EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Jayden Daniels rushed for a touchdown after throwing a perfectly placed deep pass for his first NFL completion to lead Washington into New York territory in the Commanders’ 20-17 preseason-opening loss to the Jets on Saturday.
Daniels, the second overall pick out of LSU, and most of the Commanders’ starters on offense only played the opening series against the Jets’ backups — and the young QB continued into his second stint when he connected with Dyami Brown for 42 yards along the right sideline on third-and-6 from Washington’s 34.
On third-and-3 from the Jets 5, Daniels handed off to Austin Ekeler and the veteran making his Commanders debut went up the middle for a gain of 3 that was confirmed by a virtual measurement. THE NFL is testing Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology to measure the line to win instead of the traditional chain gang during some preseason games.
Daniels faked a handoff to Ekeler on third-and-goal, fired a shot to the goalkeeper’s right and ran untouched 3 yards into the end zone to give the Commanders a 7-0 lead with 8:39 left in the first quarter. He then found his mother in the stands behind the Washington sideline and threw her his first TD ball.
Daniels and most of Washington’s projected starters were done after that 11-play, 70-yard drive. Daniels was 2 of 3 for 45 yards with three third-down conversions before being replaced by Marcus Mariota.
The Jets, who rested nearly all of their starters, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers, got the win on Austin Seibert’s 37-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining.
With New York down 7-0 with 10:32 left in the second quarter, rookie Andrew Peasley — after two possessions by Tyrod Taylor — connected with Jason Brownlee for a 12-yard touchdown.
Riley Patterson, competing with Ramiz Ahmed for the Commanders’ shot, hit the right crossbar on a 38-yard attempt to keep it tied at 7 at the end of the first half. Ahmed’s 40-yarder gave Washington a 10-7 lead just before halftime.
Greg Zuerlein’s 56-yard throw as time expired in the first half tied it at 10 for the Jets.
Marcus Wiley gave the Commanders a 17-10 lead early in the quarter with a 1-yard run.
Israel Abanikanda tied it at 17 for the Jets with a 2-yard TD run with 7:09 left. The score was set by Brandon Smith’s 37-yard reception on a beautiful play by Adrian Martinez.
STATISTICS
Mariota completed 6 yards on his only play on his only possession for the Commanders. Jeff Driskel played the rest of the first half, going 5 of 10 for 73 yards and rushing for 23 yards on three carries before rookie Sam Hartman took over. Driskel returned when Hartman left late in the fourth quarter as coaches looked at his right shoulder on the sideline. … Taylor was 1 of 2 on passes of minus 1 yard. … Peasley was 8 of 11 for 73 yards and the TD pass to Brownlee. He was replaced in the third quarter by Martinez, who was the UFL season and championship game MVP for Birmingham. … Jets RB Braelon Allen, a fourth-rounder from Wisconsin, ran for 54 yards on six carries.
REST RODGERS
Rodgers will not play in either of the Jets’ first two preseason games and coach Robert Saleh has said his inclination is feel it for the end against the Giants on Aug. 24 — but that plan has not been finalized.
The 40-year-old quarterback, who is healthy after tearing his left achilles tendon on his fourth snap last season, he was in sweats on the sideline and wearing headphones while listening to the Jets game. As a precaution, Saleh sat Rodgers to participate in joint team training with the Commanders in wet conditions on Thursday.
New York’s only projected offensive starter to play against Washington was center Joe Tippmann, who had some shotgun shooting issues in training camp.
INJURIES:
Commanders: There was no immediate word on the nature of Hartman’s injury. … CB Noah Igbinoghene went to the locker room with an undisclosed injury late in the game.
Jets: LB Jimmy Ciarlo left late in the third with a knee injury and did not return.
NEXT
Commanders: In Miami on August 17th.
Jets: At Carolina on August 17th.
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