Lamar Jackson-Jayden Daniels clash is historic for many reasons

Jayden Daniels said this week that he’d prefer people don’t compare him to Lamar Jackson. Fair request. However, whether sensational rookies like Daniels or scout-team quarterbacks preparing to play the Ravens, let’s not compare Jackson to anyone, either.

Not Todd Monken. Asked Thursday whether he’d schemed Jackson’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely as the Ravens mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback, Monken was blunt.

“I didn’t draw up sh**,” said the Baltimore offensive coordinator. “That’s what he does.”

What Daniels has done, at least over the last four weeks, is win. The rookie has the franchise in position for its first five-game winning streak since Mike Shanahan and Robert Griffin III led the team to seven straight wins to close the 2012 regular season. The Commanders (4-1) bus up the Baltimore-Washington Parkway to meet the Ravens (3-2) at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

And what Jackson has done, at least against NFC opponents, is win. He’s a staggering 22-1 against the conference. Including his first two NFL games, both non-starts before permanently taking the starting reins late 2018, Jackson against the NFC has completed 394 of 611 attempts (64.5 percent) with 35 touchdown passes and eight interceptions, a 99.9 rating. His only loss to an NFC opponent was a 24-20 setback on the road against the Giants in 2022.

But there’s one game Jackson has yet to play against an NFC foe: The Super Bowl. Sunday’s showdown could be a Super Bowl preview.

If it’s not, that’s OK. The quarterback matchup is a blockbuster in itself. In fact, in Week 6 or later, it’s the first game in NFL history in which both quarterbacks are averaging at least 200 passing yards per game and 50 rushing yards per game. Jackson has 241.2 passing yards per game and 72.6 rushing. Daniels enters with 227.0 passing yards per game and 60.0 rushing.

And if that’s not enough, get ready for the best meeting of dominating rushing offenses in 46 years. Baltimore (211.2) and Washington (178.4) rank a respective 1-2 among NFL teams in rushing yards per game. The last time two clubs met with each team averaging at least 175.0 rushing yards per game in Week 6 or later was Oct. 8, 1978, when New England beat Philadelphia, 24-14. The Patriots and Eagles on that day combined for 312 rushing yards.

What’s more:

• The Ravens already have 1,056 rushing yards and could become just the fifth team over the prior 44 seasons to reach 1,200 in its first six games. Since 1980, the 2006 Atlanta Falcons (1,333), 1984 Chicago Bears (1,330), 1980 Detroit Lions (1,299) and 2019 Baltimore Ravens (1,230) have reached that marker.
• Baltimore enters having rushed for 100 yards in 38 straight games. With 100 against Washington on Sunday, the Ravens would eclipse the 1935-39 Detroit Lions for the third-longest streak in league history. Only the 2018-21 Ravens (43) and 1974-77 Pittsburgh Steelers own longer streaks.

Popcorn is available at the concession stand.