My Washington Commanders will be playing in the NFC Championship game next Sunday, one game away from the Super Bowl.

How is that sentence even possible?

I am the proverbial long-angsting NFL fan, who somehow has managed to stick with my home team through thick and thin. Over 30 years of excruciating, painful, gut-wrenching thin.

The NFL has been in my DNA, growing up in the Washington, D.C., area with two passionate Washington football loving parents. I adored the Over the Hill Gang’s grit in the 1970s, studiously read The Future Is Now, lit candles when Coach George Allen departed. I worshipped at the altar of Coach Joe Gibbs in the 1980s, lived and breathed the Hogs, the Fun Bunch, the radio narration of games by Huff and Puff.

We went to multiple playoff games, won three Super Bowls. We expected to win. I remember listening to postgame sports radio when a fan dialed 911 to report a robbery – a bad call in a game.

The waiting list for season tickets for Washington football was legendary − and decades long in the day. Years before StubHub and the NFL ticket exchange, I paid a scalper $300 for three tickets to a game at the beloved, rickety RFK Stadium in 1991 where wide receiver Art Monk set a passing record almost at our feet.

I finally put my name on the waiting list for season tickets in 2002 at the “new” stadium out in Landover, Maryland, miles from the nation’s capital and all our monuments and memorials the NFL likes to highlight on game broadcasts.

My number was 43,595: I thought I’d be well into my 80s before I ever nabbed a seat. But two years later in 2004, I got the call: I was in!

And somehow, just two months later, Gibbs was back as head coach. My nosebleed seats were so high, and I have such a fear of heights, that I would spill most of my beer trembling on the trek to the top and would rarely stand for the National Anthem. But I was there, ecstatic at the ‘In Gibbs We Trust’ signs that adorned the lower bowl.

What followed was a path so torturous I would never have imagined. Dismal seasons were hyphenated with a few highs: a couple playoff games under Gibbs 2.0; an unexpected playoff berth with the pylon-diving quarterback Taylor Heinicke; beating a Tom Brady-led team.

And of course the 2012 season that brought what I thought was our savior: the speedy, dual-threat, charismatic quarterback Robert Griffin III, the master of our spread offense. But after lighting up the league, the fans and the stadium, our hopes crumpled to the ground with RGIII’s knee injury in a playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

I exited the stadium in tears that day.

The lows came fast: There was the time a local radio station gave away paper bags that read ‘Love the Team, Hate the Owner’ at a subway stop near the stadium. In a North Korea style move, team owner Daniel Snyder dispatched young staffers to confiscate the bags before anyone entered the gates.

Fans from opposing teams started packing the seats, chants of ‘defense, defense’ lacing through the air when our offense was on the field.   

I left early in the third quarter of a game a few years ago and found there was a line – to LEAVE the stadium.

During a breast cancer awareness video on the Jumbotron in 2022, the stadium erupted in boos when Snyder’s wife, Tanya, a breast cancer survivor, appeared. Could the owner be so reviled that we seem to be booing breast cancer?

It got to the point that I couldn’t find anyone – friend/boyfriend/family/total stranger – to attend the games with me. For free.

But I made a decision: Despite the depressing carousel of coaches, quarterbacks and dysfunction, I was a fan for life; I was not going to give up. I went down to one single ticket.

I soon moved down to the lower bowl and found an amazing seat 17 rows from the bottom with amazing kindred spirits in my nearby seatmates who don their burgundy and gold and are loud and proud every single game. (Here’s looking at you James, Sharonda and the rest!)

And in 2023 came a jaw-dropping announcement: Snyder finally sold our team. Before last year’s season I attended a rally in downtown D.C. where new owner Josh Harris appeared, and the crowd exploded into a roar of ‘Thank you Josh!’     

Then came the 2024-25 season: New coaches, a real GM, new players and a dazzling, poised-beyond-his-years quarterback in Jayden Daniels. The team doesn’t introduce individual players anymore; they run through the tunnel and the smoke as a unit before the game. Management pays respect to the players of our storied past, bringing back ‘legends’ to each game. Our fight song is back. We don’t just stand in the lower bowl; we dance, we prance, we hug.

