By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
The Bayou Heisman Trophy Bowl lived up to its billing on NFL Monday Night Football as former LSU Heisman winning quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow put on a show for the mantelpiece at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
But it was the rookie Daniels who stole the show and then some, performing as if he was still in college on his way to the 2023 Heisman. The No. 2 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders set a rookie record with a 91.3 completion percentage on 21-of-23 passing for 254 yards and two touchdowns. And he rushed 12 time for 39 yards and another touchdown in Washington’s thrilling, 38-33 win over Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals.
LSU QBs Have Not Gone Head-To-Head In NFL Game Since 1981
“We’re all seeing it tonight,” ABC television analyst and former Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman said late in the game. “You just get the feeling that everybody over on that Washington sideline knows they’ve got something in Jayden Daniels.”
Daniel’s Commanders (2-1) did not punt. Burrow’s Bengals (0-3) did not either. And neither team turned the ball over, marking the first NFL game since 1940 with no punts or turnovers.
Jayden Daniels (left) and Joe Burrow (right) in ABC promotional photo for Monday night’s game.
Burrow, who won the 2019 Heisman Trophy and led LSU to the national championship that season at 15-0, completed 29 of 38 passes for a season-high 324 yards and three touchdowns. But he played from behind for much of the game. Cincinnati took a 7-0 lead on its first possession when Burrow hit wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase – a favorite target from that 2019 season – on a 41-yard touchdown pass.
Washington took a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter and led the rest of the way. Burrow threw a 31 yard TD to Chase with 9:42 left in the game to cut the Commanders’ lead to 31-26. But a two-point conversion pass failed on what looked like pass interference. Cincinnati kicker Evan McPherson also missed a 48-yard field goal in the second quarter as the Bengals had five lost points – the difference in the game.
Daniels overcame two penalties and a sack and converted a 4th-and-4 with a 9-yard completion on a 12-play, 70-yard drive that took up 7:32 put the game away in the fourth quarter. It was an efficiency masterpiece by Daniels, who hit wide receiver Terry McLaurin on a 27-yard touchdown pass to cap that drive and take a 38-26 lead with 2:10 to go.
Daniels put the Commanders up 21-10 in the second quarter on a 4-yard touchdown scamper. His 1-yard TD pass to Trent Scott gave Washington a 28-13 lead in the third quarter.
“He is doing it all tonight,” ABC play-by-play man Joe Buck said. That’s what Daniels did routinely in 2022 and ’23 at LSU after transferring from Arizona State.
“That’s crazy,” Daniels said when told in a postgame interview that his completion percentage broke the NFL rookie record. “Give glory to God.”
Daniels and Washington converted five of nine third downs and three of three fourth downs. Burrow and the Bengals were six of 10 on third down and one of one on fourth down.
Daniels and the Commanders have had no punts or turnovers in their last two games.
Burrow and the Bengals, on the other hand, are 0-3 for the first time since an 0-11 start and 2-14 finish in 2019 – the year before Burrow.
LSU coach Brian Kelly, who attracted Daniels from Arizona State via the NCAA Transfer Portal shortly after leaving Notre Dame for LSU following the 2021 season, spoke about the MNF pairing on the Paul Finebaum Show Monday afternoon.
“It does give you the ability to say, ‘Look, if you want to be the next guy, that next potential Heisman Trophy winner,’ we can develop them here at LSU,” Kelly said of his recruiting pitch. “Nothing speaks to it better than squaring off on Monday Night Football. It’s just a great opportunity to show two great young men.”
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