ClutchPoints
The Washington Commanders won’t have Jayden Daniels against the Chiefs. And that could add to their third-down woes. However, for those who want to live in the land of silly optimism, here is how the Commanders can shock the Chiefs in Week 8 without Jayden Daniels.
This is the second injury for Daniels, who suffered a sprained left knee against Green Bay in Week 2 and missed two games. Still, the Commanders went 1-1 with the offense scoring a combined 61 points.
But remember, this is the Chiefs, not the Raiders or Falcons.
Let’s give Mariota a break on the horrible pick-six he threw against the Cowboys. It was a bad decision, a horrible effort, and it didn’t change the outcome of the game.
Overall, Mariota has been solid. In three games, he has completed 60.3% of his passes for 426 yards. He has three touchdown tosses and two interceptions while taking five sacks.
The Commanders can win with him at quarterback. But against the improving Chiefs, Mariota has to play at his highest level.
One good thing is Mariota has confidence playing for the Commanders. It’s part of his second journey in the NFL, according to The Athletic.
“It’s been such an interesting journey for me and I would never trade it for anything in the world,” Mariota said recently. “I think I’m here for a reason. I believe in it.”
One reason Mariota has enjoyed his ride with the Commanders is the way head coach Dan Quinn handled him.
“The discussions we had were: ‘Be you, man,’ Quinn said. “That’s more than enough. And you don’t have to overtry or put (anything extra) on it. I was very proud of him for that.”
That allowed Mariota to play with more freedom.
“Throughout my career, I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect, and I think I play my best when I’m enjoying it and having fun,” he said last season. “So that’s kind of how I’ve approached it, maybe the last couple years, and whatever happens, happens. But I think for the most part it’s just focusing on what I can control and not worrying about everything else.”
And that’s what the Commanders need on Monday night. Mariota needs to hit modest totals, like 250 yards passing. Maybe 25 yards rushing. And most of all, he has to lead the Commanders to finishing drives.
The Chiefs are powerful against the pass. They’ve allowed only 174.6 yards per game, which ranks No. 4 in the NFL. So, the Commanders will need to run the football to have a chance to move it down the field.
That means Jacory Croskey-Merritt will have to have at least his second-best game of the season. He will need to be effective on first down, getting four, five, or six yards. If he gets hits for one or two yards, the Commanders’ drive will immediately be in...
