When was the last time the Washington Commanders were exciting?

In the headlines, yes. Controversial? Always. But exciting? Not since the Bush administration. Bush Senior, that is.

Since Washington won Super Bowl XXVI in January 1992, it has become an obstacle for good teams. But if Monday night is anything to go by, that could change.

Against a 0-2 Cincinnati Bengals team Monday Evening FootballDaniels turned in one of the best performances in the storied history of the 55-year program. The No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL draft and reigning Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards on 11.0 yards per attempt. He also accounted for three touchdowns, including one on the ground. Daniels led Washington in rushing with 39 yards, leading the Commanders to a 38-33 upset of Joe Burrow and the Bengals.

At 2-1, Washington is far from a behemoth. In Week 2, it needed seven field goals and an injured opponent to beat the New York Giants. In Week 1, the Commanders were blown out by a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that was trounced by the previously winless Denver Broncos on Sunday.

But ultimately, there is hope for Daniels.

Leading up to last spring’s draft, there were real questions about who should go second. Leading into the first round, many pundits thought North Carolina’s Drake Maye was the right pick, while college pundits largely assumed USC’s Caleb Williams and Maye were the top two picks, respectively.

Instead, new Commanders general manager Adam Peters deviated from conventional wisdom, selecting Daniels after he threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns against four interceptions, while carrying for 1,134 yards and 10 additional scores.

Daniels, seen by some as a quarterback who struggled to keep his eyes on the field once he was moving, did just that consistently against the Bengals. He kept plays alive with his legs, and on Washington’s final march, faced an all-out blitz on third down from Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and threw a picture-perfect bomb to Terry McLaurin for the go-ahead 27-yard touchdown.

It was the kind of throw that gives coaches confidence when it happens in practice. When it happens on Sunday, it’s a moment. When it happens in prime time, it’s the start of a career.

Of course, there’s still a long way to go. Just ask Robert Griffin III, who was once a rookie phenom for Washington before injuries derailed his career. Things can go wrong, even when it seems like everything is finally going right.

But for the Commanders, it appears the stars are finally beginning to align.

Washington has a quarterback who is the most talented signal-caller since Griffin, and perhaps even dating back to Joe Theismann in the 1980s, when he won a Super Bowl and an MVP. The Commanders also have a new owner in Josh Harris, who bought the team from a beleaguered Dan Snyder and has seemingly put adults at the helm from Peters to coach Dan Quinn.

And then there are the veterans who have been added to the squad this off-season. They are players with championship experience who can bolster the dressing room and guide Daniels through the inevitable dark moments.

There’s guard Nick Allegretti, who was signed to a three-year deal to leave the Kansas City Chiefs after winning three Super Bowls in five seasons. There’s Bobby Wagner, a 13-year veteran and future first-ballot Hall of Fame linebacker who came to play for his old defensive coordinator in Quinn on a one-year deal. There’s Zach Ertz, who caught five passes for 38 yards Monday night, providing some knowledge and a security blanket on game days.

But none of that matters if Daniels doesn’t become a star. The NFL is more dependent on quarterbacks than ever. A good defense and a competent supporting cast means a borderline playoff case if the quarterback is just someone else.

After three games, Daniels looks anything but successful. He has completed 61 of 76 attempts (80.3% completion rate) for 664 yards, while adding 171 rushing yards and five total touchdowns. Most importantly, he has zero turnovers.

It’s one thing when a rookie makes dazzling plays and costs his team with big mistakes. It’s another when he takes good care of the ball but doesn’t generate big yardage.

If he does both, like Daniels, he’s a star in the making.

In the makingThese three words have applied to Washington for more than 30 years.

Thanks to Daniels, Commanders fans can finally say three words again.

Here we come.