Jayden Daniels to Terry McLaurin connection has blossomed for the Commanders

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — When the Washington Commanders had to have it — fourth down, trailing in the fourth quarter of a playoff game — Jayden Daniels found Terry McLaurin in the end zone for a touchdown.

That moment marked the pinnacle of the rapport between the dynamic rookie quarterback and dependable sixth-year wide receiver that has been developing since offseason workouts.

Daniels has connected with McLaurin 77 times for 1,033 yards and 13 TDs, and that relationship blossoming on and off the field is a big reason the Commanders are in the postseason and advanced to the divisional round to face NFC-leading Detroit on Saturday night.

“They have built through the year, there’s no doubt,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said Wednesday. “The first couple of games, the ball wasn’t coming to him as much as we would have liked, and we’ve had our ups and downs. … Those two guys are just going to get better and better as they go. They’re two very conscientious players that are team-first guys and work really hard at it.”

Daniels and McLaurin are the first Washington QB-WR duo to be selected to the Pro Bowl since Mark Rypien and Gary Clark in 1991. That was also the franchise’s most recent Super Bowl season.

This one started with very different, much lower expectations. The Commanders were expected to win six or seven games and start the climb toward being a contender.

Instead, they went 12-5 with the NFL’s fifth-highest scoring offense and beat Tampa Bay to set up another road challenge against the Lions, when McLaurin said he needs to “be ready to make plays for Jayden.” He has since September.

“Come game day, you don’t really think about it,” Daniels said. “You just put the ball in the vicinity for Terry to go make a play, and nine times out of 10 he makes them.”

What Daniels called “continuous growth” for him and McLaurin has not been progress in a straight line, even beyond the early season bumps in the road Kingsbury pointed out. Daniels has thrown the ball McLaurin’s direction as many as 10 times in a game down to as few as twice.

Even through those times, there was never tension between teammates at those positions that can often fester in football. Nothing beyond two athletes at the top of their sport wanting to maximize their performances.

“We’re extremely competitive people,” McLaurin said. “We really put a lot of time and effort into our craft. Good is not good enough, and you’re not just happy being here. I think that is what we have in common. Even the great plays we’ve had, we’ve still focused on the plays that we missed and the ways that we could continue to get better.”

On the field, coach Dan Quinn has consistently lauded Daniels’ poise beyond his 24 years of age and limited professional experience — something evidenced by the Commanders winning their past five games in a row all on the final play from scrimmage. He also credited McLaurin for the offense’s immense success down the field for the receiver’s ability to read deep throws and get under the ball at the perfect time.

“Obviously you have to have speed, but tracking a deep ball is one of the most difficult things,” Quinn said. “He’s got a knack on a deep ball of tracking it that not everybody has because to get some of the plays that he has to get behind people.”

That has not gone unnoticed among Lions coaches, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn compared McLaurin to Detroit All-Pro wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown for his all-around willingness to compete on every catch.

“He does a really good job on 50-50 balls, which you wouldn’t think that he would because of his stature, but he does a really good job of that,” said Glenn, who was a standout cornerback as a player. “He will block, he’ll go across the middle, he’ll take hits, he’ll get back up, get back to the huddle, so he’s a gamer. He’s a gamer, so it doesn’t surprise me the success he’s having.”

Off the field, Daniels has learned from “the ultimate pro” McLaurin’s film study and workout routines and said the two have bonded over their faith and had conversations about life that have helped them bond quickly.

McLaurin, after Washington cycled through 10 different quarterbacks in his first five seasons said he’s “fortunate to play with a young player who’s coming into the league and been so ready right off the bat where a lot of our communication and conversations are more next level.” The play has shown the results of that.

“He makes my job a lot easier when I just know I have to put myself in position to be open,” McLaurin said. “He’s going to put the ball right where it needs to be.”

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AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Allen Park, Michigan, contributed.

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