The Washington Commanders are coming off a big win in Week 3 and will look to carry that momentum into their matchup against the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Once again, Dan Quinn will be without Jayden Daniels, who is still recovering from an elbow injury.
Although Daniels practiced on a limited basis this week and traveled with the rest of his teammates to London, the coaching staff ultimately ruled him out. Once again, veteran Marcus Mariota will take the reins and start at quarterback.
The primary backup for this game against the Colts will be rookie Athan Kaliakmanis, just as he was against the Seattle Seahawks. Meanwhile, Daniels continues to recover from the injury to his non-throwing arm.
When could Daniels return?
Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys when he landed awkwardly after getting knocked down. Luckily for Washington, tests showed no fractures or major ligament damage, and he dodged surgery or an IR stint altogether.
Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders participates in warmups prior to a game against the Dallas Cowboys.
He already got back to practice this week in a limited role while sporting a protective brace on his non-throwing arm. Dan Quinn expects him to have a full week of practice next week, putting him right on track for a potential Week 5 return against the New York Giants.
Establishing themselves in the NFC East
Sitting at a 1-2 record after getting back on track with a tight win against Seattle, the Commanders know that climbing back into the NFC East race means capitalizing on their upcoming slate. After heading to London in Week 4, their schedule starting from Week 5 features a crucial mix of division rivalry and top-tier road tests:
- Week 5 (Oct 11): vs New York Giants (Northwest Stadium, Landover)
- Week 6 (Oct 19 – MNF): at San Francisco 49ers (Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara)
- Week 7: BYE WEEK
- Week 8 (Nov 1 – SNF): vs Philadelphia Eagles (Northwest Stadium, Landover)
- Week 9 (Nov 8): vs Los Angeles Rams (Northwest Stadium, Landover)
If Dan Quinn‘s squad can protect home field against the Giants and Eagles in this stretch, they’ll turn the NFC East into an absolute dogfight before November even hits.
Key takeaways
- Jayden Daniels was ruled out for the London game due to an elbow injury.
- Marcus Mariota will start at quarterback for the Washington Commanders against Indianapolis.
- Washington hopes for a potential Week 5 return against the New York Giants.
