Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders have scored the most points in the NFL this season, with the rookie quarterback beating opponents throwing and running the ball. Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are not far behind, with the two-time and reigning MVP following a similar recipe.
They face off Sunday in a showdown of Heisman Trophy-winning must-see QBs running high-octane offenses who want to shine on their own and not constantly be measured against each other.
“I don’t like when people really like try to compare me to Lamar and vice versa,” Daniels said. "I want to be known as Jayden Daniels and not the next such and such.”
Jackson said Daniels is “his own player, his own man” and that they're “just trying to make a name for ourselves.”
The next chance is this weekend at Baltimore. The Commanders ride in on a four-game winning streak that got them to 4-1, the Ravens have won three in a row to improve to 3-2, and it's the game of the week because Daniels and Jackson are on the field together as professionals for the first time.
“It’s kind of the first time we’ve had one of these matchups where it’s two quarterbacks that are really having a lot of success and kind of similar in a way,” said veteran running back Austin Ekeler, who’s in his first season with Washington. “These guys are dynamic runners. Jayden obviously is new to the NFL, coming into the scene, but Lamar has had a lot of respect, so I’m excited for this matchup.”
There are plenty of reasons for the comparisons, given not only their playing styles but the numbers they've put up. Jackson and Daniels are the only two players in NFL history to average 200-plus yards passing and 50-plus yards rushing over their careers — even though one has been doing it since 2018 and the other is five games in.
Jackson has thrown for 1,206 yards, nine touchdowns and an interception and run for 363 yards this season. Daniels said he's a fan and appreciates what Daniels has done for the sport and for Black quarterbacks.
Daniels, the No. 2 pick in the draft, has thrown for 1,135 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions and has completed a league best 77.5% of his passes. He has also run for 300 yards and four TDs and caught Jackson's eye more than a few times.
“I’ve been catching glimpses of his play on social media and stuff like that, and he’s going off,” Jackson said. “He’s doing what we saw in college, what got him the Heisman.”
Despite the Commanders being on a roll, the Ravens are 6 1/2-point favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook, which aligns with their status as a Super Bowl contender. Washington is not quite there yet, though optimism is growing about making a run toward the playoffs. Daniels' teammates, while eager to see what he has in store next, don't want him to overexert himself.
“It's still so early in his career, and it’s about continued success in this league,” Commanders tight end Zach Ertz said. “We got all the confidence in the world that Jayden’s going to be that guy for a long time. But we also don’t need him to feel like he’s got to go out there and outdo Lamar. He’s just got to go out there and be the best version of himself.”
Baltimore enters with the second-worst pass defense in the league, ahead of only Jacksonville. The Ravens have allowed opponents to throw for 280.2 yards a game and are coming off winning in overtime at Cincinnati while allowing Joe Burrow's 392 yards and five TDs.
“Most of our problems are nothing structural,” All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton said. “It’s just fundamental stuff. We have to tackle, we have to get off blocks, we have to communicate, and we’ve been saying this for five weeks now, so it’s time to start actually doing it.”
Enter veteran assistant Dean Pees, hired this week to join defensive coordinator Zach Orr's staff as a senior adviser. Coach John Harbaugh thinks Pees — a former Ravens defensive coordinator — will be a beneficial addition as a fresh set of eyes and a sounding board for players.
“We’re kind of confronting everything right now, and I think that’s a great part of our organization and our defense: There are no egos," Hamilton said. “(Orr) could have easily been like, ‘No, we’re going to fix it in house,’ but (it is good) to be humble enough and be willing to bring somebody in who knows what they’re doing.”
Before garbage time of a 34-13 blowout against Cleveland, the Commanders held Deshaun Watson and the Browns to just six points on a pair of field goals, 149 yards through the first three quarters. They sacked Watson seven times and stopped him on all 12 of his third-down attempts.
It was a marked improvement after some early-season struggles for a group that has six new starters. Third-year cornerback Benjamin St-Juste feels the chemistry finally coming together.
“We’re in sync,” St-Juste said. “Once we start to play in sync — the D-line, the linebackers, the DBs, it all plays off each other and that’s what makes a great defense.”
The teams’ stadiums, each in Maryland, are separated by less than 30 miles (48 kilometers). Washington is in the NFC East and Baltimore is in the AFC North, so they don't play each other very often.
Daniels acknowledges he's new around here, but he feels pretty strongly that “it's not really any rivalry.”
“Obviously people could look at it as a rivalry, but for us, man, it’s just another game,” Daniels said.
Because of the proximity, Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike figures there will be a lot of fans of each team in the stands.
“My take is it’s going to be loud,” he said. “It’s going to be rocking. It’s going to be a great game.”
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AP freelancer Todd Karpovich in Owings Mills, Maryland, contributed to this report.
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