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John Keim, ESPN Staff Writer
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels saw an alignment he didn’t like, changed the play and then made a throw that left him, and his teammates, smiling — about the present and the future.
In Daniels’ preseason debut, he completed 2 of 3 passes for 45 yards in his only series, but it was a 42-yard toss in a 20-17 loss to the New York Jets that left others impressed.
It was a third-and-6, and Daniels was alone in shotgun formation. But with the Jets playing tight coverage, Daniels checked from a screen to a go-ball, holding the safety in the middle of the field with his eyes before finding receiver Dyami Brown, who was well defended, down the right sideline.
“An absolute dime,” Washington coach Dan Quinn told reporters.
The Jets did not play their defensive starters, and Washington was missing its top three offensive tackles: rookie Brandon Coleman (shoulder), Andrew Wylie (tightness in undisclosed area) and Cornelius Lucas (personal reasons).
Because of those line absences, and because Daniels received a lot of work during a joint practice Thursday, Quinn wanted to limit his action Saturday. But he saw enough to say, “It was a great day for him.”
Daniels’ first pass was an errant toss on a screen to veteran running back Austin Ekeler. Daniels also completed a screen to receiver Terry McLaurin. Daniels capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run off a zone read, faking a handoff to Ekeler. Daniels ran wide to the right and scored untouched.
After his series ended, Daniels ran to the stands and handed the ball to his mom.
“It was awesome,” Daniels said. “Obviously she’s very excited and happy. I’ve got to fight her to get the ball back now.”
But it was the checked call that stood out most. Daniels told reporters that offensive coordinator Kliff Kinsgsbury had told him often that if he didn’t like the look, check to another play.
“It was going to be a dead play, so I checked it and gave my guy a chance to make a play,” Daniels said. As he sprinted downfield, he turned to the sideline, pointed at teammates and coaches, and smiled.
“I thought of ‘Top Gun,’ ‘Do I have permission to buzz the tower?'” Quinn said, referencing a moment in a movie. “On that one, he wanted to ask for forgiveness and not permission. That illustrates the awareness. He did not ask for permission; he went ahead and buzzed the tower anyway. It was a really cool play.”
Daniels also showed up to the game wearing a Doug Williams No. 17 Washington jersey. Williams is a front office executive with the Commanders and has befriended Daniels.
“What better way to have my debut,” Daniels said. “Rep Doug and what he did for the organization.” He also met with Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers during practice Thursday, with the veteran telling him “not to ride the wave. Stay the course, and everything will work out.”
Teammates’ comments echoed how they’ve talked since he arrived.
During an in-game interview with WUSA-9, right guard Sam Cosmi said, “He was calm and collected. It was really impressive. We were like, ‘Dang, that was really fun.’ Everybody should be excited, just from that little sneak peek. I know I am. I know the guys are fired up. I think we got a dude back there.”