Jayden Daniels Breaks Down Bucs' Defense From Season Opener

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels breaks down what he saw in Week 1.

Sep 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) drops back to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Washington Commanders might have taken a 37-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their season opener, but rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels made his official debut at the NFL level.

The No. 2 overall pick got a tough first test, taking on a tough Buccaneers defense. Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield put on a clinic, leading Tampa Bay to a 37-point game. It was too much for the LSU product, but he still got his feet wet against an aggressive defense.

Tampa Bay was consistent in sending extra defenders and pressure at Daniels, trying to rush the rookie quarterback. How did the reigning Heisman winner handle the pressure? Did he see it coming?

"100%. I was actually -- that's a good defense over a good team, obviously with Todd Bowles calling it. But, you know, seeing it out there, being able to pick up the blitzes, if they come, I was able to make a couple of people miss," Daniels explained. "Moving forward, that just shows that, hey, this kid has a plan. He's not going to be back there and not seeing stuff or try to be a sitting duck or stuff like that."

READ MORE: Commanders’ Rookie Daniels Shows Promise in Loss

One of the biggest appeals of Daniels' game is his dual-threat ability. Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury led a team with Kyler Murray under center while he was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. He has experience running an offense with a quarterback with strong rushing ability.

Daniels used his legs to avoid the pressure, escape the pocket and either scramble or then find a target. Nonetheless, the Commanders quarterback got a good look at a stout defense, which will be huge for him moving forward.

Washington often had to play underneath the Buccaneers' defense, which Daniels explained was because Tampa Bay did a good job dropping back into their zones.

"That's what Tampa gave us. They did a good job of dropping to their spots in their zone and forcing us to take the underneath stuff," Daniels said. "Obviously there's times where we had a spot. I missed Terry. One I wish I could have back."

As mentioned, the most important takeaway from the game is that Daniels now has NFL experience, albeit very little, but experience at the pro level nonetheless. It's a starting point for Washington's quarterback to build off.

"It's a long season, man," Daniels continued. "We're going to hit a couple of those, but you know, Tampa did a good job with their scheme, especially in the second half -- or both halves. We're going to sit back and drop into our spots and force this kid to beat us. I was patient enough to go out there and take the check-downs, man. Then when we had the opportunity to take a shot deep, we have got to hit them."

Each week should show improvement from the young quarterback and new-look Commanders offense, and Tampa Bay looked very solid in the contest. Daniels completed 17 of his 24 passes for 184 yards, adding 88 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, doing so on 16 carries.

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READ MORE: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Reveals Thoughts After Debut

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