Robert Griffin III captivated the nation’s capital with a stellar rookie season in 2012. But Griffin, who was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and led Washington to the playoffs that season, didn’t deliver as much success than the franchise’s current Heisman Trophy. -winning rookie quarterback. With a stellar first month, Jayden Daniels gets the Commanders off to their best four-game start since 2011 as they prepare for a Week 5 matchup against the Cleveland Browns in Landover, Md., on Sunday. Washington (3-1) has won three straight since losing 37-20 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in its season opener. The franchise started 2-2 with Griffin in 2012. “I had no expectations,” Daniels said of how he thought his first season would start. “For me personally, how much can I learn and continue? How quickly can I learn to become a pro and continue from there.” Drafted second overall out of LSU, Daniels, 23, quickly became one of the favorites to win the same award Griffin got 12 years ago. Daniels’ completion percentage (82.1) through four games is not only the best in the league, but it’s also the highest mark ever over a four-game stretch (minimum 50 pass attempts ). Daniels only threw three touchdown passes (rushing for four more scores), but the Commanders’ offense still thrived with him. Washington averages 30.3 points per game, third highest in the league. The touted rookie led in more field goals (23) than incomplete shots (19). He’s only been intercepted on one of his 106 pass attempts, with that pick coming in last Sunday’s 42-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Daniels shined on Sunday, but Commanders coach Dan Quinn is also impressed with how the freshman signal-caller prepares in the days leading up to the game. “If you’re around him, you feel that work ethic,” Quinn said. “We don’t throw any magic dust at it. It’s absolutely squeaky, it works, and it gives a lot of confidence.” While Washington has totaled 80 points in its last two games, Cleveland (1-3) has only managed 66 all season. The Browns average the sixth-fewest points per game in the league (16.5). Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, who is in his first year in Cleveland after spending his first four seasons with the Denver Broncos, said the Browns’ offense has yet to catch on. “Collectively, as a unit, we all have to be on the same page at the same time. That’s really the most important thing,” Jeudy said. “Because as an offense, as a group, if one person makes a mistake, the whole play is a failure.” The Browns scored on their first two drives last Sunday to take a 10-0 lead against the Raiders in Las Vegas, but missed afterward. Rodney McLeod Jr. returned a fumble for a touchdown in the fourth quarter for Cleveland’s only other points. “Little things become big things,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We’ve talked about it a lot. So we focus, in this building, on the things that we can control, the things that we can get better at. And I think that’s the mindset, that kind of of winning mindset, that we have where we’re going to come together and find a way to solve this problem » Cleveland’s offense could soon get a boost Star running back Nick Chubb returned to the. practice Wednesday, taking the field for the first time since suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 last season. Chubb, a 1,000-yard rusher during. four straight seasons (2019-22), was a limited participant Defensive end Myles Garrett (Achilles) and linebacker Jordan Hicks (ribs/elbow/triceps) were among those who did not practice for the Browns, while. that tight end David Njoku (ankle) and running back Pierre Strong (hamstring) joined Chubb in being among those limited. Brian Robinson Jr. is dealing with a knee injury and was one of four injured commanders who did not practice Wednesday. Running back Austin Ekeler (concussion) was among those limited. –Field level media
