Jayden Daniels continues his Superman impersonation for red-hot Commanders

LANDOVER, Md. – Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels wore a diamond-encrusted No. 5 on a chain around his neck as he addressed the media. Teammates say he also wore an “S” on his chest the last four weeks as he contributed to a four-game winning streak.

“He came in like Superman,” safety Jeremy Reaves said.

And even on a day when that cape was tugged, Daniels still managed to make plays that made his teammates say “wow” while helping the Commanders continue an improbable start. After a 34-13 win over Cleveland on Sunday, Washington improved to 4-1 for the first time since 2008.

“We can be a really scary team,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said.

The Commanders have already matched their win total from last season, winning consecutive games by a combined 49 points heading into their Week 6 game in Baltimore.

“The spirits are really high here,” said receiver Terry McLaurin.

It's caused some players – who have endured storm after storm during their tenure in Washington – to almost pinch themselves to make sure it's real. Many were here during the tumultuous time when there were multiple investigations into owner Dan Snyder and the culture he created. Washington hasn't had a winning season since 2016 – only one current player, punter Tress Way, was on the roster that season. The fans gave up hope.

It's coming back. In droves.

Reaves, with the organization since 2018, said he told teammate Jeremy Chinn, who signed with Washington in the offseason: “I don’t even know how to process this. It's never been like this here before. I was still in middle school (in 2008).”

Or as defensive tackle Jon Allen, in his eighth season here, said of the nightly change in the organization: “It’s night and day.”

A big part of that difference can be attributed to Daniels and what he has done in his first five games. He became the first player in NFL history to throw for more than 1,000 yards and rush for at least 250 yards in his first five games. He also set an NFL record for completion percentage in the first four games of a season (82.1).

And even when he was having his least accurate day — completing 14 of 25 passes — Daniels was still making big plays. At least three times he had a Browns player stomp the ground in frustration after allowing him to turn the corner for a big run or throw.

At one point, Daniels evaded a tackle from safety Grant Delpit and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah by rushing to the outside – then connecting with receiver McLaurin for a 66-yard gain. Another time, defensive end Za'Darius Smith grabbed a piece of Daniels' jersey as he ran to his right. It was almost a sack; Instead, Daniels ran away from Smith again for a 2-yarder on third-and-1.

Daniels ultimately ran 11 times for 82 yards, including a 34-yarder. He connected with receiver Dyami Brown for a 41-yard touchdown.

“He’s a competitor,” running back Austin Ekeler said. “He's going to show us things all year long that make us say, 'Wow.'”

But one reason Washington is more excited is that Daniels also showed on Sunday that he's still a rookie. He threw an interception at the goal line on one drive and was less accurate than in his first four games.

However, the defense dominated the Browns' struggling offense, recording seven sacks and holding them to 212 yards and 1 of 13 on third down. Over the last two weeks, the defense has only allowed a total of 27 points.

This means the team is having fun for the first time in a long time. The players have talked about how much fun they enjoy working and playing with each other. After defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. recorded a sack, center Tyler Biadasz stood on the sideline and mimicked his “sweeper” celebration.

“I wasn't part of a 'good culture,'” said Washington right guard Sam Cosmi, who is in his fourth season with the Commanders. “Slowly but surely I’m seeing it. It's really cool to see, be a part of, talk about and act on. I’m excited about it.”

That energy permeated the stands of a stadium known for often hosting thousands of opposing fans. All Browns fans were drowned out on Sunday.

“I can’t take the past into account,” Quinn said. “What I can say is I thought it created a home-field advantage.”

Allen praised Quinn for creating an energetic atmosphere. “There’s a reason guys always follow him around the league,” he said.

But in the end, Daniels' performance was almost as invigorating. Linebacker Frankie Luvu, who recovered a fumble and had 2.5 sacks Sunday, said Daniels was already at the facility when he and Wagner arrived around “5 or 6 a.m.”

“Seeing that and what he does on Sundays is not shocking,” Luvu said.

The second overall pick captivated fans in Washington – and beyond.

“I have people back home (in Florida) who never pay attention to the commanders blowing up my phone,” Reaves said. “I get more texts about him than about myself. That's crazy. I’ve never turned on my TV and seen anything from Commanders, or I’m on Twitter and Commanders is trending.”

But Daniels remains unimpressed. As someone close to him recently said, “He didn’t come to Washington to win games early in the season.”

“I’m just happy that these guys have that feeling,” Daniels said of the players who have been here a while. “These are exciting times. But we have to get back to work. We’re now into next week.”