Mariota starts for Commanders vs Colts in London — SkimNews
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- Marcus Mariota will make his second start of the season for the Washington Commanders against the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday in London.
- Jayden Daniels was ruled out after dislocating his elbow in Week Two against the Dallas Cowboys — the second such injury in as many seasons, having missed most of last year's second half with the same problem.
- Head coach Dan Quinn announced the decision Friday at the team's London hotel, calling Daniels' return to limited practice "a huge positive step" and saying Washington would reassess after a full week of work.
- Mariota delivered three touchdown passes in last week's 33-31 upset of the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks, his first start filling in for Daniels.
- Sky Sports analysts Phoebe Schecter and Neil Reynolds split on the outcome: Schecter picked the Commanders citing Mariota's confidence, while Reynolds backed the Colts and predicted Jonathan Taylor would touch the ball "at least 30 times."
- The Commanders host the New York Giants on October 11 and have a bye in Week Seven, giving Daniels extra runway before any potential return.
Why it matters: The Commanders' path in London now rests on Mariota replicating the form he showed against Seattle, while a Colts offense missing Alec Pierce and lacking a consistent run game may struggle to keep pace. For Daniels, a second elbow dislocation in as many seasons raises durability concerns for a franchise cornerstone just two years removed from his NFC Championship rookie campaign.
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