OUR fans are the ones chanting ‘defense’ now. Heck, fans are even channeling the 1980s, repeatedly doing the wave. The stadium feels electric. And somehow we have now won two playoff games.

When Daniels threw a stunning Hail Mary to beat the Chicago Bears in October it crystallized in my mind when no one wanted to leave; we just wanted to soak up the moment: Yes sports can be cruel. Sometime three decades of cruel.

But when you ride out the misery, you sometimes find magic: That is what being a fan is all about.

Susan Miller is a Senior Breaking News editor for USA TODAY’s Nation team

ATLANTA – Will Howard was talking about this strange season, one that began long before he took his first snap as the Ohio State quarterback and long after a loss to Michigan brought the program to its collective knees.

There are the stories, he says, no one knows. Stories that make up Ohio State’s perplexing run to the College Football Playoff national championship game that can only be told if the Buckeyes win.

Or one that can be told for the first time right now.

It was November of 2023 when Howard sat down with Kansas State coach Chris Klieman, and a difficult conversation concluded with two options: head to the NFL, where he had an invite to the Senior Bowl to work out for NFL scouts, or use his final season of eligibility somewhere else.

While Kansas State wasn’t running off Howard, it most certainly was moving on. There was too much to like about rising sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson, and there was little doubt where the conversation was headed.

Howard hadn’t yet made an NFL decision, but knew if he were to return to college football, he could play at an elite level.

“We both knew it was kind of the way it was going to be,” Howard told USA TODAY Sports. “No ill intent on either side.”

But you better believe there’s motivation.

Because more than anything, this is a story about the ever-shifting state of college football. K-State moved on to Johnson because with free player movement and NIL collectives throwing around high-dollar compensation deals, it was either commit to him or lose him.

Howard had one year of eligibility; Johnson had three. These decisions are made all over college football now, including at the elite levels of the game.

There’s a reason Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, despite his NFL draft stock slipping since the beginning of the season, left early for the NFL. Uber-talented young backup Arch Manning needed to play.

And while Howard says he speaks with both Klieman and Johnson regularly and there’s “no love lost” between them, this story begins with a decision. K-State chose Johnson over Howard. 

Make no mistake, Johnson has shown flashes of remarkable talent, and could eventually develop into one of the game’s best players. But Howard had one thing to prove when he spoke with Ohio State coach Ryan Day, and no one else: he could lead a team to a national championship. 

It just so happened that Day, who had moved on from quarterback Kyle McCord, was in the process of changing his offense with his good friend and former UCLA coach Chip Kelly. An all-in moment for Day at Ohio State.

With an all-in transfer quarterback with something to prove. 

“I kind of realized when I was a sophomore in high school that this football thing might be something I could do,” Howard said. “Since then, you get people telling you that you can’t do this or be this. If you’re any kind of competitor, you want to prove them wrong.”

Then this season arrived, and it was like some cruel joke was playing out when it mattered most. There was the scramble and failure to stop the clock in a late loss at Oregon, and two key interceptions in the loss to Michigan. 

That loss, even though it didn’t end the season for Ohio State, may have been the best thing to happen to the most talented team in college football ― the program that spent nearly $20 million in building a championship-or-bust roster. 

“It brought us together, tighter,” said Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. “There’s just too much talent on this team to play the way we were playing.”

They’re averaging 37 points per game in three CFP games, including a 28-14 victory over Texas, which vanquished the big, bad SEC from the CFP final for the second consecutive season.

The quarterback who completed 57 percent of his passes against Michigan and averaged 5.3 yards per attempt, is completing 74 percent of his passes in three playoff games and more than doubled his averaged yards per attempt (10.8) ― against three top 15 defenses. 

The ball is going downfield, and putting defenses in constant conflict. Most have tried rolling coverages and doubling star wide Jeremiah Smith, while leaving Carnell Tate and Egbuka in single coverage.

It hasn’t worked.

