Commanders No-Huddle Attack Could Give Steelers Fits
PITTSBURGH — No one in the NFL runs more no-huddle than the Washington Commanders, and it’s not close. The Commanders have run 333 plays from no-huddle this season, and star rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is completing 70.2% of his passes in no-huddle.
“That’s part of the challenge,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said of the Commanders’ no-huddle attack. “We feed good about our preparation. You’ll never be able to get it exactly how you want it. We’ll be adapting as the game goes on, but I think the guys have been wired in about it. We’ve talked to them about it at the beginning of the week.”
Daniels, who’s the front-runner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has completed 163 of 228 pass attempts for 1,945 yards and nine touchdowns, with just two interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 106.7 in nine games.
In points per drive, the Commanders rank first in the NFL. Washington is also third in the NFL in scoring (29.5 points per game), third in total offense (396 yards per game) and third in rushing (166 yards). The Commanders are also an impressive 11 of 11 on fourth down attempts this year. New offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has the offense humming.
“This is a 5-star matchup. We know that they’re a good team,” Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. said on NFL Network. “We’re going into their building and it’s gonna be a tough environment for any other football team. But I feel like the coaching that we’ve been through and the situations that Coach Tomlin put us in, this is going to just be another Sunday for us, and we just gotta show up and play football. But Jayden Daniels, he been putting great, great stuff on tape. He’s coming in hot. Him and his coordinator got a great understanding of how to make the offense run through him as a rookie. And I can’t say nothing but good things about how he’s been playing.”
Daniels has also been lethal in the running game, racking up 459 yards and four touchdowns.
“There’s not a situation he doesn’t like,” Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward said. “He can throw the ball, he can run the ball. He’s dynamic, and he will make you pay if you give him a lane.”
“We know what we’re up against going against him, so we’ve got to do what we can to slow him down and get after him,” Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith added. “That’s what you have to do against a guy who can run and pass. You’ve got to get pressure and get him flustered, so that’s our objective from the jump.”
Washington won a wild last-second win over the Chicago Bears in Week 8, thanks to Daniels’ 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Noah Brown. Daniels’ pass traveled 65.9 yards in the air.
“It was a crazy play, those types of plays a lot of legendary quarterbacks have on their resume,” Highsmith said. “He’s talented. Just watching him on film, he does a lot of great things, especially as a rookie. He’s a dangerous quarterback and he’s getting better every week.”
Austin knows that his defensive unit will have to play nearly flawless against the Commanders’ high-octane offense and rookie sensation Jayden Daniels.
“There’s a lot that has impressed me about the young guy,”Ausitn said. “He’s really calm in the pocket, he does not panic. He creates space, he moves around and creates targets. … He has really good command in what they do. I think so far he’s doing wonderful for them and we are going to have our challenges with him.”
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
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