Jayden Daniels’ dislocated left elbow may be healing quicker than expected, but not fast enough for him to play this week.
The Washington Commanders’ star quarterback, who missed last week’s 33-31 upset win over Seattle after being injured in a Week 2 loss at Dallas, traveled with the team to London ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.
Washington coach Dan Quinn initially said that Daniels could start if he can get a positive evaluation after practicing this week. Daniels worked in a limited capacity each day, which Quinn called “a huge positive step for us” on Friday, but Marcus Mariota will earn his second straight start.
Mariota threw for three touchdowns — the first time he’s done that in four years — while adding a 9-yard run for a late first down that clinched the team’s first victory in three games, a 33-31 home upset of the Seattle Seahawks. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and no turnovers.
Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft, has become a more-than-useful backup capable of filling in nicely for stretches of games.
“When he’s been in there, we believe wholeheartedly he could give us a chance to win football games,” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said of Mariota.
Quinn has other injury concerns aside from Daniels. Guard Sam Cosmi (concussion, throat) and safety Nick Cross (illness) didn’t make the trip and won’t play, and running back Rachaad White (shoulder) was also ruled out.
McLaurin was added to the injury report Friday, limited by a hamstring issue, and is questionable along with safety Percy Butler (concussion).
One piece of good news on Washington’s injury front is that veteran running back Austin Ekeler is in line to return this week. Ekeler sustained a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 2 last year after helping the Commanders reach the NFC Championship game in 2024.
“We’ll get him into the mix and see what the next three days look like,” Quinn said. “It’s cool to have Austin here. He’s a great teammate and really one respected teammate here.”
Indianapolis also comes to London with a 1-2 record after rallying for a 19-17 home win last Sunday against Houston. Kicker Spencer Shrader drilled a go-ahead 53-yarder with 16 seconds left.
It was the biggest kick for Shrader since a game-winner in Week 2 last year against Denver. Shortly after that, he suffered a knee injury that ended his season. Shrader was worried he had tweaked his groin before the game against the Texans.
Instead, he not only helped win the game but will now kick in a Premier League stadium that he hoped he might play in one day as a soccer player. Shrader went to Brazil after high school, intending to make a professional roster, before returning to the U.S. and walking on as a kicker at South Florida.
“I kind of envisioned that one day, I’d play in those stadiums and be kicking a circular ball around,” he said.
Instead, Shrader and the Colts are in London trying to make the oblong ball behave. One key to a potential Indianapolis win will likely be how quarterback Daniel Jones handles the blitz. Washington blitzes at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL.
“Very multiple in what they do,” said Colts coach Shane Steichen of the Commanders’ schemes. “A lot of pressures … they bring a lot of blitzes.”
Running back Jonathan Taylor could be the best antidote to that kind of defense. He has 258 yards and four touchdowns.
The Colts are much healthier than the Commanders. Only wide receivers Keenan Allen (groin) and Ashton Dulin (ankle) are questionable, with tight end Mo Alie-Cox (illness) and Shrader among the others cleared to play.
The Colts hold a 21-11 lead in the all-time series that dates back to their Baltimore days.
–Field Level Media
