CINCINNATI — Rookie Jayden Daniels had a surprisingly efficient performance with two touchdown passes and one run, and the Washington Commanders stunned Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals 38-33 on Monday night.
Daniels completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and set an NFL rookie record with a 91.3% completion rate for the No. 2 overall draft pick. The Commanders (2-1) scored on every drive except for kneeling at the end of each half and have not punted or committed a turnover in their past two games.
Neither Washington nor Cincinnati punted or committed a turnover, a first in the Super Bowl era.
Burrow threw for a season-best 324 yards and three scores, but the Bengals (0-3) couldn't keep up, as Cincinnati got off to its worst start since losing its first 11 games in 2019 en route to a 2-14 finish.
Daniels' first career touchdown pass was a 1-yard pass to eligible tackle Trent Scott early in the second half, the second straight game the Bengals allowed a lineman to score a touchdown, but Daniels stayed in the pocket, got hit and then completed the game-winning pass to Terry McLaurin from 27 yards out with 2:10 left in the game.
In the first half, Washington got rushing touchdowns from Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler and Daniels.
McClarin had four receptions for 100 yards.
The Bengals failed to reach the end zone on three first-half drives, with Evan McPherson kicking two field goals and missing another.
Meanwhile, Washington didn't reach the end zone until early in the fourth quarter, when Austin Seibert made a 42-yard field goal to cut the lead to 31-20.
Cincinnati cut the lead to 31-26 on Burrow's second TD pass to Ja'Marr Chase, but the two-point conversion failed.
Daniels then led a drive that lasted 7 1/2 minutes and ended with a touchdown pass to McLaurin.
Cincinnati scored on a 1-yard run by Zack Moss with 40 seconds left to cut the lead to 38-33, but McPherson's onside kick failed.
Chase had six receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns for the Bengals, who also got a touchdown catch from Andrei Iosivas.
