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Grant and Danny

Jayden Daniels Has Been The Best Rookie QB So Far, Right?

Through two weeks, Jayden Daniels has been the best performing rookie QB compared to Caleb Williams & Bo Nix. What do we make of this?

Broadcast on:
17 Sep 2024
Audio Format:
other

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That was Caleb Williams throwing one of his two interceptions in the game and his two picks on the season. Caleb Williams and Bo Nix don't stack up with Jaden Daniels through just two games. And maybe it's too early, eight quarters to start really comparing and contrasting these rookies. But if you just put them side by side, Danny, and we'll go through some of the numbers here, one is not like the others. Whatever you think of Daniels and what he's done through two games, he has been decidedly better than those other two guys to this point without question. And one of the things I've and I still feel this way, by the way, but one of the drums that I beat so consistently and so loudly through the off season is I needed this organization talking about Washington to be way more like Chicago to look at my quarterback and go the entire future rests with him. Let's do everything we possibly can to support him. That's offensive line. That's weaponry. That's everything geared towards his success. Not maybe he can run a little bit more here and there, but I mean, long term. And even with the disparity, I would take even even, I can't tell it was out this past weekend. But even without him, I would take Chicago skill guys 50 times out of 50 over what Washington has, especially on the outside. And even with that, what Jaden Daniels has done through a couple of games, to me makes it that much more impressive. Yeah, I totally agree. Daniels has completed 75% of his passes. Williams, 56% and Nick's 59%. Now, a lot of that has to do with how horizontal Kingsbury's called place. In fact, this past weekend as an example, I think it was 16, maybe it was 13 of their 29 throws were behind the line of scrimmage. Having said that, it could be misleading to say he's completing 75% just because of how easy the assignment is. It still tells you they have a better plan for this guy. It still tells you that Kingsbury is doing a better job getting the ball out of his hand, giving him easy targets and throws. Then Shane Waldred is doing for Kayla Williams, or Sean Payton is doing for bonics because the job is completions. The job is to get the football to your playmakers in space. Washington went RPO heavy early in game two. We didn't see that as much in game one. That was a wide receiver screen stuff that you kept seeing. But maybe the bears in the Bronco should mix that in a little bit. Yeah. I mean, you know, bonics early on, especially in week number one, I think camera what the total was, but he threw, you know, what it was like 50 times for 80 yards or something ridiculous or not exaggerating. But they tried to open it up a little bit as they were trailing and it went really poorly in week number two, especially. But this is kind of what you should be doing at this stage, right? We're trying to build a house and you don't build the top floor first, right? Eventually, I'd loved the instant you recognize a certain set of coverage. Hey, I've got something I can dial up where we'll throw it 80 yards down the field. Eventually, I'd love to be able to do that here and there. But at this stage, this is how it should be built. They're doing a good job. Well, it's also just what works a lot of the time, what a lot of offenses do. Patrick Mahomes is notorious, seems negative, but is famous for this. You know, he's one of the low average depth of target guys a lot of the time, including this year in the NFL. Didn't used to be the case with Tyree Kill, but now with Kelsey, not really beating people vertically. You know, it's a lot of screens. It's a lot of stuff around the line of scrimmage and they do take a couple shots a game and hopefully Washington gets to a point where they do as well. Amazingly, through two games, none of these three guys has thrown a touchdown pass. That's hard to fathom to be completely honest. Yeah. And I know you keep mentioning how few touchdowns are all around the league. They still get thrown all the time. Yeah, it's still wild. I mean, none of these guys has thrown one. JJ McCarthy and Drake May are tied for the touchdown lead having not played. Like that's insane. No, it is. It is crazy. But you know, just by way of argument, Brian, not argument, but because it's zero, zero zero's. Brian Robbins got tackled with the half yard line on a catch and run. There are moments. It's still wild that no one has a touchdown pass yet. I mean, I'm sure you can play that game for every quarter. Totally. Add some touchdowns to their total. Daniel's does not have an interception. That is a big deal. I'm fired up about that. They also haven't really asked him to throw into any small windows. Like how many times have they threw contested passes? I remember the 50 50 ball to Earth's on the 21 yard completion. He lobbed as he got hit. That's the only ball I remember even being kind of turnover worthy. But he hasn't really they haven't worked the middle of the field much. So there hasn't been a whole lot into windows that was even interceptable. But again, that's a good thing. Not a bad thing largely with a young quarterback. Williams has the two picks. Nick's has four interceptions already. I think the fact that Jaden Daniels doesn't have a single turnover through two games is perhaps the biggest deal and maybe the best thing you can say a sack percentage. Nick's is the only guy who's avoided sacks, you know, very effectively at 4.9%. Caleb Williams is getting sacked 12% of the time. Jaden Daniels about 12% of the time as well, 11.7, narrowly better. But I'll say this. Caleb Williams in that game against the Texans on Sunday night, Jake Rudin was talking about this with us in his guest spot yesterday. He got absolutely