Ohio State has 20 pass plays of 15-plus yards in the playoff, including a whopping seven of 30 yards or more. An offense that took three months trying to prove it was more physical than anyone it played, finally realized what made it unique under Day for the previous seven seasons. 

No one in college football understands the pass game like Day, whose concepts and play calling led to the most prolific offense in college football over the last decade — as both offensive coordinator and head coach at Ohio State.

Before last season, Day’s quarterbacks were averaging 41 touchdown passes a season. It took 12 games this season, but Day realized what made this team different from others he had at Ohio State that couldn’t win the national title, was the very thing that made it so dangerous in the first place.

Sometimes it’s the decision right in front of your face that makes the most sense. You just need to embrace it. 

“We put the ball in Will’s hands, and good things happened,” Day said.

Earlier this week, Howard and Johnson texted back and forth like the typically do. Howard’s brother, Ryan, is a freshman offensive lineman at K-State, and Will still stays deeply connected with his first college home.

How could he not? He won a Big 12 championship at K-State, and invested four years in Klieman’s buildout. He was Klieman’s first quarterback recruit from a full recruiting cycle, the player to build and grow around.

And then he wasn’t. 

It’s nobody’s fault, really, and everyone’s better for it. But you better believe there’s motivation. 

“I’m not going to lie, that was not an easy conversation (with Klieman),” Howard said. “I love Kansas State, and my boys there. Love everything about it. But it didn’t take long for me to realize how unique Ohio State is, and what we could be this season.”

They’e one game away now.

Then maybe every story can be told. 

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

ATLANTA — Admittedly, the question is ridiculous.

Ohio State is hours away from meeting Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff championship game, capping a season that just in the past eight weeks has seesawed between the depths of another loss to Michigan and the potential high of claiming the program first championship since the debut of the four-team format a decade ago.

The Buckeyes have steamrolled through three playoff games since the rivalry loss, escaping the shadow of that miserable moment with impressive wins against Tennessee, Oregon and Texas. So, the question: If the Michigan game was the impetus for this run to the championship game, is that an exchange the Buckeyes are willing to take?

In other words, would you trade a loss to the Wolverines for a ring?

“I don’t have an answer on that,” said senior offensive lineman Josh Fryar. “I don’t have an answer. Maybe I’ll have an answer after Monday night.”

Said wide receiver Carnell Tate, “It’s not worth losing no game, really.”

A fourth loss in a row in the rivalry will trail Ohio State all the way until next November and at least partially define this season even if the Buckeyes beat the Fighting Irish.

But there is a clear line between that ultimate low — probably the nadir of coach Ryan Day’s tenure given how the Wolverines had played heading into that Saturday — and where Ohio State stands heading into Monday night.

‘That’s the sobering reality of this game, that nobody cares about what you go thru and you’ve got to win that final one to finish the mission,’ Day said. ‘That’s it for our guys, and as much as some of these wins have been great wins for us, to me, it’s about winning this final game. Our guys will have learned a lot about life over the last month. It’s been a tight group. We’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly.’

Two days after the loss, Day told the Buckeyes that the playoff was their chance for a reboot, a rare opportunity to turn the page on a devastating setback and claim the national championship.

“It helped us really change our mindset,” said senior linebacker Cody Simon. “We knew we were going to have to go on a run if we wanted to win it all. That was kind of the decision we had to make and come together. Like, we knew we were going to play a game, but how mentality into it are you going to be? So we all came together and really decided that this is going to be our year and we’re going to go and finish it. But we’ve got to go do it, though.”

The loss to Michigan hasn’t led to any major schematic, back-the-drawing-board changes for Ohio State: “It’s not something magical or mystical,” offensive assistant Justin Frye said. “There was an alignment, an assignment, a communication error. How do you correct that and clean that up so you can play more violent and physical and with more confidence?”

Instead, players pointed to something as simple as the playoff schedule as a huge factor behind the Buckeyes’ ability to turn the page instead of wallowing in another rivalry defeat.

The opening-round matchup against Tennessee was on Dec. 21, three weeks and a day after playing Michigan. That was the Buckeyes’ earliest postseason matchup since playing the 1982 Holiday Bowl against Brigham Young on Dec. 17. Since the 1994 season, the program has played just five bowl games in December, with three of those matchups occurring the playoff national semifinals.

