The Washington Commanders defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 38-32 on Monday night, leaving the Bengals 0-3 in the NFL season. The Commanders' win was led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. This loss marks the Bengals' worst start since 2019.
Jayden Daniels outshone Joe Burrow, finishing 21 of 23 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and a rushing touchdown. He set a rookie record for completion percentage at 91.3%. Daniels' performance was a coming-of-age moment in his third NFL game.
The Bengals' defense failed to record a stop across all four quarters at Paul Brown Stadium. They allowed the Commanders to score on every possession except for kneel-downs.
Washington scored on every possession except for kneel-downs and hasn't punted or turned the ball over in their last two games. This feat has never been achieved in the Super Bowl era.
Despite the loss, Joe Burrow threw three touchdowns for 324 yards. However, his efforts were overshadowed by Daniels' impressive display.
Daniels sealed the win with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin with 2:10 remaining. This was his second touchdown pass of the game.
Washington dominated the first half with rushing touchdowns from Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, and Daniels. McLaurin had four receptions for 100 yards.
Cincinnati cut the deficit to 31-26 and later 38-33, but ultimately fell short. The Bengals' onside kick was unsuccessful.
The Commanders improved to 2-1, while the Bengals dropped to 0-3. This marks Cincinnati's worst start since 2019.