Giants' coach has a lot to say about the Commanders' star QB

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn once quipped last season that he spent a lot more time talking about quarterback Jayden Daniels in press conferences and interviews than he did outside of them.

It isn’t that Quinn doesn’t appreciate his quarterback, of course, only that there are many more topics of conversation to be had inside the walls of the Commanders’ facility, like how to beat the New York Giants this Sunday, for example.

For those Giants, head coach Brian Daboll had a little bit of a different take on the Daniels discussion, sharing that he’s spent more time talking about the Washington playmaker and leader than he normally does with any other opponent.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5). | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

'A Tremendous Football Player'

“He’s a very challenging quarterback to defend in all areas,” Daboll said in his Wednesday press conference ahead of the NFC East Division rivals clash to start the regular season. “He’s able to make plays with his feet running the football, in design runs and zone reads and counter reads, the RPO game, which he’s exceptional at. His downfield passing is excellent. Then he keeps plays alive with his eyes downfield and makes plays. He’s a tremendous football player. He was that way at LSU (Louisiana State University). He was that way at Arizona State. He was that way his first year. He’s got a great cast around him, and (Commanders’ offensive coordinator) Kliff (Kingsbury) does a great job. He’s a challenging player. That’s why they’ve won so many games last year. That’s why they came from behind, team effort. But he’s a guy that’s kind of running the show relative to having the ball in his hands every play. He’s a hard player to gameplan for and defend.”

Like many coaching staffs who tried, and mostly failed, to contain Daniels and the Commanders’ offense last season, the Giants’ staff is hard at work installing and tinkering with their defensive options, trying to find a solution.

Whether it comes in their base package, dime, or even nickel, New York has plenty of avenues to travel down, but know that the design alone won’t get the job done. When you face a talent like Daniels, execution of that design has to be top-shelf, every snap.

“We’ll work through all that this week. But we’re going to have to be at our best against a dynamic playmaker,” Daboll admitted.

A Top-Shelf Challenge

Winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award doesn’t guarantee future success, but it shows just how impactful Daniels was in his first season, one that saw Washington sweep its season series against the Giants on the way.

Having seen how dynamic Daniels grew to be from their Week 2 matchup to just Week 9, it has to be in the back of his mind somewhere that the growth from the last time he saw the quarterback to now could be even more astronomical.

Pairing him with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury for another year, and the addition of upgrades on the offensive line and weapons like receiver Deebo Samuel, only adds to the danger.

It isn’t an issue that will get solved easily, and New York has the exciting yet less-than-stellar opportunity to try and be the first to crack the code in 2025, laying the groundwork from which other defenses will try to build their plans.

New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3). | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

The Giants' Own QB Plan

One way to try and defend a quarterback like Daniels is to put up points of your own, something New York will hope to do with offensive tackle Andrew Thomas on the mend and new quarterback Russell Wilson with his ‘moon ball’ tendencies.

Where Daniels is versatile alone, New York is looking to flex some position flexibility with its quarterback room, with rookie Jaxson Dart expected to get some reps in the game despite Wilson being the starter.

In fact, Daboll says, “all three quarterbacks (to include third stringer Jameis Winston) are going to be ready to play.”

Readiness is something Washington does pretty well since the arrival of Quinn and his staff, so the Giants are prepared for an equally fired-up squad on the other sideline.

While it isn’t likely its plans will completely bottle up Daniels and Kingsbury’s offense, New York is hoping to do enough to allow Wilson and star receiver Malik Nabers time to figure out how to best attack the Commanders’ defense.

There are multiple debuts happening in Week 1, including Wilson’s with the Giants, but it's the returning quarterback for Washington who is the main focus around here, and clearly up in New Jersey as well.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 season.

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