“The sooner you can get back to playing, the sooner you can write a new script,” said defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. “Feel bad for a little bit and then we’ve got to get back to work. Anytime you can get back to work, it helps you get over those things.”

After spending two days poring over tape of the Michigan game, the Buckeyes had no choice but to move forward and refocus on what came next — by the time the matchup with Tennessee was made official the following Sunday, they had less than two weeks to prepare for one of the best teams in the SEC.

“We had a few days to sit there and think about it, try to figure out when we’re going to play and who we’re going to play,” junior linebacker Sonny Styles said. “But once we found out we’re playing Tennessee, it’s on.”

This has been a different team than the one that faceplanted against the Wolverines. Ohio State engulfed Tennessee, storming out to a 21-0 advantage in the first quarter and outgaining the Volunteers by more than 200 yards on the way to a 42-17 win. Facing off against Oregon in the Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes took a 34-0 lead late into the first half and avenged the regular-season loss to the Ducks in the 41-21 rout. Pushed by Texas in the quarterfinals in the Cotton Bowl, the Buckeyes responded with a key defensive touchdown in the fourth quarter to win 28-14.

“The message is us responding in a low moment,” said Styles. “Sometimes in life, life brings you to your knees. You either sit down and pout or you come back swinging. We got up swinging.”

Third-seeded Coco Gauff recovered from losing her first set of the year, rallying Sunday to defeat Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and advance to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open.

But what she did after winning may have been even more timely.

In what’s become an unofficial tradition after winning their matches, tennis players are often handed a marker to write a message on the lens of a courtside camera. Gauff paused for a moment, then took the opportunity to address the United States’ ban of social media site TikTok that went into effect at midnight back home.

‘RIP TikTok USA,’ she wrote, adding a picture of a broken heart.

Gauff, who has more than 750,000 followers on TikTok, was asked about her reaction to the ban in her postmatch press conference.

‘I could not access it after my match. I honestly thought I would be able to get away with it because I was in Australia,’ she said. ‘Hopefully it comes back. … I love TikTok. It’s like an escape. I honestly do that before matches. I guess it will force me to read books more – be more of a productive human, probably. Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.’

Gauff will next face 11th seed Paula Badosa of Spain, with the winner potentially taking on two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka – a 6-1 6-2 victor over teenager Mirra Andreeva.

Classic quarterfinal: Novak Djokovic vs. Carlos Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic charged into the Australian Open quarterfinals on Sunday, setting up a showdown with a familiar foe in the quarterfinals.

But before looking ahead to his upcoming match against Carlos Alcaraz, the seventh-seeded Serb took aim at the tournament’s official broadcaster.

Djokovic declined an on-court interview and curtly thanked the crowd after his 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) thumping of Jiri Lehecka. He was miffed at Channel Nine reporter Tony Jones, who had mocked him and his fans two days earlier.

‘Novak he’s over-rated, Novak’s a has-been. Novak kick him out. Oh, I’m glad they (his supporters) can’t hear me,’ Jones had said.

Djokovic said he would continue his media boycott until he receives an apology from Jones.

‘Since they’re official broadcasters, I chose not to give interviews for Channel Nine,’ Djokovic told reporters. ‘If you guys want to fine me for not giving an on-court interview, that’s okay. I’ll accept that, because this is something that needs to be done. That’s all there is to it.’

Australian Open Day 8 results

Men’s singles

7-Novak Djokovic (SRB) beat 24-Jiri Lehecka (CZE) 6-3 6-4 7-6(4)
3-Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) beat 15-Jack Draper (GBR) 7-5 6-1 (Retired)
12-Tommy Paul (USA) beat Alejandro Davidovich 6-1 6-1 6-1 Fokina (ESP)
2-Alexander Zverev (DEU) beat 14-Ugo Humbert (FRA) 6-1 2-6 6-3 6-2

Women’s singles

1-Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) beat 14-Mirra Andreeva (RUS) 6-1 6-2
27-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) beat 18-Donna Vekic (HRV) 7-6(0) 6-0
3-Coco Gauff (USA) beat Belinda Bencic (CHE) 5-7 6-2 6-1
11-Paula Badosa (ESP) beat Olga Danilovic (SRB) 6-1 7-6(2)

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The Detroit Lions lost many notable players to injury throughout the season, including yet another during their divisional round NFL playoff game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Cornerback Amik Robertson – who played very well against Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson last time Detroit was in action – left the game after taking a hit to his arm from teammate Jack Campbell.

