Jayden Daniels — Week 9: 273 Yards, Four Sacks, a Fumble

Jayden Daniels moved the ball against the Rams until the sacks came: 24 of 35 for 273 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions, plus 4 carries for 16 yards, but he was sacked four times, three by Myles Garrett, and lost a fumble in a 20-13 loss. His 38 pass plays were worth -5.9 expected points added (EPA), what a play was worth given down, distance and field position: +1.3 on 12 before halftime and -7.1 on 26 after it.

The touchdown came on the first snap of the second quarter, tied 3-3. First and 10 at his own 48, he threw short right to Rachaad White, who took it 45 yards to the Rams 7, +2.6 EPA and 10.6 points of win probability, the estimate of each side's chance to win. On the next snap he found Van Jefferson over the middle for the 7-yard score and a 10-3 lead.

The sacks decided it. Up 10-3 with 2:20 left in the half, first and 20 at midfield, Garrett sacked him at the Washington 44 and forced a fumble that Omar Speights recovered, -4.3 EPA and 12.2 points of win probability; the Rams kicked a field goal. Down 20-13 with 2:31 left, third and 5 at the Rams 38, Garrett sacked him again for a 12-yard loss, -2.3 EPA and 10.7 points of win probability, and his fourth-and-17 throw for Jefferson fell incomplete. On the last drive he hit Stefon Diggs for 42 yards from his own 9 and got to the Rams 31 before the final play ended in a fumble.

It was below his season rate. Through Week 8, in five games, his 157 pass plays were worth +2.5 EPA, +0.02 a play, with a completion percentage over expected (CPOE), how often he completed passes against what their difficulty predicted, of +5.6; here it was -0.15 a play and +2.5. He has still not thrown an interception this season.

Follow Jayden Daniels on Muffed, and every episode lands in your weekly email.

_Data via nflverse._