proven that on countless occasions this season. He'll need to if the Commanders want to fulfill loftier ambitions and make the postseason.

Jayden Daniels' rib issue

There hasn't been much said about Jayden Daniels' rub injury lately. The quarterback suffered an issue that he's playing through on the opening drive against the Carolina Panthers. This was the first time since their win over the Chicago Bears that it seemed to genuinely bother him.

Perhaps it was the cold weather that exasperated the complication, but Daniels did not look like himself at all. There were very few shots downfield. The offense's biggest gains came from screen passes to running back Austin Ekeler. The same velocity on his throws that took the league by storm over the first half of 2024 diminished.

This mini-bye is coming at a good time for Daniels. It's the chance to get some extra rest and treatment to avoid similar troubles in the two games before Washington's long-awaited bye week. Hopefully, the upcoming stages of reprieve from the normal routine will do him the world of good.

The Commanders have gotten away with Daniels playing hurt for this long. They won't be so lucky when it's time to mix with the NFL's elite in the postseason if head coach Dan Quinn's men make it that far.

Jayden Daniels' progressions

One of the biggest positives surrounding Jayden Daniels' impressive rookie campaign so far is his ability to go through progressions like a seasoned veteran. The Washington Commanders have benefitted greatly from his on-field vision and decisiveness. Both of which deserted him for the most part in Week 11 on Thursday Night Football.

Daniels tended to focus his attention on one side of the field rather than going through information in his typically effective manner. The Philadelphia Eagles' defense nullified almost every threat posed by the Commanders. There was also less time in the pocket than normal thanks to a less-than-stellar display from the offensive tackle tandem of rookie Brandon Coleman and veteran Andrew Wylie.

It's easy to forget Daniels is still a rookie. His jaw-dropping start coupled with a seamless transition sent this to the back of everyone's minds. There were always going to be tough stretches. It also doesn't help that he is currently playing with restrictions to the ribs and the cut on his finger that needed treatment from the medical staff.

Even if there's the slightest doubt in a quarterback's mind, that's when they go away from what works so well. That proved to be the case with Daniels, whose free-flowing progressions weren't evident nearly enough in this divisional clash.

Jayden Daniels' disjointed night

Something was amiss all evening with Jayden Daniels and the Commanders' offense. One could point to Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr. as the only two players to emerge with any credit. It was uncharacteristically disjointed and the quarterback was never able to generate sustained momentum.

Washington's defense held its ground in difficult circumstances. They tired near the end and paid the price. Daniels' interception chasing the game late put the exclamation point on his worst outing as a professional by a considerable margin.

Daniels' production has tailed off over the last two games. The explosiveness and confidence that were so prevalent over the first half of the season is disintegrating. The Commanders need to get back down to basics with the first-year pro and ensure this slump doesn't jeopardize all the hard work accomplished to get to this point.

It's a slight blip rather than anything too concerning. Daniels looked like a rookie for one of the first times this season. But the Commanders still have all to play for at 7-4 with a decent-looking stretch of games before and after the bye week.

And the extra time to recuperate shouldn't do any harm, either.

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