CINCINNATI — As Washington backup safety and special teamer Jeremy Reaves left the noisy visitors’ locker room with headphones in his ears, he pointed toward quarterback Jayden Daniels. He said just two words.

“He’s different,” Reaves said.

Defensive tackle Jon Allen was more direct.

“He is the answer,” Allen said.

No one in the locker room would disagree. Not after a night in which he completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-33 win over the Bengals. Not after he threw a game-winning 27-yard touchdown pass to receiver Terry McLaurin – while being mobbed by a lightning-fast defender.

“I think he grew up tonight,” McLaurin said. “I’m so happy for him because now as a freshman, when you see those shots, you get more confidence. And I think his confidence is through the roof right now.”

Washington (2-1) has won two straight games heading into Sunday’s game at Arizona and scored on 14 consecutive drives that didn’t end in a kneel-down. The Commanders have seen an early season surge thanks to Daniels’ play. Through three games, he has completed 80.3 percent of his passes while averaging 6.2 air yards per attempt. He has thrown for 662 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.

“He continues to grow in his job,” said Washington coach Dan Quinn.

And in the last two games, he’s led a game-winning field goal drive and thrown a touchdown pass on his last full possession on Monday night. That’s why players haven’t exactly been singing Daniels’s praises since spring practice began.

Her trust in him has only grown.

“The only word I can really say is hope,” guard Sam Cosmi said when asked what was different about Daniels than those he’s played with the past four seasons. “I believe. We believe.”

Daniels remained calm as the game clock ran out and pointed to the sideline to call the play. The way he handled the situation – not panicking – was well received by his teammates.

“It’s shocking how calm he is, but that’s not true,” Washington guard Nick Allegretti said. “The situation is just what it is. What am I supposed to do? Panic and ruin it. That’s not who he is. He’s just what the situation is. Let’s get 11 in a huddle. Let’s call a play.”

“He’s the calmest rookie I’ve ever seen, and he’s playing the toughest position in football. When that guy gets stressed, everyone else gets tense. He may not do it on purpose, but his calmness calms the entire offense.”

Daniels was asked to convert three fourth downs: two with his arm and one with his legs. He made it happen every time. A pass on fourth-and-two to rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey got him 30 yards and set up the first touchdown. A run on fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter resulted in a field goal.

But the coup de grace came with a fourth-and-four pass from the Bengals’ 39-yard line to tight end Zach Ertz with 4 minutes and 26 seconds left in the game, when Washington was only five yards ahead. The pass went for nine yards.

“It’s just a blessing that the coaching staff has faith in me to go out there and do something at a critical moment,” Daniels said. “But that’s not just a testament to me, it’s a testament to the entire offense.”

Then he delivered perhaps his first signature moment. Three plays later, facing a blitz with a defender about to hit him, Daniels threw a perfect throw that flew 45 yards and landed in McLaurin’s arms for a 27-yard touchdown.

McLaurin told offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury that he wanted the ball on this play. Daniels delivered.

“When we needed him the most, Jayden took a hit brilliantly,” said McLaurin, who also caught a 55-yard pass earlier in the game that led to another touchdown. “Those are big throws for a freshman.”

But with all the big throws, Daniels has to figuratively wrestle with a teammate to get his first touchdown ball. The reason for that is because the ball went to backup tackle Trent Scott, who caught a one-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.

“I wanted to hit the ball down the middle,” Scott said. “I was really nervous. ‘Don’t drop the ball.'”

While his teammates aren’t shocked – Allen said he sees it “every day in training” – Daniels was surprised.

“Yes, because obviously it’s something new for me,” he said. “But I also know that I still place a lot of value on the work and that what happens in the dark always comes to light.”