Jayden Daniels took advantage of Bengals trash talk and then some in Commanders win

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is off to a very quick start to his NFL career, going 2-1 in his first three games, and showing out in a big way. Daniels has the poise of a veteran, and the escapability of a quarterback the Commanders haven't had since Robert Griffin III.

The NFC East is wide open, and thanks to the Commanders, might not be as predictable as we originally thought. Daniels has brought a newfound energy to the Washington offense, and he has a decent offensive line and some weapons to boot. Dan Quinn has coaches up a surprisingly-capable defense (that still has a ways to go, of course).

I'm not saying the Commanders will make the playoffs -- to do so would be a massive overreach at this juncture -- but the fact they're even in the conversation early in the season is an undeniable improvement.

Why do the Bengals always do this?

Defeating the Bengals in particular had to feel nice for Daniels, who was the subject of some criticism early in the week from Cincinnati cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt. When asked about Daniels' ability, Taylor-Britt mentioned that Washington does a lot to surround Daniels with talent, and they run a "nice little college offense." It's the latter quote that surely caught Daniels attention, though you wouldn't know it by how he acted postgame.

Taylor-Britt is far from the first Bengals player to talk trash and fail to back it up. Eli Apple comes to mind, along with countless others. It's systemic, and a right of passage all Bengals players must go through at one time or another.

How far can Jayden Daniels take the Washington Commanders?

Let's slow down the hype train just a bit before it hops off the rails. Despite a fast start, Daniels is sure to go through the usual rookie struggles at some point. The Commanders roster has several flaws, and the schedule doesn't get any easier moving forward. They still have to face the Eagles and Cowboys twice apiece near the end of the season, along with matchups against the Ravens, Saints and more. If Daniels can get through that gauntlet relatively unscathed, then he has my mythical rookie of the year vote.

Washington football is fun again, which is reason enough to celebrate. Commanders fans are right to enjoy their victory Tuesday, and dream big. Daniels may finally be that real deal the Commanders have been searching for behind center.