Tag: QB Case Keenum

Commanders’ Jayden Daniels becomes No. 8

A new number for Jayden Daniels — but not a jersey number.

Prior to the start of training camp, Commanders’ long-time punter Tress Way offered up his No. 5 to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

On Monday, Daniels became Washington’s No. 8. However, we are not talking about jersey number eight. No, on Monday, Daniels became the eighth quarterback to be named the opening-day starter for the eighth consecutive season.

That’s right. Did you realize Kirk Cousins is the last quarterback for the Washington franchise to start on consecutive opening days?

Cousins was the starter for three consecutive seasons (2015-17), and prior to that, Robert Griffin had been the starter for three consecutive seasons (2012-14).

Griffin and Alfred Morris led a potent ground attack in 2012. Griffin gained 815 yards on the ground and led the league in averaging 6.8 yards a carry. Morris gained a whopping 1,613 yards, which remains the single-season franchise record. It was also the last time Washington won ten games in a regular season.

But 2013 and 2014 were not winning seasons for Griffin and the Redskins. The last quarterback to lead Washington to a winning regular season record was Cousins. The Redskins were 9-7 in 2015 and 8-7-1 in 2016.

Following Griffin (2012) and Cousins (2015 & 2016), no Washington quarterback has led the team to a winning regular season record.

Here are the opening day named starters for the last eight Washington NFL seasons:

  • 2017 Kirk Cousins 7-9
  • 2018 Alex Smith 7-9
  • 2019 Case Keenum 3-13
  • 2020 Dwayne Haskins 7-9
  • 2021 Ryan Fitzpatrick 7-10
  • 2022 Carson Wentz 8-8-1
  • 2023 Sam Howell 4-13
  • 2024 Jayden Daniels ?-?

 

What has happened since the Commanders opened on the road?

A lot has happened since the last time Washington opened a season on the road.

The Commanders will open their 2024 season at Tampa on September 8.

How long has it been since the NFL Washington team opened an NFL season on the road?

Well, put it this way: Jay Gruden was the head coach, and Case Keenum was the starting quarterback. Keenum’s backups were Colt McCoy and Dwayne Haskins.

Terry McLaurin was playing in his first NFL regular season game, and the two running backs who had carries for Washington that day were Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson.

McLaurin made a huge splash debut into the NFL that day, catching five passes on seven targets for 125 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown from Keenum. The other receivers catching passes that day other than McLaurin were Vernon Davis, Paul Richardson, Trey Quinn, Kelvin Harmon and Jeremy Sprinkle.

Washington had traveled to Philadelphia to open the 2019 season and started magnificently. Keenum connected with Davis on a 48-yard touchdown and McLaurin on a 69-yard touchdown. Plus, Dustin Hopkins’ 41-yard field goal was sandwiched between, and the Redskins were beating the Eagles at Lincoln Field 17-0.

When Hopkins booted a 48-yarder on the closing play of the first half, the Redskins led the Eagles 20-7. However, Carson Wentz led the Eagles to 25 consecutive second-half points for a 32-20 fourth-quarter lead. The final was Eagles 32-27 over the Redskins.

A great first half had launched the season with great hope and excitement. However, the second half would be a microcosm of the season, as the Redskins began 0-5, and Gruden was fired.

Things were so bad in 2019 when the Dolphins were unsuccessful on a game-ending two-point conversion attempt; it actually saved the Redskins from starting the season 0-10.

The dreadful season saw Haskins celebrating with fans and thus missing the final possession for the victory formation snap against the Lions. The silly act was a sign of Haskins’s future actions with Washington, which resulted in his not lasting two seasons before being released.

In a bizarre twist, the following Sunday, the Redskins went down to Charlotte, defeated the Panthers 29-21, resulting in Ron Rivera being fired by Carolina’s new owner David Tepper.

Washington owner Daniel Snyder hired Rivera as the team’s next head coach one month later. Snyder strangely kicked off the press conference with a mysterious “Happy Thanksgiving, Everybody.”

Next summer, Federal Express owner and Redskins minority owner Fred Smith challenged Snyder that the team needed to change its name from the historic “Redskins.” Nike and Pepsi soon hopped on that bandwagon, pressing Snyder to cave, and the “Redskins” were history.

Rivera then coached the Washington Football Team/Washington Commanders to four consecutive losing seasons and was subsequently fired by new majority owner Josh Harris.

Harris then hired Adam Peters as general manager and Dan Quinn as head coach, who hired his coaching staff. Sam Howell was traded to Seattle, and Peters blew up the roster, signed many free agents, and drafted nine new college players, including LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy.

Isn’t that a tremendous amount of water under the bridge since the last time Washington opened an NFL season on the road?

 

Forecasting the Commanders 2024 quarterback competition

Jayden Daniels is Washington’s future. Will he start Week 1?

Of course, Jayden Daniels is the projected future starter for the Commanders, but who will start on opening day this September?

Will Daniels be ready enough to be named the opening-day starter over Marcus Mariota?

Cody Benjamin of CBSsports.com asked that question for each NFL team where he feels there will be an actual quarterback competition during this offseason leading up to the launch of the 2024 NFL season.

Quickly, the big picture is that Benjamin sees open competitions for the Commanders, Broncos, Raiders, Vikings, Patriots, Giants, and Steelers.

What does Benjamin see regarding the Commanders’ offseason competition between Daniels and Mariota?

This is the one sham competition of the bunch. But unlike in Chicago, where there is zero question about Caleb Williams’ place atop the Bears’ depth chart, both Daniels and the new Commanders regime are publicly allowing for the notion that backup Marcus Mariota is in contention for the Week 1 gig. We’ll just say this: If Mariota starts, there is something deeply wrong here. Daniels is 23, played five years of college ball and just went No. 2 overall to a roster littered with veteran additions. His electric mobility should give him an instant hold on the job.

If you are interested, here is how Benjamin projects the other starting quarterback competitions for this upcoming season.

For what it is worth, who are the last ten Commanders’ opening-day starting quarterbacks?

  • 2023     Sam Howell
  • 2022     Carson Wentz
  • 2021     Ryan Fitzpatrick
  • 2020     Dwayne Haskins
  • 2019     Case Keenum
  • 2018     Alex Smith
  • 2017     Kirk Cousins
  • 2016     Kirk Cousin
  • 2015     Kirk Cousins
  • 2014     Robert Griffin III
  • 2013     Robert Griffin III
  • 2012     Robert Griffin III
  • 2011     Rex Grossman
  • 2010     Donovan McNabb