Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders’ fairy-tale run came to an end in the NFC Championship Game. The Philadelphia Eagles came away with a 55-23 win against them to set up a rematch of Super Bowl 57 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Commanders came into the NFC Championship Game after a huge upset win against the Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round. However, Chris Broussard believes most of the players on Washington’s team didn’t look ready for the big game against Philadelphia.
Chris Broussard Was Disappointed With Jayden Daniels’ Teammates
In a recent segment on “First Things First,” Broussard highlighted how Daniels’ teammates let him down.
He was disappointed with them as the star rookie quarterback played another great game and could have created history by becoming the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to play in the Super Bowl.
“Look, Philly is the better team, all credit to them, they came to play,” Broussard said. “It was disappointing to see Jayden was one of the few Commanders that was ready for the moment. Terry McLaurin as well, I’ll give him credit.”
“Jayden Daniels played really well, and his veterans, I think his teammates, let him down,” Broussard added. “I thought from the beginning when the guy bobbled the opening kickoff that shows you — are they ready? And then, the first play for the Eagles, Saquon [Barkley] goes for 60 yards and breaks two tackles.”
“It was disappointing to see Jayden was one of the few Commanders that was ready for the moment… I think his teammates let him down.”
— @Chris_Broussard pic.twitter.com/WCx0vqewmB
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) January 27, 2025
Indeed, Barkley’s 60-yard rushing touchdown on the first play the Eagles ran on offense in the game proved that Philadelphia was more ready for the moment than the Commanders.
Moreover, the Commanders’ defense gave up 55 points, which is unacceptable, especially in an NFC Championship Game. Barkley, Jalen Hurts, and A.J. Brown all had productive performances against Washington, and Daniels just didn’t have enough playmakers on his team.
However, this was a great learning experience for a young Commanders team, and they will only get better from here. Whether or not they will have a similar opportunity to reach the Super Bowl again remains to be seen, but having a quarterback like Daniels will keep the fans’ hopes of alive of playing in February.
Commanders Should Be Happy With How Their Season Went
Washington exceeded all expectations this past season and struck gold by drafting Daniels with the second overall pick. Many already believe he is the best quarterback in the conference, and it gives the Commanders to go all-in to build around him.
The NFC East team is projected to have the third-most cap space next season ($90.95 million) and should be aggressive in free agency to add quality, proven players who can play under pressure in big games.
The Commanders won 12 games in the regular season, and the people around the franchise should be happy with the team’s progress. Daniels performing well in the postseason also proves that the quarterback is the right guy for the team and can win them a Super Bowl.
In three playoff games this season, the LSU product threw for 822 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. He completed 65.8% of his throws with a passer rating of 97.9, and also rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown. Daniels finished the regular season as PFN’s No. 9 overall QB in QB+, PFN’s quarterbacking metric.
Adding a quality running back and a young wide receiver alongside McLaurin and Dyami Brown will help in Daniels’ development.
