The end of Jayden Daniels' return did not go as planned, as the Washington Commanders could not secure an overtime win over the New York Giants in a 27-27 tie.

But Daniels is back after missing the last two weeks while nursing a dislocated elbow, and he picked right up where he left off prior to his injury in Week 2. It might not have resulted in a win on Sunday, but the hope is that it'll lead to more this season.

"I thought he made some incredible plays and showed why he is so unique," Dan Quinn said after the game.

Daniels' return was the talking point of the week heading into Washington's matchup with New York. Quinn promised in London that the quarterback would have a full week of practice for Week 5, and the goal was for him to be the starter against the Giants. He would have to wear a brace on his left elbow, but he and the team were adamant that it would not affect his play style or throwing motion.

As expected, Daniels was cleared to practice that Friday, and Quinn made it clear that his presence would provide a boost for the team.

"Command at the line, that's one for sure," Quinn said. "The play making ability, the third and fourth downs, using his legs -- all of those are part of what makes him special in that way. But I love the accuracy that he throws with and a good job obviously taking care of the ball. That's gonna be premium in this game."

Daniels was all of that against the Giants, accounting for 302 total yards and two touchdowns. His first pass of the day was an 11-yard completion to Chig Okonkwo, and he found the tight end again two plays later for a 23-yard gain, setting up Jacory Croskey-Merritt's 33-yard rushing score.

Daniels was most impactful on the ground, and the Giants had few answers for him when he got into the open field. He went untouched up the middle of the Giants' defense, outrunning every defender on his way to a 38-yard rushing touchdown -- his first of the season and the longest of his career. He did it again on the Commanders' following drive, turning a third-and-2 into a 26-yard score.

Daniels is now tied with Sammy Baugh for most all-time rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in franchise history and the first Washington quarterback to rush for nine rushing touchdowns within the first three seasons of their career.

"It felt good to be back playing football and feeling like myself," Daniels said.

But Daniels was also as efficient as ever as a passer. Though his final stats -- 17-of-25 for 199 yards -- were not eye-catching, the throws he made showed off the decision-making and accuracy he flashed in camp and the first two weeks of the season. He connected with Antonio Williams on a third-and-7 in the fourth quarter for an eight-yard gain. He zipped a pass to Terry McLaurin for a two-point conversion following his second touchdown run, and in overtime, he connected with McLaurin again on a 16-yard pass that moved the offense to the 39-yard line.

Daniels ended the game with an 80.9 QBR and is now eighth in the league in the category. He's also one of four quarterbacks with zero interceptions and at least 75 attempts.

Quinn said it was the moments that don't show up on the stat sheet that prove why Daniels is so talented as a passer.

"And then when it gets into the crunch-time moments, like you look at Terry, delivering the ball in the right location and same thing to [Treylon] Burks. So, I thought for somebody that's missed time, I thought he played sharp."

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the game regarding Daniels is that he came away unscathed. It was one of the primary concerns for the team, which is why he wore the brace that prohibits him from fully extending his arm. Daniels was more proactive about protecting himself with his play style as well. He slid at the end of runs to prevent extra hits and emphasized falling on his right side when being tackled. It's a process he will continue to work on throughout the season, but for his first game back, it was a good start.

"Just wasn't even thinking about it," Daniels said of the brace. "I was just playing football."

The Commanders are 1-3-1 through five games this season, but the season is far from over. The division remains competitive, as two other teams have three losses, and some of the Commanders' key players are getting healthy. As frustrating as the past few weeks have been for the players, there is still hope for them to turn things around.

That becomes much easier with Daniels under center. If he can stay on the field and build upon last weekend's performance, there's hope that the Commanders can compete with anyone.

"It was awesome to have him back on the field," Quinn said.