Shoya's work ethic has always been visible for all to see. He's a guy often in the training room or the video room. Practice makes perfect, and this principle has followed him since he arrived in the NFL.
Mustafa had just arrived at the training ground with him, and wide receiver Timoty DeVita, head of special teams, greeted, "Didn't you start practicing with Shoya? Why are you here earlier than usual? »
Mustafa raised his hand and pointed to the weight room: "I just train with him, but my training is not as intense; I don't think I can match it."
Shoya came up behind him and patted him on the shoulder, "This guy is a little hit. He practiced with me last week, and he threw up."
Everyone laughed except Mustafa, who frowned, feeling his honor trampled on. But the coach came to calm everyone down. "Attention everyone," and the sound of "BEEP BEEP!" interrupted the training ground.
"The team should be united. That's something even a 3-year-old should know," Johnson paused and continued without hesitation. "Yesterday, Niklas came to see me, and I consulted with Timothy and Chase. We have a unanimous consensus with the staff. From this week until the end of the regular season, Shoya will officially be the captain of the offensive team. »
Standing on the spot, Shoya wasn't expecting it, and all eyes were on him, but Johnson didn't care and continued.
"The report has already been reported to the league and is effective immediately." Johnson's voice seemed to dissipate, and Shoya looked at Niklas without understanding what was happening. He knows what's happening but needs help understanding the why or the how.
Niklas smiled and then nodded encouragingly, "Captain."
Mustafa and Montez, standing next to them, came and greeted them with a smile "Yo, Captain."
However, Shoya is not letting up; he can see the gap between him and the elite in the previous match. Not wanting to lose, he had to look for a target, and Trevor Lawrence came at the right time. 13/15,209 yards, 4TD, and a QB rating of 158.3, the highest possible rating for the Jaguars quarterback.
Getting into the NFL, becoming the team's starting quarterback, gaining a foothold on the team... He didn't dare relax, especially since he wasn't supposed to have all that now. Now, he takes over the duties of captain of the offensive team, and more importantly, he has earned the trust of the defensive team.
Mustafa is still with him. As a best friend, he has to be there. "Be yourself, and you'll be fine. After that, he sincerely gave a warm hug, "Believe me, you're a true leader. At your pace, we're ready to follow."
As a captain, he must devote more attention to training and focus on his progress. He never took it lightly, even before the change of status, whether on the basics or tactically.
"Mouss, I'm up now, and you're asleep? Tomorrow, we will train early, study the tactical manual, and cultivate tacit understanding. Are you following me? »
The cooperation between the quarterback and the receiver is a delicate chemical reaction. In his opinion, every great quarterback needs a great passing target, and Mustafa is the most logical choice. He's his friend, and he has an impressive physical background.
He's building his own style, and a great receiver can accelerate a quarterback's progression. That's what he wants Mustafa to become.
This does not mean completely changing one's tactical allocation but using it more effectively. He can't force the game on Mustafa to make his stats; that would be counterproductive, and the coach and all the teammates would severely reprimand him.
Shoya put his fist between him and his teammate, and the latter joined his fist against his in response. Actions speak louder than words.
The next game will be in Washington against the New York Giants. The NFC East is split in two with the Cowboys, Eagles, and then the Commanders and Giants. As it turns out, both teams have the same record of four wins and nine losses.
There is nothing to look forward to this season for both teams, but no one wants to lose a division duel.
The New York Giants, since 2023, have been making dinner seasons a roller coaster. Daniel Jones isn't a bad quarterback, but he needs to be surrounded by the right people to perform. The Giants made the playoffs in 2025 after missing them in 2024 because of the tiebreaker.
But since last season, they've been on two seasons with a negative record, and this season, it looks like there's an implosion. Daniel Jones isn't the problem, but the defense has totally let go and is being opened up from all sides.
The last pass defense, needless to say. But they are the only team to have beaten Buffalo and Philadelphia this season, the top two in each conference.
Mustafa kept his word, with eight receptions, 105 yards, and a TD. The match was difficult to decide, and the two teams surrendered blow after blow. The Giants led for a long time with 25/31, 200 passing yards, and 71 rushing yards for Daniel Jones.
But Shoya found receiver slot Tim Cadet, and the two teams went into overtime. After a missed goal in the third quarter, Louie O'Galvin gave the Commanders the win with a 56-yard field goal.
He'd missed one from 52 yards earlier, but sometimes the kicker has to be even tougher mentally than a quarterback. And so, the Commanders earned their fifth win of the season and moved up to third in the division.
There is a difference between finishing third and last, especially the schedule for next season. In the NFL, there is no such thing as tanking. In any case, it doesn't exist for the players, but for the managers, it's something else.
It is said that the owner of the Commanders has asked Johnson to tank, but the sources are not reliable. In any case, Shoya has done a better job than the management hoped for, with three wins in four games.
With a solid performance today, 27/42, 276 yards, and 2TD, he questioned himself and bounced back nicely from his game against the Bills. But the next game is not a game that will burst the screen.
It's not a direct opponent or any hatred but the confrontation of two rookie quarterbacks; this matchup can potentially represent the future of the NFL in the years to come.
It is for this reason that observers eagerly await these duels. The Las Vegas Raiders come to Washington, led by quarterback Ayinde Moses.