NFL Four Downs: Rookie Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completes crazy hail mary winner

HAIL JAYDEN Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was already impressing the heck out of everyone, and then the athletic Washington (6-2) passer produced one of the plays of the season in Week 8. Despite coming into the game against the Bears (4-3) nursing a rib injury, Daniels showed poise beyond his years to toss a 52-yard, walk-off touchdown on a Hail Mary attempt that saw him hold onto the ball for nearly 13 seconds. Absolutely insane, and more than a little lucky that the ball bounced off a pack of players at the front of the end zone and into the waiting arms of Noah Brown. But it adds to the growing feeling in DC that Daniels can make magic happen, and two divisional games against the Giants and Eagles in the next three weeks will give him a chance to prove it. SHOCK AND AWE A few teams made emphatic statements in Week 8, including the aforementioned Eagles (5-2), who notched their third consecutive win with a 37-17 throttling of the Bengals (3-5). The Philly defence seems to be getting better each week under new coordinator Vic Fangio, and the offence, which is dealing with injuries on the O-line, is starting slow but finishing fast. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts rushed for three TDs and threw for another, as the team amassed 27 second-half points. Talking about amassing points, the 6-1 Lions dropped a 50-burger on the lowly Titans (1-6), with QB Jared Goff posting one of the most bizarre stat lines you’ll ever see. Goff only threw for 85 yards but still tossed three TDs in the 52-14 win, as the Detroit defence took the ball away from Tennessee repeatedly, giving the passer short fields to work with. All three phases of the Lions’ roster were humming like a well-oiled Ford Mustang, and right now this looks like the best team in football. However, the Bills (6-2) might have something to say about that, after crushing the Seahawks (4-4) in Seattle. The 31-10 win was the fourth time this season Buffalo has won by 21 points or more. BIG RETURN Miami (2-5) fell to the Cardinals (4-4), after Arizona QB Kyler Murray led a game-winning drive that chewed up the final five minutes of clock to set up a 34-year Chad Ryland field goal. That heartbreak aside, the big positive for the Dolphins was having QB Tua Tagovailoa back on the field after at one point this season looking like his career might be over due to repeated concussions. Tua helped Miami to its highest points total this season in the 28-27 loss and got the team’s playmakers involved, but it remains to be seen if the franchise’s playoff aspirations can be resurrected. PANIC INDEX HIGH: The Jets are winless since sacking head coach Robert Saleh mid-season (2-6), but this week’s loss to AFC East rivals New England (2-6) was a new low. It’s gonna get ugly in the Big Apple. HIGH: It won’t be sunshine and Skittles in Dallas, either, after the Cowboys (3-4) failed to pull off what would have been a miraculous comeback against the 49ers (4-4). MEDIUM: The Packers (6-2) just squeaked past the Jaguars (2-6) but will be sweating on the health of Jordan Love after the QB suffered a groin injury. At least the play of backup Malik Willis inspires a little confidence if Love has to miss time. LOW: The Chiefs are the only undefeated team after beating the Raiders (2-6), so they won’t be too worried that QB Patrick Mahomes has thrown more interceptions than TDs.