Why Commanders trust their backup QB if Jayden Daniels is out

Losing in Week 2 was bad enough, and the way the Washington Commanders lost left many wondering what would happen moving forward.

However, worse than losing one game for the Commanders was the loss of two key starters and news that their starting quarterback is among those who also left Thursday night wounded by the battle.

If Jayden Daniels is unable to overcome his sprained knee to play this Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, Marcus Mariota will be prepared to step in, and we expect that would represent a fundamental shift in the style of play, rather than significantly downgrade the offense’s capabilities.

That is to say, Mariota would bring a different style of play and alter the tactical approach offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury would need to bring to his game plan, but it wouldn’t be the death blow some might think it would be.

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (18). | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

'Through the Roof' Confidence

In fact, the Commanders’ confidence is “through the roof,” head coach Dan Quinn told reporters on Monday. Something he says is “based on who he is, the teammate, what he’s shown to us here.”

Certainly, the comment could be dismissed as coach speak. What else is he going to say, that Mariota is much less capable than Daniels, and if they have to turn to the veteran, that they’ll likely lose the game?

More Than Just Coach Speak

Even if he believed it, he’d never say it. So the good news is, we have reason to believe him because of the fact that in two opportunities to really perform for Washington in 2024, Mariota balled out, as the kids say.

In his two significant appearances last season, Mariota completed north of 78 percent of his passes, averaged 8.9 yards per pass attempt, and threw four touchdown passes to zero interceptions.

That’s great performance, no matter the defense. Last year, the Las Vegas Raiders’ pass defense was ranked right near the bottom of the league, with the two units Mariota picked apart, the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, and this year they’re allowing just over six yards per attempt through two weeks, more than they did in 2024.

Additionally, off the field, Quinn says there couldn’t be a tighter quarterback room, which only adds to the likelihood that any of them could be successful when put into action.

“I love our quarterback room, Jayden, Marcus, and Josh [Johnson]... It's a pretty remarkable group and the way they lean and support one another,” Quinn said.

A Patient Approach Pays Off

In the preseason, Mariota went through a calf injury that the Commanders played patiently, allowing him to “hit all the markers” before bringing him back into action. Quinn says they’ll take the same approach with Daniels, ensuring his knee is good to go before putting him out there again, making the quarterback “true day-to-day” according to his coach.

Because of that approach, Mariota is now healthy, and any lingering concerns about his ailment seem to have dissipated as he recovered the right way over the fastest way.

“It took a while, but he has fully made it all the way back,” Quinn said. "Those are frustrating to go through as the player, but I can remember having the conversation. I said, ‘Hey man, that's it today. ’ And that's why we waited.”

That patience may very well pay off this weekend, because if Daniels needs more time to heal his knee, a fully healthy Mariota has already proven that with a slight tweak in the offensive approach by Kingsbury that he can drive the car when needed.

When will we find out? Quinn says they’ll take all the way to Friday, and even then, don’t be surprised to hear that Daniels is going to be a game-time decision, meaning the Commanders and Raiders both will be preparing for both, all the way down to kickoff.

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