BALTIMORE — Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders scored the most points in the NFL this season, with the rookie quarterback beating opponents by throwing and running the ball. Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens aren’t far behind, with the two-time reigning MVP following a similar recipe.
They face off Sunday in a showdown between must-win, Heisman Trophy-winning QBs who run high-octane offenses and want to shine on their own and not be constantly measured against each other.
“I don’t like it when people really like to try to compare me to Lamar and vice versa,” Daniels said. “I want to be known as Jayden Daniels and not the next so-and-so.”
Jackson said Daniels was “his own player, his own man” and that they were “just trying to make a name for themselves.”
Next chance is this weekend in Baltimore. The Commanders had a four-game winning streak that made them 4-1, the Ravens have won three in a row to improve to 3-2, and it’s the game of the week as Daniels and Jackson are on the land together. as professionals for the first time.
“It’s kind of the first time we’ve had one of these matchups where two quarterbacks are really successful and similar in a way,” said veteran running back Austin Ekeler, who is in his first season with Washington. . “These guys are dynamic runners. Jayden is obviously new to the NFL, but Lamar has had a lot of respect, so I’m excited for this game.”
There are many reasons for these comparisons, considering not only their playing styles, but also the numbers they have posted. Jackson and Daniels are the only two players in NFL history to average over 200 passing yards and over 50 rushing yards during their careers – although one has done so since 2018 and l The other has five matches.
Jackson has totaled 1,206 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception and has totaled 363 yards this season. Daniels said he was a fan and appreciated what he had done for the sport and for black quarterbacks.
Daniels, the second overall pick in the draft, threw for 1,135 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions and completed a league-best 77.5 percent of his passes. He also ran for 300 yards and four touchdowns and caught Jackson’s attention on several occasions.
“I’ve gotten a glimpse of his game on social media and stuff like that, and he’s gone,” Jackson said. “He’s doing what we saw in college that got him the Heisman.”
Although the Commanders are on a roll, the Ravens are a 6 1/2-point favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook, consistent with their Super Bowl contender status. Washington isn’t there yet, although optimism is growing that it could head to the playoffs. Daniels’ teammates, while eager to see what he has in store next, don’t want him to overexert himself.
“He’s still so early in his career and it’s continued success in this league,” Commanders tight end Zach Ertz said. “We have all the confidence in the world that Jayden will be that guy for a long time. But we also don’t need him to feel like he has to go out there and outplay Lamar. He just needs to go out there and be the best version of himself.”
Change ‘D’ of Ravens
Baltimore enters with the second-worst pass defense in the league, ahead of only Jacksonville. The Ravens have allowed their opponents to throw for 280.2 yards per game and are coming off an overtime victory in Cincinnati while allowing 392 yards and five touchdowns to Joe Burrow.
“Most of our issues are nothing structural,” All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton said. “These are just basic things. We have to tackle, we have to get out of lockdowns, we have to communicate, and we’ve been saying this for five weeks now, so it’s time to start doing it.”
Enter veteran assistant Dean Pees, hired this week to join defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s staff as a senior advisor. Coach John Harbaugh thinks Pees — a former Ravens defensive coordinator — will be a beneficial addition as a fresh perspective and sounding board for the players.
“We’re kind of dealing with everything right now, and I think that’s a big part of our organization and our defense: There’s no egos,” Hamilton said. “(Orr) could have easily said, ‘No, we’ll work this out internally,’ but (it’s good) to be humble enough and be willing to bring in someone who knows what they’re doing .”
‘D’ Commanders are getting better
Before the 32-13 loss to Cleveland, the Commanders held Deshaun Watson and the Browns to just six points on two field goals, 149 yards in the first three quarters. They sacked Watson seven times and stopped him on all 12 of his third-down attempts.
This is a clear improvement after some difficulties at the start of the season for a group which includes six new starters. Third-year cornerback Benjamin St-Juste feels the chemistry is finally coming together.
“We’re in sync,” St-Juste said. “Once we start playing in sync – the D-line, the linebackers, the DBs, they all rely on each other and that’s what makes a great defense.”
Local rivalry?
The teams’ stadiums, each in Maryland, are separated by less than 30 miles (48 kilometers). Washington is in the NFC East and Baltimore is in the AFC North, so they don’t play each other very often.
Daniels acknowledges he’s new here, but he’s convinced “it’s not really a rivalry.”
“Obviously people might look at it as a rivalry, but for us it’s just another game,” Daniels said.
Because of the proximity, Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike estimates there will be plenty of fans from each team in the stands.
“I think it’s going to be loud,” he said. “It’s going to be great. It’s going to be a great match.”
