Lamar Jackson vs. Jayden Daniels is the NFL’s newest heavyweight matchup

BALTIMORE – In one corner will probably be, so to talk, the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history, a record-breaking quarterback, a two-time MVP.

On the other hand, a fresh-faced challenger who is the talk of the league will probably be eagerly awaiting his first fight against the champion.

Make no mistake, just as Sunday’s Washington Commanders-Baltimore Ravens matchup will probably be certainly one of the two division leaders, it should even be a heavyweight battle between the Ravens’ superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson and a novice in command Jayden Daniels. And while the quarterbacks won’t face off head-to-head at M&T Bank Stadium, they may figuratively play it out while leading their teams.

Daniels has impressed the man whose belt he desires to win.

“I’ve seen glimpses of (Daniels)… on social media and stuff like that,” Jackson told reporters in Baltimore on Wednesday. “He’s leaving.”

Jackson too.

This season, Jackson, often dazzling as each a runner and passer, has been in great shape during the Ravens’ three-game winning streak.

While leading Baltimore (3-2) to a first-place finish against the Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North, the three-time Pro Bowler accomplished 68% of his passes on 686 passing yards, with seven touchdowns and no interceptions. As a running back in that stretch, Jackson had 196 rushing yards (for a 6.13 yards per carry average) and two touchdowns. Overall, Jackson has 363 rushing yards (6.8 yards per carry) and ranks eighth in the league.

In the opening of the NFL season, the visiting Ravens lost to the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. Then in the second game, Baltimore lost at home to the Las Vegas Raiders.

However, since then, the Ravens have defeated the Dallas Cowboys on the road, the previously undefeated Buffalo Bills in Baltimore and the Cincinnati Bengals on the road. When the visiting Ravens defeated the Bengals in additional time 41-38 in Week 5, Jackson paced Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow with 348 yards passing, 4 touchdowns and 55 yards rushing.

After winning his second AP MVP award in 2023, Jackson, who holds the NFL single-season pass rushing record for a quarterback, is amongst the early favorites to win the hardware this season. As good as he ought to be, said renowned quarterback coach Quincy Avery.

Having Jackson and Daniels in the same ring together will probably be an incredible fight, and Avery intends to adapt to it.

“In my opinion, when it comes to the MVP race, Lamar Jackson is leading,” Avery told Andscape. “He plays at an incredible level. He’s just in a position to achieve this much and add a lot to this team.

Until then, Daniels is doing wonders for the Commanders.

The runaway leader for the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award, the 23-year-old Daniels has revitalized long-dormant Washington (4-1), which has won 4 straight games and is itself atop the NFC East. Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft, impressed with each his smarts as a passer and his breathtaking athleticism as a runner.

With a powerful completion percentage of 77.1, Daniels leads the NFL. He is also third in Total QBR and fifth in Passer Rating.

By jumping out of the pocket, Daniels often confuses potential tacklers. He usually extends attacks, offering a rare combination of speed and elusiveness to any player, let alone the passer. Daniels has 4 rushing touchdowns, good for fifth in the league, and 300 yards (5.3 yards per carry), good for 14th in the NFL.

Having watched Daniels throughout his college profession, Avery was confident that the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner could be certainly one of the league’s best rookies this season, but “he’s playing in addition to anyone I’ve seen in his rookie season, including (Houston Texans (quarterback) CJ Stroud with all the things he did last 12 months,” Avery said. “Not only is he a great athlete, but he has become a really great quarterback.”

Ravens coach John Harbaugh is with Avery.

“Jayden is playing at a very high level,” Harbaugh said. “He has his team. They built it around him.”

Daniels caused such a sensation that he rekindled something that had been extinguished in lots of Commanders fans over the last generation: hope.

“When you look at Washington’s commanders, you don’t think about them the same way you thought about them (in the past),” Avery said. “They seem like a well-run organization.”

It’s this positive atmosphere that the franchise quarterback inspires. Moreover, he is getting stronger by the day, because in keeping with many Washington team alumni, Daniels is great each on and off the field.

Washington franchise legend Doug Williams leads this group.

Williams’ iconic, myth-busting Super Bowl performance got here when he led Washington to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII. Williams, who became the first black passer to begin in the Super Bowl and win the game’s MVP award, said Daniels is even higher than advertised.

“Let me tell you something, he’s a really good guy and the guys see that,” said Andscape Williams, senior adviser to the commander. “The way he is, you’ll be able to see he cares about his teammates and everybody around him, you’ll be able to’t fake it.

“Don’t get me mistaken. He is a great man, but he is also a fighter. The guys see that he’ll come out and provides his all. Even after just five games, it’s clear he won’t back down from the fight.

On Sunday, you’ll be able to once more count on Daniels to take the field with a flourish. Jackson has proven that he is not one to present up. The wait is almost over.

Let’s prepare for a fight.