Starting and winning a playoff game is a rare achievement for rookie quarterbacks, especially when it happens on the road.

Last year, C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans became the 12^th rookie quarterback in NFL history to start and win a playoff game, with only three having done so away from home.

This season, Denver Broncos’ rookie QB Bo Nix and Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels are both looking to become part of this select group. Nix’s Broncos will face the Bills in Buffalo, while Daniels and the Commanders prepare to play the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on Sunday night.

Daniels is keeping a calm mindset as he approaches this significant game in his career.

“It’s exciting, but you have to manage those feelings. At the end of the day, it’s still about playing football. People are going to hype it up since it’s win or go home now,” Daniels explained to the media this week. “You might feel a bit more focused, but you have to remain true to yourself and what you’ve done over these 17-18 weeks, and just go out there and play.”

Daniels’ inaugural start was against the Buccaneers in Tampa, where he completed 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards in a 37-20 loss during Week 1. This performance marked his lowest passing yardage in a game with at least 20 attempts. However, Daniels has since adapted to the game’s pace, exhibiting greater comfort and composure as a quarterback. His remarkable mobility has posed challenges for rival defenses, and he set the NFL rookie rushing record this year.

“Watching that game again was eye-opening. It’s incredible to see how much I’ve improved in such a short time. Each game teaches you something new,” Daniels reflected. “You just get more at ease with every experience.”

The Bucs are facing a transformed Daniels and Commanders team compared to their Week 1 matchup. Washington has not suffered losses to the same team twice this season and enters the playoffs on a five-game winning streak, with Daniels being the strong contender for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

“It feels like a full-circle moment. You don’t often get to face the same team at both the start and the end of the season,” commented Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. “They certainly got the better of us back then. This will be a great test to see how much we’ve grown since then.”

If the Commanders secure a win Sunday night, it will mark the franchise’s first playoff victory since the 2005 season. For Daniels, it would position him as only the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to start and win 13 games, including the playoffs.

“To be in this position, with a chance to win it all going into the playoffs, is amazing. This feels like a fresh start. It’s anyone’s game now,” stated Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin. “We believe that with our best effort, we can truly be a competitor for the championship.”

Daniels expressed to YSL News Sports his intention to change the culture within the Commanders organization, attributing the team’s current positive outlook largely to his rookie season.