How well do you recall the first preseason game of 2024?
Yesterday, while listening to the “Kevin Sheehan Show” on Team 980 in Washington, D.C., a male caller proclaimed to Sheehan that he predicted before the 2024 season that the Commanders would contend for the division title. Sheehan didn’t challenge the caller, but of course, the fact that he didn’t challenge the caller doesn’t mean he entirely bought what the caller was proclaiming.
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You see, the Commanders were coming off an absolutely horrendous 4-13 2023 season, marked by a losing streak of eight games in a row, several of which were embarrassing losses, as they were completely annihilated and failed to show any competitive spirit.
The Commanders then hired a coach, Dan Quinn, whom most of the fan base tweeting on Twitter and calling in to DMV sports radio did not readily accept. It’s humorous how some in the fan base are so typical, rewriting history so that they are the heroes, the knowledgeable ones, while the rest of us were hoping the Commanders might improve in 2024 to be around .500 and be competitive.
Many NFL shows and analysts were all so convinced Caleb Williams was the real prize over Jayden Daniels. Williams was so good in their minds that the Chicago Bears front office did not even interview Daniels in the process. There was no need; they had the first pick, and it was a no-brainer in their infinite wisdom. Caleb Williams was the hands-down quarterback that should be taken with the first selection of the 2024 NFL draft.
Thank you to the Chicago Bears front office of 2024!
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Consequently, the Commanders took Daniels with the second pick, and much of the talk was whether Daniels was too skinny, too frail to endure the NFL brutality of a regular season. The first preseason game came upon us, and the Commanders were the visitors, playing against the Jets. On their very first series, the very first set of downs, Daniels came to the line on a 3rd & 6 on the Washington 33-yard line.
The play came in from OC Kliff Kingsbury, and Daniels was to throw a screen pass. When Daniels broke the huddle and reached the line of scrimmage, he felt he should audible into another play he liked better for the situation. So he changed the call into what he desired, took the snap, dropped back, had Dyami Brown run a deep go pattern, and connected with Brown for a 42-yard gain! His first third-down in his first preseason game, and Daniels audibled out of what Kingsbury wanted—and pulled it off!
When guard Sam Cosmi was interviewed on the sideline moments later in the first half, he revealed to the viewing audience that Daniels had audibiled out of the play call of Kingsbury to the go route for Brown. Cosmi then said somewhat prophetically, “So, I think everybody should be very excited, just from that little sneak peek right there. I know I am. I know the guys are fired up. I think we got a dude back there.”
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Cosmi knew; he knew very early what possibilities were there for Daniels in his first season. He knew much more than anyone in the fan base, and he put it out there after only one offensive possession, one which witnessed an audible for a 42-yard gain and a successive touchdown drive.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels’ first preseason game was memorable