Rookie Jayden Daniels guides the Commanders to victory over the Bengals on Monday Night Football.

 CINCINNATI -- As Washington backup safety and special teams player Jeremy Reaves left the buzzing visiting locker room, headphones on, he gestured toward quarterback Jayden Daniels and simply said, "He's different."

Defensive tackle Jon Allen was even more straightforward: "He is the answer."

No one in that locker room would argue, especially after Daniels completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns in a thrilling 38-33 win over the Bengals on "Monday Night Football." He capped off the night with a game-winning 27-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin, all while being hit by a blitzing defender.

"I think he really stepped up tonight," McLaurin said. "I'm so excited for him. As a rookie, once you make those throws, your confidence skyrockets. I can tell his confidence is soaring right now."

Washington (2-1) is riding a two-game winning streak and has scored on 14 consecutive drives, excluding kneel downs, as they prepare for Sunday’s matchup against Arizona. The Commanders have experienced a boost this season, thanks to Daniels' impressive performance. Over three games, he’s completed 80.3% of his passes, averaging 6.2 air yards per attempt, with 662 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.

"He's continuing to grow on the job," said Washington coach Dan Quinn.

Daniels orchestrated a game-winning field goal drive in Week 2 and tossed a touchdown on his final possession Monday night. His teammates have been vocal in their praise since they began practicing with him in the spring.

Their confidence in him keeps growing.

"The only word I can really say is hope," remarked guard Sam Cosmi when asked what sets Daniels apart from previous quarterbacks he’s played with. "I believe. We believe."

Daniels remained unflustered as the play clock wound down, signaling to the sideline for the call without panicking—an approach that impressed his teammates.

"It's surprising how composed he is, but it's not," said guard Nick Allegretti. "He just stays focused. What am I going to do? Panic? He's not like that. He keeps everyone calm."

"As a rookie at the hardest position in football, his composure has a positive effect on the entire offense," Allegretti added.

Daniels faced three fourth downs during the game, converting all of them—two through the air and one on the ground. A crucial fourth-and-2 pass to rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey gained 30 yards, leading to Washington's first touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter, a fourth-and-1 run set up a field goal.

His standout moment came on a fourth-and-4 from the Bengals' 39-yard line, with Washington leading by just five points. He connected with tight end Zach Ertz for a crucial 9-yard gain.

"It's a blessing that the coaching staff trusts me in critical moments," Daniels said. "But this is a testament to the whole offense."

Just moments later, under pressure from an all-out blitz, Daniels delivered a perfect 45-yard throw to McLaurin for a 27-yard touchdown.

"When we needed it most, Jayden took a hit and delivered," McLaurin said, who earlier caught a 55-yard pass that led to another touchdown. "Those are big-time throws for a rookie."

Interestingly, Daniels may have to negotiate with teammate Trent Scott for his first touchdown ball since Scott caught a 1-yard touchdown pass earlier in the game.

"I'd want to cut the ball in half," joked Scott. "I was nervous as heck—'Just don’t drop it!'"

While his teammates aren't surprised by his performance—Allen noted it’s what he sees "every day in practice"—Daniels is still adjusting.

"Yes, because it’s all new to me," he admitted. "But I know that if I keep working, what’s done in the dark will always come to light."

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- After the Jacksonville Jaguars' disappointing 0-3 start, coach Doug Pederson isn't ruling out any potential changes, including at quarterback.

"Changes need to happen, whether it’s in play design, personnel—everything is on the table," Pederson said following the 47-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Monday night. "We need to evaluate all aspects as a coaching staff and make the necessary adjustments."

When pressed about the possibility of changes to the starting lineup, particularly regarding Trevor Lawrence, Pederson remained noncommittal.

"You say everything is on the table; we need to consider injuries," he said. "Tonight, we had some players go down. Changes could come from that or performance issues. We need to evaluate everything as we move forward."

The Jaguars (0-3) have struggled offensively since the first half of their season opener against Miami, scoring only 23 points and converting just 5 of 27 third downs over the last 10 quarters.

Trevor Lawrence has completed 47.5% of his passes for 432 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while being sacked 10 times during this stretch. In the game against Buffalo, he was 21-of-38 for 178 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, marking his eighth consecutive loss as a starter. He hasn’t won a game since Week 12 of last season.

"That's the NFL: The quarterback needs to play well every week to give us a shot at winning, and I don’t feel I’ve done that consistently enough. I put that on myself; I have to play better," Lawrence said.

When asked if Lawrence needed to step up significantly this season, Pederson was straightforward: "I need everyone to coach and play better. Let’s leave it at that."

