Rookie QB Daniels stars again in desert return, Commanders beat Cardinals 42-14 for 3rd straight

Updated Sep. 29, 2024 8:29 p.m. ET

Associated Press

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Jayden Daniels waited for a couple of blockers and then weaved forward for a 9-yard touchdown run, flipping the ball behind his back before doing a little dance and flashing a big smile in a successful desert return.

Washington's precocious rookie quarterback is making things look easy, almost instantly turning the Commanders (3-1) into one of the NFL's up-and-coming teams.

“Fun times right now,” Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin said.

Daniels threw for 233 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score, and the Commanders won their third straight with a 42-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Daniels — the No. 2 overall pick last spring — became the fourth quarterback in the Super Bowl era to run for four touchdowns in his first four career games, joining Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III and Anthony Richardson. The Commanders have scored at least 30 points in two straight games for the first time since 2017.

“It feels good that we're able to execute the gameplan, but we've still got room to grow," Daniels said.

Daniels completed 26 of 30 passes and has an absurd 82% completion percentage in his short career. He hit McLaurin for a 10-yard touchdown strike midway through the fourth quarter, and found Zach Ertz in the back of the end zone on the 2-point conversion, for an insurmountable 35-14 lead.

Jeremy McNichols ran for two touchdowns and Brian Robinson Jr. had 101 yards on the ground.

Daniels and Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury had successful homecomings.

Daniels played in college for three seasons at Arizona State before transferring to LSU, where he won the Heisman in 2023. Kingsbury was the head coach of the Cardinals from 2019-22, leading the franchise to the playoffs in 2021 before getting fired following a 4-13 season the following year.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn said he was particularly impressed with how the 23-year-old Daniels handled his return. Washington spent the week in Arizona and practiced all week on Arizona State's campus.

“You would have never known there was a history here,” Quinn said. “Stayed steady all the way through."

Washington took control early in the third quarter on Daniels' touchdown run that made it 24-7. The Commanders got a huge break on the previous play when Arizona's Sean Murphy-Bunting was called for pass interference on a deep ball, which resulted in a 47-yard penalty.

Arizona's James Conner had a 6-yard touchdown run near the end of the third quarter, cutting Washington's lead to 27-14. Conner ran for 104 yards. Kyler Murray completed 16 of 22 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown, but was sacked four times.

“Frustrated to get beat like that at home,” Murray said. “I thought we had a good week of practice, but we didn't come out here and show it. It was not good enough all around.”

Second-year coach Jonathan Gannon echoed Murray's disappointment.

“We can't look like that," he said. "Because we didn't give ourselves a chance to win the game.”

Washington's offense has been the talk of the NFL over the past few weeks. It scored on every drive during the past two games, with the exception of kneel downs, becoming the first team since at least 2000 to accomplish that feat.

The Commanders were back at it against the Cardinals (1-3), methodically moving down the field on their first two drives to take a 14-7 lead. The 16-possession streak ended midway through the second quarter when Arizona's Garrett Williams made a leaping grab for an interception, which was Daniels' first of the season.

Washington couldn't get a first down on their next offensive possession, either, so Tress Way had to punt for the first time since Sept. 8. But there was still much more good than bad from the Commanders' offense.

The Cardinals took a 7-0 lead on the opening offensive drive, finishing with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Marvin Harrison Jr. on a fourth-and-1 play. It was the rookie's fourth touchdown catch in three games.

Washington responded immediately, driving 70 yards on nine carries, capped by Robinson's 6-yard touchdown run. Robinson — who had a bigger role with Austin Ekeler was out with a concussion — ran for 38 yards on five carries during the drive.

The Commanders followed that up with a 93-yard touchdown drive that ended with McNichols running 27 yards down the left sideline for a 14-7 lead with 10:18 left in the second quarter.