How Jayden Daniels took the Commanders’ gimmick offense to the following degree

Kliff Kingsbury’s offense has been known as many issues: “dishonorable,” “gimmicky,” and “RPO bullshit” are a couple of of them I totally consider in regards to the Commanders’ OC and his offense.

Now, to be honest, all these issues are nonetheless true, however instantly he has a QB who can maximize it and create explosives at will, making the offense go. So, I suppose it’s all a wash. No. 2 general decide Jayden Daniels had his NFL arrival when the Commanders beat the Bengals in Week 3, with some spotlight performs combined in with some attention-grabbing stuff the Commanders did within the passing sport. Let’s dig in and see what the rook needed to supply.

For essentially the most half, within the passing sport the Commanders peppered the surface closely. That is due to a couple issues, I consider. The Bengals have been coping with quite a lot of accidents on the surface, however fairly frankly that is what a Kliff offense is. They’re the Horizontal Air Raid, avoiding the center of the sector and hammering the outsides of the protection. That is Daniels’ chart from Monday:

It’s hilarious, nevertheless it’s additionally providing have a look at what the offense can be with Kingsbury. Washington ran quite a lot of 4 sturdy ideas to overload one facet of the sector, giving Daniels straightforward appears to be like and the ability to take downfield pictures after they’re open. Watch how this 4 sturdy look forces the bottom security to hammer down onerous and McLaurin is left open. If EDGE Trey Hendrickson doesn’t blow up this play, this is perhaps one other TD.

Right here’s one other 4 sturdy idea, with McLaurin getting in jet movement. Robinson and TEs John Bates and Ben Sinnott additionally operating verticals. Attending to this out of 13 personnel with Zach Ertz is fairly attention-grabbing, and Daniels is ready to work from the vertical to the Ertz drag route.

They get to it once more right here, however this time in a quads formation. Robinson chips the EDGE, and watch how the protection widens out with the 2 vertical routes. Ertz is large open, and Daniels hits him between the numbers.

Let’s speak in regards to the deep ball. Daniels was on level from past the arc, a needed a part of this offense. Daniels throws such a reasonably deep ball, having the ability to simply drop this ball out of a helicopter and proper into McLaurin’s arms. The anticipation on right here is high notch as properly. Nice ball from the rookie.

Then, the ultimate one. Take a look at the place McLaurin is when Daniels launched this ball. That is unimaginable anticipation and contact, and he threw this understanding he was going to get blasted. A very nice play by Daniels, and one which’s fairly thrilling to see.

What I really like a lot about Daniels is that he’s doing this whereas avoiding taking quite a lot of sacks. He’s accomplished job of mitigating strain and taking off on well timed scrambles. Kingsbury and the Commanders haven’t requested him to do something outdoors of what he did at LSU, however by way of the primary few weeks it’s been nice! I’d beware the siren tune of September Kliff Kingsbury, nevertheless. The Cardinals by way of the primary eight weeks in 2020 and 2021 have been a high ten offense in EPA per play. After that? They drop to 18th and 14th, respectively.

It is a enjoyable experience with Daniels and this offense, and the highs can seem like this when accomplished proper. That is the enjoyable half about having a rookie QB! Seeing the lights go on and this efficiency, making it recognized that the NFL may have one other star QB on the way in which.