LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jayden Daniels shook off throwing an early interception at the goal line like it was his 50th NFL game, not his fifth.
“Stay the course,” he said. "Don’t get too high, get too low. Everything’s going to work out.”
It worked out well enough to give Daniels and the Washington Commanders a fourth consecutive victory, a 34-13 rout of the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The rookie quarterback had nearly as many incompletions as the previous three games combined but overcame that with 82 yards rushing and the longest touchdown pass of his young career.
“I just missed some throws," said Daniels, who was 14 of 25 for 328 yards passing. "That’s it. Some throws I wish I had back, but we were able to capitalize on some plays.”
Washington is 4-1 for the first time since 2008. Cleveland has lost three in a row to drop to 1-4.
“Nobody likes where we are," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “I don’t feel good about 1-4. It eats at you.”
Daniels, Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols ran all over the Browns, combining for 211 yards on 31 carries. Robinson ran for two TDs, and McNichols had one in a game so lopsided that fans were doing the wave with four minutes left in the third quarter.
The Commanders defense had a ton to do with that, forcing Deshaun Watson to fumble, sacking him seven times and allowing a total of 212 yards. After Washington entered with the worst third-down defense in the league, Cleveland went 1 of 13 in a sloppy, disjointed effort, with its only touchdown coming in garbage time.
“We held it on our shoulders as a defense like this is the game for us to step forward,” said linebacker Frankie Luvu, who led the team with 2 1/2 sacks. “There’s always room for improvement, and us as a defense, we’re just getting started.”
Watson was 15 of 28 for 125 yards and the late TD toss to tight end Jordan Akins. He has yet to throw for 200 yards in a game this season, but Stefanski said after lifting Watson for Jameis Winston in the final minutes the Browns are “not changing quarterbacks."
“We need to play better," Stefanski said. “This is not a one-person issue on offense.”
Daniels, the No. 2 pick who quickly became the favorite for offensive rookie of the year, did not come close to completing 82.5% of passes like in his first four professional games. But he did make highlight-reel throws of 66 yards to Terry McLaurin and 41 for a TD to Dyami Brown, the latter of which after he asked offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury for the chance to go deep.
“He called the play, and we did it,” said Daniels, who gave way to backup Marcus Mariota with 12:50 left and the outcome already determined.
McLaurin made four catches for a season-high 125 yards. Ekeler had a 57-yard run that was Washington's longest since Derrius Guice went for 60 in 2019.
"We didn’t score on every single drive like we have in the past, which is the reality of football," said Ekeler, who had 107 yards from scrimmage in his return from a concussion. “It was just a different kind of philosophy for us to win the game. We had big plays, which obviously helped us. It was great to be able to show, hey, we can win this way, as well.”
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was Cleveland's most impactful player before cramping up in the third quarter, picking off Daniels at his team's 1-yard line, sacking him once and forcing McLaurin to fumble. He was still kicking himself for not finishing another sack of Daniels, too.
"That kind of sticks with me a little bit,” he said.
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (hamstring) and long snapper Charley Hughlett (rib) were ruled out early in the second half. ... Safety Grant Delpit was evaluated for a head injury after going down in the third quarter. ... C Ethan Pocic went directly to the locker room after walking off the field in the fourth, and Stefanski said it was a knee injury. ... Tight end David Njoku had a 14-yard catch in his return from a three-game absence because of a high ankle sprain.
Browns: Visit the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday.
Commanders: Visit the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday.
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