Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders stole the show in their 38-33 upset victory over Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on “Monday Night Football.”

Daniels, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, led the Commanders down the field for touchdowns on each of their first four full drives to build a 28-13 lead midway through the third quarter and held off the Bengals from there. The former Heisman winner from LSU showed off his dual-threat ability in the win. He tossed two TDs and ran for one, finishing the night 21-of-23 for 254 yards while running for another 39 on 12 carries.

Meanwhile, the Bengals' offense struggled to find its rhythm for most of the game but made its push in the second half. A fourth-down touchdown pass from Burrow to second-year wide receiver Andrei Iosivas pulled Cincinnati within a score with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter. Washington answered that with a field goal before Burrow found Chase for the pair's second TD connection of the night with 9:42 left in the fourth quarter to make the score 31-26. But Daniels had the final say, spectacularly capping off a 12-play, 70-yard drive that lasted over seven minutes with a perfect 27-yard TD pass down the sideline to wideout Terry McLaurin to seal the impressive win.

The Commanders improved to 2-1 on the season. The Bengals dropped to 0-3.

Jayden Daniels' Performance

The Commanders appear to have found a young quarterback to build around. Daniels revealed himself to the NFL world, completing 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 12 times for 39 yards. Daniels hurt Cincinnati with his arm, dropping a perfect pass to receiver Terry McLaurin for a 55-yard gain to set up the Commanders' third touchdown in the first half. Then, three plays after converting a fourth-and-4, Daniels was drilled by a blitzing defender and placed another perfect ball to McLaurin for the game-clinching 27-yard touchdown pass.

Daniels hurt the Bengals with his legs, too, scrambling for a 4-yard touchdown run around left end two plays after McLaurin's 55-yard catch.

Washington has looked for a franchise quarterback for a long time, through first-round picks, trades and free agent signings. The Commanders started 10 quarterbacks in the previous five years. Through three games, Washington can finally look to the future with excitement thanks to Daniels.

Bengals' Struggles

For the second time in three games, the Bengals were big home favorites over a team that had a rough 2023 season. And yet again, Cincinnati suffered a stunning upset. Led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders topped the Bengals 38-33 to send Cincinnati to an 0-3 start.

Before the season started, the Bengals were in the conversation to challenge Kansas City for the AFC title. But a third AFC title meeting in four seasons between the teams seems very distant right now. According to ESPN Research, only six teams have reached the playoffs in the Super Bowl era after an 0-3 start to the season.

Key Takeaways from the Game

Commanders

• Promising performance: Running back Austin Ekeler gained 119 all-purpose yards, with 62 coming on a kick return. Ekeler has looked good since training camp opened and showed excellent burst on a 24-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

• Pivotal play: Washington converted a fourth-and-4 with 4 minutes, 25 seconds left in the game from the Bengals' 38-yard line. The Commanders could have attempted a 56-yard field goal or punted and played defense. Instead, they opted to go for it, and Daniels completed a 9-yard pass to tight end Zach Ertz. Three plays later, Daniels clinched it with a touchdown pass to McLaurin.

Bengals

• Biggest hole in the game plan: Defending receiver Ja'Marr Chase. The Bengals wide receiver is one of the most dangerous skill players in the NFL. He scored touchdowns on catches of 41 and 31 yards when the Commanders opted for single-high coverage, leaving corners Mike Sainristil and Benjamin St-Juste with no help on Chase's respective touchdowns.

• Troubling trend: Defending the run. Washington entered Monday night ranked 29th vs. the run, allowing 5.1 yards per carry. But the Commanders allowed 6.2 yards per carry Monday night. They've used a lot of two-deep safety looks, keeping an extra defender out of the box, but they must play better along the front. — John Keim

• Troubling trend: Failing to convert possessions into touchdowns was an issue last week against the Kansas City Chiefs and persisted against Washington. In the second quarter, Cincinnati had three drives inside Washington's 30-yard line. The Bengals settled for field goal tries on all three of them. Kicker Evan McPherson made 2 of 3 attempts.

• Biggest hole in the game plan: Containing Daniels. The rookie quarterback made running the offense look effortless in his third career start. Daniels completed 14 of his first 16 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. He also scrambled for one touchdown to help the Commanders torch Cincinnati's defense. Washington scored touchdowns on its first four drives. — Ben Baby

Daniels' Impact on the NFL

In recent NFL history, we've seen quarterbacks enter the league and make an immediate impact in the running game. This generation of signal-callers has redefined the position and the expectations. Quarterbacks like Michael Vick and Cam Newton set the standard for dual-threat quarterbacks, and one rookie quarterback is taking the league by storm in 2024, following in their slipstream.

Daniels has displayed his dual-threat abilities early on. The 2024 No. 2 overall pick has rushed for 132 yards in the first two games of his NFL career, which is on pace for 1,100 yards this season. If he keeps that pace, he'll smash the rookie record.

Passing is down early in 2024. Entering Week 3, NFL quarterbacks have thrown for the fewest yards per game (193.6), the lowest since 1992 (187.6). Defenses across the league have increased two-high safety looks, so a quarterback who can impact the running game is growing more valuable weekly. Guys like Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are perennial MVP candidates due to their legs in addition to their arms.

Here's a look at the all-time rushing yards leaders by rookie quarterbacks in NFL history.

Robert Griffin III holds the current record for most rushing yards in a rookie season by a quarterback. He accomplished this in 2012 with Washington, earning the honors of Offensive Rookie of the Year. RGIII had 120 rush attempts, leading the NFL with 6.8 yards per rush. Daniels is on pace for over 220 rush attempts. That would exceed Lamar Jackson's 147 rushing attempts for the most in a rookie season.

What's most impressive is that Daniels had zero turnovers in his first two games. Entering Week 3, he has outperformed the two other rookie quarterbacks who have started this season: Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears and Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos. Daniels hasn't thrown a touchdown pass yet, but he's produced on the ground.

Cam Newton used his big frame to maximum efficiency in 2011, hitting pay dirt 11 times with the Panthers.

The Next Chapter

Daniels will lead the Commanders on the road in Week 3 on “Monday Night Football” against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. Daniels' performance against the Bengals solidified his place as a quarterback to watch. With his ability to make plays with his arm and legs, Daniels has the potential to become a special player in the NFL.