According to NFL Media, Robertson suffered a broken humerus and underwent surgery Saturday night.

Robertson was corraling Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin on second-and-4 from the Washington 26-yard line. Campbell came in to finish the play and caught Robertson’s arm with his shoulder, forcing them to the ground and injuring Robertson’s arm in the process.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Amik Robertson injury update

NFL.com originally reported Robertson was taken to a Detroit-area hospital for further evaluation following his injury. He is expected to be ready for offseason workouts.

Robertson was down on the field before Detroit’s medical staff tended to him. He ultimately walked off the field under his own power but with help keeping his arm in place.

The Lions confirmed Robertson was questionable to return with an elbow injury. He was later downgraded to out.

Who is Amik Robertson?

Robertson was drafted in the fourth round, No. 139 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2020 NFL draft. He spent four seasons with Raiders, starting 21 games and tallying four interceptions, two sacks, two forced fumbles and 15 passes defensed for the team.

Robertson signed with Detroit during the offseason. He played in all 17 games for the Lions during the regular season, including four starts, and had eight passes defensed and a career-high three forced fumbles.

Lions CB depth chart

With Robertson out of the lineup, the team is getting thin at the cornerback position. Here’s who is on the active roster at the position for Detroit:

Terrion Arnold
Brian Branch
Kindle Vildor
Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Morice Norris

The Philadelphia Eagles will host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday as the divisional round of the NFL playoffs continues.

Philadelphia knocked off the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round with a 22-10 win, while Los Angeles made a statement with a 27-9 rout of the Minnesota Vikings in the final game of the NFL wild-card round.

The Eagles entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed and the Rams as the No. 3; therefore, this game will be played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The Rams are looking to cause a significant upset on the road, and they have the firepower on offense, with Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams, to keep pace with the Eagles. However, Philadelphia presents a difficult challenge this weekend, boasting the top defense in DVOA, according to FTN.

The Eagles defense was on display when they held the Packers to 10 points and forced four turnovers in the wild-card victory. Philadelphia’s offense can control the game’s tempo behind their outstanding offensive line and Saquon Barkley. The star running back rushed for a career-high 255 yards in the Week 12 meeting against the Rams.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

The Rams seek revenge for their November loss on ‘Sunday Night Football’ to the Eagles, while Philadelphia continues to push for its second Super Bowl appearance in three years.

USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the divisional round matchup between the Eagles and the Rams on Sunday below. All times are Eastern.

Eagles vs. Rams start time 

Date: Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025 
Time: 3 p.m. ET 

The Eagles and Rams game will kick off Sunday’s pair of divisional-round matchups at 3 p.m. ET.

Eagles vs. Rams TV channel 

Cable TV: NBC 

Eagles vs. Rams predictions, picks 

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the divisional round matchup between the Rams and Eagles will shape up: 

Lorenzo Reyes: Eagles 26, Rams 19
Tyler Dragon: Eagles 28, Rams 23
Jordan Mendoza: Eagles 24, Rams 23

Eagles vs. Rams live stream 

Live stream: Fubo | Peacock 

For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo. Fubo carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season.

DETROIT – Something strange happened at Ford Field on Saturday night.

The NFL’s most raucous venue turned quiet. Eerily silent.

Jayden Daniels didn’t notice.

How fitting. The unflappable Washington Commanders rookie was smack dab in the middle of a wild second quarter, when the game’s momentum swung, the teams combined for a playoff-record 42 points and all the noise was hushed.

