Hogs Haven
Washington Post (paywall)
The Commanders’ star quarterback is nursing a knee sprain ahead of a matchup with the Raiders.
After getting banged up during the Commanders’ Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, Daniels had an MRI exam Friday that revealed the nature of his injury. Coach Dan Quinn said Daniels’s rehab is off to “a good start” and included a throwing session. But the coaching staff will need to see him back on the field with the rest of the team before feeling comfortable with letting him play Sunday, Quinn said.
If Daniels can’t play, Marcus Mariota is slated to start in his place. The 31-year-old received significant snaps in two games last season; he helped the Commanders secure a victory each time.
The Athletic (paywall)
Washington Commanders
Timeline: Daniels’ return timeline is unknown; on Monday, Quinn called him “truly day to day.”
Upcoming schedule: vs. Raiders (Sept. 21), at Falcons (Sept. 28), at Chargers (Oct. 5).
The Commanders re-signed Marcus Mariota in the offseason primarily for these moments. They know he can be relied upon to step in and close out games after he did so twice last season. The first was in Week 7, when Daniels suffered a rib injury during the opening drive against the Carolina Panthers. Mariota led Washington on six scoring drives in a 40-7 win. Then, in the season finale, when Washington pulled Daniels because of “mild leg soreness,” Mariota threw the game-winning touchdown to Terry McLaurin to clinch the No. 6 playoff seed.
The transition to Mariota was fairly seamless in both games; he knows Kliff Kingsbury’s system well, and Kingsbury has shown he can adapt to his quarterback. But few quarterbacks can do what Daniels can when healthy, so turning to Mariota for an extended period would inherently bring changes in Washington.
Still, Mariota is possibly the best option in these situations. He’s more than just an insurance policy. Like Daniels, he was the second pick (2015) and a Heisman Trophy winner. He’s also played in multiple systems, and has the right temperament to be the No. 2 — largely because of his perspective. He’s been a starter, he’s been benched, he’s been a gadget QB, he’s been the backup and he’s dealt with many injuries in between. — Nicki Jhabvala, Commanders beat writer
ESPN
Washington will provide a further update on Daniels’ status Friday. In the meantime, Mariota will get all the snaps with the first-team offense — as he did before Week 8 against Chicago last season when Daniels dealt with a rib injury. Daniels ended up playing in that game, capping his day with a 52-yard Hail Mary pass to stun the Bears.
“My routine stays the same,” said Mariota,...
