Marcus Mariota is getting his second straight start at quarterback for the Commanders this Sunday in London against the Indianapolis Colts, and if you watched our Seahawks get edged out last week, you know why that stings. The dude just threw three touchdown passes in their 33-31 win over us, remember? So yeah, it’s Mariota again, not the injured Jayden Daniels.
Daniels’ Elbow Drama Continues, Mariota Steps Up Again
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed Mariota’s start on Friday after practice, all the way out there in London. The big story here is Daniels’ health, though. He’s been sidelined since dislocating his elbow in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. He did get back to practice this week, moving around in a limited fashion and rocking a protective brace. Coach Quinn called it a “huge positive step” for Daniels and the team. Daniels himself said he was mentally ready to start and wasn’t worried about re-injury, thanks to that brace. But, yeah, he’s out. Mariota’s in. This isn’t Daniels’ first rodeo with this kind of thing either. He missed most of the second half of last season with the *same exact injury*. This is a third-year quarterback who led them to the NFC championship game in his rookie season, so this has to be brutal for their fans. Quinn’s looking for a “full week of practice” and an “entire group medical performance” before Daniels is back on the field. Sounds like they’re being super cautious, which, fair, given his history.
Backfield Battles: White’s Out, Ekeler’s In
Beyond the quarterback situation, the Commanders’ running back room is also seeing some changes. Rachaad White, who’s been grinding for 100 yards on 22 carries and added 9 receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown through three games, didn’t practice for a third straight day due to a shoulder injury. His game status for Sunday is still up in the air, with an official injury report coming later. But Washington isn’t sitting still. They signed veteran running back Austin Ekeler on Monday, and by all accounts, he’s been looking sharp. Coach Quinn said Ekeler “had a good week” and definitely “did not look rusty.” That’s gotta be a relief for them, especially if White can’t go. Having a guy like Ekeler step in could be massive.
So, Mariota gets another shot against the Colts, and then the Commanders are back home to host the New York Giants on October 11th before their Week 7 bye. For us Seattle fans, it’s a reminder of what Mariota can do, even if it was at our expense. Here’s hoping Daniels gets healthy soon and their backfield finds some stability, but not before we get a few more wins under our belt! Go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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