Commanders QB Jayden Daniels (Post-Game Transcript)
On the final touchdown and two-point play:
“Well, touchdown – [Commanders WR] Antonio [Williams] made a hell of a grab. He missed a few plays this game. I am super happy for him and the work that he put in. In the biggest moments, guys make plays like that. He showed us all the work that he put in and the type of player that he is and how they scouted him throughout the draft. Super excited to continue to build him for the future. Two-point play, man, we just didn’t execute. It was the right call. Anything [Commanders Offensive Coordinator David] Blough calls, man. I’m with him. Regardless, however everybody else might want to view it, man, I’m with Blough one hundred percent.”
On whether there was an option to go outside to Commanders RB Rachaad White on the two-point play:
“It was an option, but I got to do my job, too. The defensive end played up the field. We had the look that we wanted, we just didn’t execute.”
On what he thought happened in the fourth quarter that got them going:
“I would say we stopped shooting ourselves in the foot, being the third-and-longs. Especially against a really good defense like that, especially a way you don’t want to play at third-and-longs and let that crowd and that defense beast and rally to the ball. Like I said, we shot ourselves in the foot too many times and came back to haunt us at the end of the game.”
On trying to get into a rhythm going into the fourth quarter:
“I think just as an offense, it was hard to get into a rhythm going three-and-out and we’re shooting ourselves in the foot playing third-and-long. Obviously the loss sucks. You don’t want to come out here and lose, but credit to B[Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt], but I’m just – God bless, happy to play football here.”
On what the Eagles defense was doing to limit Commanders WR Terry McLaurin:
“I think it’s just the respect to [Commanders WR] Terry [McLaurin]. A lot of safety help to Terry’s side, clouding and playing that way. They executed their plan to how they wanted to play Terry. We just got to be able to prepare for stuff like that and figure out how to get Terry the ball. But in the biggest moments when we needed Terry, he showed up on that fourth-and-two as a big conversion, stuff like that. It’s just learning and just going from there.”
On the team’s mistakes and “shooting themselves in the foot”:
“You’ve just got to be smarter. We got to know situations and situational football, not reiterating that in the huddle. We’ve just got to be smart. There is a time and place for everything and celebrations. I’m pretty sure at that point we could have gone for two. Had to set up for the extra point, but as the leader and the captain, I put that moment on myself and not reiterating that in the huddle, knowing that we have the potential to score on the play while we’re in the huddle and just reiterating on the score going for two.”
On operating against the Eagles’ defensive front:
“I think the line did a good job. I think you could see the growth in myself, like if stuff wasn’t there, not taking the sack, throwing the ball away, and giving us the chance on second-and-10 or whatever, third-and-10 instead of having third-and-15 and stuff like that. I think just learning from everybody and they did a great job of giving me time and as they gave me time, we hit passes down the field. That’s also a really good front that they went up against, one of the best in the league.”
On if there was an adjustment jumping into Week 1 without playing much in the preseason:
“I think so. It’s been a long time since I played football, a long time since I started again, finishing up start to finish. I’m just blessed and happy to be here and continue to move on and get ready for Dallas next week.”
On his message to the team’s younger players:
“It’s kind of like the same thing that [Commanders QB] Marcus [Mariota] said to me my rookie year when we lost to Tampa Week One. It’s a long season and it’s the ebbs and flows of the season. I’m not going to say we’ll win in the Super Bowl this year, but Seattle last year started 0-1 and we saw what they did. It’s all about catching a rhythm and continuing to build. It’s the ebbs and flows of the season and take the lesson that you learn from different losses.”
On throwing the ball away at an increased rate:
“It’s natural. I mean, kind of, but yeah, it’s natural. It’s just protecting the team and when the plays are there to be made, we’ll be scrambling and using my legs, go out there, and make the plays. If there’s nothing there, don’t try to force anything if the scramble drill is not open and guys are playing good covers on the back end and the secondary, just throw the ball away and I’m kind of proud of myself for that, but there’s still a long way to go.”
On what he can build off of this game:
“To get ready for Dallas and for Week Two and continue just to build and get better each and every day and continue to build on my rhythm.”
On his communication with Commanders C Nick Allegretti leading up to this game:
“I think there’s still stuff to work on, but that’s just game one. Things offensively and special teams, I’m pretty sure Philly would say the same thing. Still a lot to learn in game one and game 14, stuff like that. You’re not going to be as clean but you try to be as clean as possible, but you can’t shoot yourself in the foot. But communicating, we’re out there. We communicate as much as possible. Try to get up there, get set, and in and out of the huddle, but it’s still a process. You have to take it day-by-day.”