LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jayden Daniels had a good feeling after practicing late in the week that he would be able to start at quarterback for the Washington Commanders against the Chicago Bears despite dealing with a rib injury . He and the team left everyone guessing until hours before kickoff.
Sure enough, Daniels was on the field and delivered a gutty performance in an 18-15 victory Sunday that culminated with his Hail Mary touchdown after absorbing several big hits along the way. “As soon as I stepped on that field, wasn’t even worried about it,” said Daniels, who was 21 of 38 for 326 yards and the TD throw to Noah Brown with no time left on the clock. “You can still feel it, but at the end of the day I started the game.
I wanted to finish it, so there was nothing else that was going to take me out of that game.” Daniels got knocked out of Washington's 40-7 rout of Carolina last weekend with the injury, which caused him to miss practice Wednesday and Thursday. He was a limited participant Friday, and that turned out to be the key moment that paved the way for the No.
2 overall pick in the NFL draft to be in uniform. “We pushed him on Friday in terms of the different throws,” coach Dan Quinn said. “Once all the markers were hit, then we felt comfortable with him playing.
But it was due to all the work that was put in Friday.” Daniels said he felt like himself after that workout, then woke up Sunday morning feeling good enough to play. And yet there was sti.