However, Lawrence isn't the only one at fault for the team’s 0-3 start. The defense had a historically poor performance against the Bills, allowing 34 points in the first half—more than any other half in franchise history—and giving up 247 yards and four touchdowns to quarterback Josh Allen. The defense was already missing two starters due to injury (cornerback Tyson Campbell and nickelback Darnell Savage) and lost another nickelback, Jarrian Jones, to a shoulder injury. Linebacker Foyesade Oluokun also exited with a foot injury.

Right tackle Anton Harrison and receiver Gabe Davis left the game with injuries as well.

In short, the situation for the Jaguars is chaotic, and while Pederson has indicated that everything is up for review, he’s unsure how to rectify the problems.

"This is who we are right now, and it’s not very good," he said. "We have to be honest with ourselves. I need to figure out how to get more out of our players—not necessarily by practicing harder or longer, but by enhancing leadership during games and how they connect with the team."

As if the humiliating loss wasn’t enough, the team charter experienced mechanical issues, delaying their departure from Highmark Stadium, with the team still on site as of 1 a.m. ET.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers have faced their share of injuries in the early weeks of the season but had largely escaped significant, season-ending setbacks—until Sunday.

Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave suffered a partially torn right triceps during the loss to the Los Angeles Rams, an injury that will require surgery and is likely to end his 2024 season.

"It's a big loss," coach Kyle Shanahan said. "I thought he had his best game yesterday and was a major factor, really affecting the quarterback. He’s one of our top players and was trending in the right direction for a big year."

Shanahan provided other key injury updates on Monday. Quarterback Brock Purdy exited the game with back soreness. Although an MRI showed no serious issues, he will be day-to-day this week.

Additionally, running back Christian McCaffrey traveled to Germany over the weekend to consult with a specialist regarding his ongoing Achilles tendonitis, which had previously placed him on injured reserve on September 14.

After the loss to the Rams, there was initial hope that Hargrave was merely dealing with a bruised triceps. However, further imaging revealed the tear on Monday, necessitating repair. In three games this season, Hargrave recorded seven tackles and one sack.

With Hargrave sidelined, the 49ers are likely to look within the organization for a replacement. Shanahan mentioned the possibility of promoting Evan Anderson or T.Y. McGill from the practice squad to fill the void.

Kevin Givens and Jordan Elliott are among the candidates on the active roster to fill a starting role, with Yetur Gross-Matos also able to shift inside during passing downs. Kalia Davis, currently on injured reserve with a knee injury, is nearing a return, though Shanahan noted that won't happen this week.

Shanahan mentioned there’s a slim possibility Hargrave could return, but emphasized that the 49ers would need to make a deep postseason run for that to happen. “When you get surgery, it usually takes a few months,” he said. “If there’s any chance, it would have to be late in the playoffs.”

McCaffrey's trip to Germany follows his placement on injured reserve just over a week ago. Shanahan initially reported that McCaffrey was dealing with a calf injury on August 6, which kept him out for the remainder of training camp. He returned to practice before the Week 1 game against the New York Jets.

That week, Shanahan revealed that McCaffrey was also struggling with an Achilles issue, which became more concerning than the calf injury. Despite practicing on a limited basis and being listed as questionable, McCaffrey was a surprising scratch against the Jets.

The following week, McCaffrey participated in practice but had what Shanahan described as his "worst day" on September 12. The coach acknowledged the possibility of placing him on injured reserve, which was officially done on September 14.

Being on injured reserve means McCaffrey must miss at least four games before he can practice or play again. He has already missed two games and will be sidelined for at least next week’s matchup against the New England Patriots and the October 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals. The earliest he could return is October 10 against the Seattle Seahawks, although Shanahan has stressed that the unpredictable nature of his injury makes a timeline uncertain.

McCaffrey's decision to seek treatment abroad isn’t unique; athletes like Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods have also traveled to Germany for medical assistance.

“I’m not sure which doctor he’s seeing,” Shanahan said. “I know he’s consulting with a specialist he believes can help with his Achilles recovery, and he’ll be doing that in the coming days. Hopefully it will be beneficial.”

On a brighter note, Shanahan indicated that tight end George Kittle, who missed Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, is expected to return to practice this week, while cornerback Charvarius Ward (knee, hamstring) is “good to go.”

After enjoying good fortune with injuries during last year’s Super Bowl run, the 49ers have faced much tougher challenges this season.

“Last year, we were fortunate with our main guys not missing too many games,” Shanahan reflected. “This year has been a completely different story, which has been tough. I try to stay positive, believing they will all eventually come back, but with Hargrave’s news today, that was a tough pill to swallow. We definitely haven’t had the same luck as last year.”