annihilated by the pass rush in a way that we haven't really seen Jaden have to deal with yet or nicks for that matter. So I don't know that that's necessarily completely a Williams problem, but he holds the ball a lot. He runs around. He tries to do the hero thing where he makes plays. Like he had a sack for minus 19 already. Daniel's does not do that. He's not running backwards and trying to create and making plays worse. He generally makes a decision and tucks it and runs and gets closer to the line of scrimmage and loses three or four. Whereas Caleb Williams on these sacks, it's some big time losses too. Yes. So there was one very sort of very evidence of kind of what you're talking about. There's a play where Jaden Daniels probably should be sacked for like minus 10, 11, 12 yards. He scrambles away. It was one of the best three yard losses I've ever seen, right? It's a sack in the book. He got sacked. That's what happened. But it turned a drive killing overwhelming negative. Oh my God, what are we doing to? Hey, we have a second down here. We have third down. We still have a chance on this possession. And that to me is kind of the special stuff that gets hidden in some of the matters. The special sauce for sure. I still on that play, such an easy play to throw out of bounds there and it just get a zero. Yeah, we'll try to trouble toward the right. But he's still to your point, instead of a minus 11, made it a minus four and just getting out of the sack was amazing intended area yards. So this is where you can see that Cliff Kingsbury's plan, which has been effective in working is different than the other coaches. Caleb Williams is intending passes on average seven yards downfield. Bo Nix, seven and a half yards downfield. Jaden Daniels, four yards downfield completed area yards. Williams is dead last in the NFL at his completions on average, being 2.4 yards downfield. Jaden Daniels is second to worst in the NFL at this at 2.8. Bo Nix at 4.1 is pushed the ball down the field more. But with that has come what? The interceptions and mistakes. I think the plan is good. It's working. Now, if it's still this way in 10 weeks and you're frustrated, cool. No problem. I understand that. But what did we talk about all off season? You don't want them holding the football. You don't want them taking shots in the pocket. You don't want them having to navigate the pocket a whole lot or the pressure to sack stuff, get the ball out, get it in space. So yeah, it's a, it's a real low IAY. It's a real low CAY in terms of completed and intended area yards or whatever. So what he's completing 75% and you're moving the football. Washington has the highest percentage of drives where they've gotten the first down in the league. Oh, almost three quarters of their drives, like the highest percentage of not going three and out essentially, which is in turning first and 10s into another first and 10. They've been best in the league. Now they have to finish and find a way. And by the way, we talked about all that stuff. That's all passing where Daniels has been better than those other guys collectively, easily number one of the three. That's not even to get into the rushing where he's got 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Nix has 60 yards and a touchdown. Williams has 59 yards and a touchdown, but he's accounted for two first downs with his feet. Nix for five, Daniels for 10. So he's been a better rusher and he's done a better job throwing the football. Again, not going to get you a whole lot because Williams has been bad and so is Nix. But I just think it's important every now and then take inventory on. There's three rookie quarterbacks playing and the one in Washington's been the best. And it even seems like even though we're not in love with Kingsbury yet with how he does things pre snap, it seems like he is doing the best job helping his quarterback so far too. Well, it also brings the plan and a clear focus where, for Williams, it's dude, be a gunslinger. Go do you be the Brett Favre of 2.0. We don't care. Throw it. For for Daniels, it's if it's 50 50, we'd rather you not. That seems to be the coaching point. Now whether we don't know that yet, 100%, but through a couple of weeks, that's what it seems to be right. We'd rather you not risk it. We'd rather take care of the football. We'd rather ground the pound a little bit more. And it's that's born out in the numbers. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Whether you love true crime or comedy, celebrity interviews or news, you call the shots on what's in your podcast queue. And guess what? Now you can call them on your auto insurance too, with the name of your price tool from Progressive. It works just the way it sounds. You tell Progressive how much you want to pay for car insurance, and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Get your quote today at progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive. Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law. After investing billions to light up our network, T-Mobile is America's largest 5G network. Plus, right now, you can switch, keep your phone, and we'll pay it off up to $800. See how you can save on every plan vs Verizon AT&T at T-Mobile.com/KeepAndSwitch. Up to four lines via virtual prepaid card, I left 15 days qualifying unlocked device credit, service, boarded 90 plus days with device ineligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months. Hey fantasy football owners, I'm Matt Harman from Reception Perception. Join me and James Co. as we take a deep dive into the position that will make or break your fantasy roster, wide receivers. We analyze route running, target share, and all the metrics that really matter. We do the work so that you can just make smart decisions. Sit back and amaze your friends. Your wide receiver one won't change, but it's the nitty gritty. It's the flex and the waiver wire pickups. That's where your league is won or lost. So follow Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.