And it was no big deal. After punching a ticket to the NFC title game with a 45-31 knockout of the Detroit Lions, he pretty much shrugged about it afterward.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

“The crowd came out, they were very hyped,” Daniels reflected in a crisp, even tone. “But I wasn’t focused on the crowd noise when I was out there.”

In other words, it didn’t matter to Daniels when the decibel levels hit triple digits or when the shock set in for the rowdy fans that the home team was in serious trouble.

Daniels passed for 299 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for more than 50 yards. Meanwhile, Jared Goff, Detroit’s ninth-year quarterback, looked so rattled as he coughed up the football four times, Daniels didn’t commit a single turnover.

That’s how you win in the playoffs. And Daniels, who posted a 122.9 passer rating, was pretty close to perfect. There was a 38-yard dime to Dyami Brown that set up a touchdown. A well-timed swing-screen that Terry McLaurin took 58 yards for a touchdown. Three conversions on fourth downs. And he kept beating the blitz.

All of it came wrapped in what we’ve learned is essentially Daniels.

Man, is this kid cool. For all of his precision throwing and the smooth-gliding running, composure is his secret sauce. It’s no wonder that heading into the divisional round, he led Washington to five consecutive victories, when in each case he had the ball in his hand at the end. His demeanor undoubtedly brings out the rest of his game.

“No moment gets to him,” Austin Ekeler, the eighth-year running back, told USA TODAY Sports. “Good or bad.”

Sure, we’ve heard this all season as Daniels, 24, has layered one wow moment on top of another. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, drafted second overall, has only been the centerpiece to the revival of a signature NFL franchise and played his way to front-runner status for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Now he’s continued the vibe in the playoffs, when conventional wisdom suggests it would be tougher.

Isn’t Daniels due to crack under playoff pressure?

Apparently not. Nobody sent him that memo. He feels no need to change his approach.

“Not at all,” he said. “Stay the same. Obviously, the media and everybody will put more magnitude on the game because it’s win or go home. But you’ve got to go out there and stay consistent.”

That’s hardly lip service. When the TV cameras caught glimpses of Daniels sitting on the bench on Saturday night, he was typically mellow. Teammates will tell you that’s pretty much been the case with him all season, no matter the circumstance. Doug Williams, the in-house legend and personnel executive, has been saying something similar since Week 1.

Daniels is that guy you might have heard about who doesn’t get too high when things are going well, and he doesn’t get too low when adversity strikes. He’s the same guy. You know his teammates love this quality about him because they are, well, rather consistent in describing his persona.

Does he ever change his expression?

Ekeler grinned, then offered, “Sometimes, he cracks a joke here or there. But that’s him. He’s laid-back. He’s looking to have a good time, play some ball with his friends.”

The Commanders (14-5) are one victory from the Super Bowl. How crazy is that?

It’s about as crazy as a rookie stepping into the NFL and playing like a 10-year vet. The Lions were certainly wary. During the week, coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn raved about Daniels’ knack for making savvy decisions. The respect was authentic – and proven on the film and with the results.

Then Daniels went out and proved it some more. The Lions blitzed at a higher rate than all but one NFL team during the regular season, sending an extra rusher on 34.6% of the snaps, which undoubtedly was influenced by the rash of injuries to the defense.

Sensing a heavy dose of blitzes, the Commanders felt that the effectiveness of their offense would hinge on winning the man-to-man coverage matchups – and with Daniels getting the ball away quickly. Done. He threw 31 passes and was never sacked.

“He’s amazing,” said Brown, who led Washington with six catches and 98 yards. “A true competitor.

“Just (him) being a rookie, man, I can’t wait to see him in his prime.”

That goes for the rest of us, too. But first things first. Before Daniels gets to his prime, there’s a date in the NFC title game.

Of course, he likes his chances, having advanced this far. Nothing about this situation seems too big for him. But he’s so cool in expressing that. As you might expect.

Do you feel like you can beat any team, anywhere?

“I love my team,” Daniels replied. “I’m confident in my team. We’ll roll with the next game and focus on that opponent.”

No, there’s no reason for Daniels to add to the noise.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell on X @JarrettBell.