The NFC Championship was getting away from the Washington Commanders as the Philadelphia Eagles were in complete control. Then quarterback Jayden Daniels found his favorite target once again.
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin had only one catch for seven yards before taking a pass from Daniels 36 yards to the house. The Commanders were in need of a huge play to keep them in the game, as their previous offensive drives in the first half resulted in just six points.
Meanwhile, the Eagles had all the momentum after running back Saquon Barkley ran for a 60-yard touchdown on Philadelphia’s first play. That was closely followed by Barkley’s second touchdown on the day, which put the Commanders behind by two scores.
All season long, Daniels and McLaurin had a special connection that helped revive a Washington team that hadn’t made a NFC Championship Game in over 30 years. The last time the Eagles and Commanders even faced off in the playoffs was during the 1990 season.
“Scary Terry,” as McLaurin is otherwise known, recorded 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns this season with the rookie sensation under center. He’s the clear wide receiver No. 1 on the team and made it back to the Pro Bowl this year.
Daniels is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year after throwing 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also posted an impressive quarterback rating of 70.5 percent, which is the fourth-best QBR score this season, according to ESPN. Still, the Commanders are in the first year of their rebuild, and while they’ve exceeded expectations, the Eagles have much more firepower.
If the Commanders are going to continue their Cindarella story, then they’ll need Daniels and McLaurin to connect for more explosive plays.
