Jayden Daniels will attempt to do what no other rookie quarterback has ever done: win a conference championship game.
The Washington Commanders quarterback will be the sixth rookie QB to start a conference championship game. The previous five went 0-fer with four passing touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio doesn't view Daniels as a rookie.
"He's a young quarterback by birth certificate, not by the tape," Fangio said Tuesday, via the team's official transcript. "You know, the guy is playing extremely well. You can tell how much they think he's playing so good by the volume of their offense and the things they trust him to do. He's come through for them in a big way, and he's tough to handle."
The 24-year-old entered the NFL with 55 collegiate starts, giving him a wealth of background from which to pull. Since entering the league, he's displayed a poise uncanny for a rookie, played smart with the ball, and known when to get the pigskin out quickly and when to take shots.
Fangio was asked if Daniels is the best rookie QB ever.
"You know, probably, yeah," he said.
In the postseason, Daniels has garnered the stats to back that up, setting a host of rookie firsts:
- 1st QB to lead a team in rush yards in the regular season and make the playoffs
- 1st to throw 2-plus pass TDs in a road playoff win (Buccaneers)
- 1st to lead team in pass and rush yards in a playoff win (Buccaneers)
- 1st to defeat No. 1 scoring offense in the playoffs (Lions)
- 1st to defeat multiple top-five scoring offenses in playoffs (Buccaneers, Lions)
- 1st to defeat multiple No. 1 overall drafted QBs in playoffs (Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff)
- 1st to have 300-plus offensive yards in multiple playoffs games
- 1st to have 100-plus passer rating in multiple playoff games
- 1st to win multiple playoff games without a top-three scoring defense
- Highest passer rating in road games, including playoffs (110.1)
- Most offensive yards in rookie season, including playoffs (5,113 yds)
Making Daniels' run even more impressive is that the previous five rookies who made a conference championship game all had a top-3 scoring defense to help lead the charge. The Commanders QB is winning with the 18th scoring D. Brock Purdy (2022), Mark Sanchez (2009) and Ben Roethlisberger (2004) each had the No. 1 scoring defense. Joe Flacco (2008) and Shaun King (1999) had the No. 3 scoring D.
Fangio said that the dangerous part about Daniels is that no matter how you attack, he has an answer. If you rush too aggressively, he can beat you with his legs, too passive, and he'll pick you apart.
"Yeah, it's always a fine line there," the DC said. "If you're mush rushing, then he stands forever, too. So we have to do a good job of rushing. When we're rushing four or five, and make sure we don't give them length."
Regardless of how the game unfolds, one thing is certain: The moment won't be too big for Daniels. He's a rookie in name only.
