Jayden Daniels finally got his moment.
The Washington Commanders quarterback hit Stefon Diggs for a touchdown from 32 yards out with 49 seconds left Thursday night, lifting Washington to a 24-21 win over the New York Giants in a game it badly needed.
Diggs had a simple nickname for his quarterback afterward. He called him Baby Kobe.
How did Jayden Daniels win the game?
After Washington’s defense forced a punt, Daniels needed only three plays to go 71 yards.
On the final throw, the Giants showed a cover zero blitz. Cover zero leaves receivers in one on one coverage with no help behind them. Daniels signaled Diggs, who ran a slant, broke a tackle attempt by cornerback Dru Phillips and raced toward the end zone. He turned at the 1, paused and fell backward across the goal line.
Daniels said he told himself to take a deep breath and seize the moment because he did not want to let his team down.
Jayden Daniels finished 23 of 33 for 249 yards and three touchdowns.
Why was this win so important for Jayden Daniels?
It was his first game winning drive since a 2024 wild card playoff game at Tampa Bay.
Three of Washington’s previous four games came down to the final minute, and the Commanders went 0-2-1 in them.
In the opener against Philadelphia, they failed on a two point conversion. Daniels also did not throw the ball away in overtime, costing Washington a shot at a winning field goal.
Last week, Washington reached the Los Angeles Rams’ 32 yard line with eight seconds left but never threw into the end zone in a 20-13 loss.
The near misses brought heavy criticism. Daniels told ESPN last week he was for sure one of the most scrutinized quarterbacks in the league.
Washington, now 3-5-1, sits two games behind the 5-3-1 Giants in the NFC East. The Giants came in off a win over Philadelphia.
How did Jayden Daniels handle the interceptions?
Daniels threw two interceptions before the final drive, including one from the Giants’ 24 yard line.
They appeared to be his first interceptions of the season. He said he got them out of his system but would kick himself for mistakes in critical moments. He said the comeback showed resilience and the team’s belief in him.
Coach Dan Quinn said the way Daniels bounced back said a lot about him.
Diggs added that Daniels is the same player at the end of a game as at the start, no matter what happens.
Is Jayden Daniels finding his rhythm?
Daniels has now played five straight games since missing two with a dislocated left elbow. That is his longest streak since he started all 20 games as a rookie.
He said steady reps are helping him find his flow, after a frustrating stretch last year of moving in and out of the lineup. He said the more games he plays in a row, the more comfortable he feels.
Tight end Ben Sinnott praised his calm and said that energy spreads to the whole offense.
What does this mean for the Commanders?
As a rookie, Jayden Daniels led five game winning drives on his way to NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Sinnott pointed to those 2024 comebacks as proof of what Daniels can do. Daniels said his only thought jogging onto the field was one play at a time.
With the win, Jayden Daniels kept Washington’s division hopes alive heading into the second half of the season. Washington has eight games left to close the gap.
