LANDOVER, Md. – When the Washington Commanders gained possession 57 yards from the end zone with less than two minutes left and trailed by five points to a team that had won 10 straight games, quarterback Jayden Daniels showed no signs of stress.

It’s easy to see why: Daniels continues to deliver in these moments. He did this again with a 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jamison Crowder with six seconds left in a 36:33 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles (12:3).

“He really shines in those spots,” Commanders coach Dan Quinn said. “Today he became a heavy hitter.”

But Daniels’ heroics weren’t just limited to the final touchdown pass. He became the first rookie quarterback in franchise history – and the seventh in NFL history – to throw five touchdown passes in a game as the Commanders inched closer to a playoff spot.

Washington (10-5) can secure a spot with another win. The Commanders’ next game is December 28th against the Atlanta Falcons (8-7).

For Daniels, Sunday’s performance was a continuation of big performances and even bigger moments. He threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter alone – as well as an interception on the Commanders’ second-to-last drive.

“You want to see how you can compete with these types of (teams),” Daniels said.

Already this season, he completed a 52-yard Hail Mary to beat the Chicago Bears; He threw two touchdown passes in the final four minutes against Dallas that would have tied the game had Washington made the second extra point. In a win over Cincinnati in Week 3, Daniels threw a touchdown pass with under four minutes left to secure the win.

Daniels also led a game-winning field goal drive to beat the New York Giants in Week 2. There’s a reason he’s the NFL’s highest-graded quarterback in the final two minutes of the regular season among quarterbacks with at least 10 starts. He threw an NFL-best four touchdown passes during that time.

“I love situations like this,” Daniels said. “That’s when it’s on thin ice and plays have to be made. That’s what you live for. If you really love the sport, you live for the big moments, when it all comes down to the end, when everything is against you, your back is against the wall. How will you react?”

Because of this, Daniels is considered a likely front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He now has 22 touchdown passes.

“I see a lot of balance,” Crowder said. “He is cool, calm and composed under pressure. You don’t get that from a lot of quarterbacks.”

In the locker room after the game, receiver Terry McLaurin — who caught a 32-yard over-the-shoulder pass for a touchdown in the second quarter — told Daniels that he loved playing with him. That’s understandable: McLaurin has 12 touchdown catches and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark of his career for the fifth straight time.

“When we make plays or miss plays, he just has a chance to stay balanced,” McLaurin said. “I’ve never seen that from a rookie at any position, let alone a quarterback. He has the ability to make the right plays when the time comes. You can’t teach that. His ability to get better every week and learn from him. “Mistakes are the reason why he has the chance to become one of the greats.”

Daniels also hurt the Eagles with his legs. He rushed for 82 of the Commander’s 114 yards. Nothing mattered more than the 29 yards he gained on a fourth-and-11 scramble, darting past defenders down the middle of the field to the Eagles’ 12 yards. Three plays later, he connected with receiver Olamide Zaccheaus for a 4-yard touchdown.

“I’ve never seen him flinch,” McLaurin said. “The only time I saw him emotional was when we lost to Baltimore (in Week 6). He was standing on the sideline and I was upset, but I was kind of smiling to myself because (I thought) “I got us one. He hates losing.”

Daniels arrives at the facility at 5:30 a.m. and conducts a tour with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury three days a week, ending around 6:30 a.m. Quinn said he has coached his players on situational football more than he ever has in his coaching history.

That’s why players said it felt like practice when it came to scoring the game-winning score. In fact, in practice on Friday, Daniels threw a touchdown pass to Crowder on the same route against the same two-safety look.

Thanks to this preparation, Daniels doesn’t feel stressed – even after an interception late in the fourth quarter that led to an Eagles field goal.

“It keeps the rest of us calm,” Washington guard Sam Cosmi said. “The most beautiful thing to see is that the person who believes in their abilities the most is themselves. He’s a dog, he’s a competitor. I’m really glad he’s my quarterback.”