Atlanta Falcons Get Definitive News on Two Key Commanders Players

Heading into the weekend, two important pieces of the Washington offense will be absent for the Atlanta Falcons matchup

The Atlanta Falcons' defense won't be up against two important components of the Washington offense | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons (1-2) face off against the Washington Commanders (2-1) in Atlanta on Sunday. The Commanders were without star quarterback Jayden Daniels in Week 3, who was nursing a sprained knee. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin played in the Commanders' 41-24  victory over the Raiders and hauled in three catches for 74 yards. 

Neither will see action in this upcoming game. 

According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Commanders will be without Daniels again for the Falcons matchup. Atlanta will face off against their former quarterback, Marcus Mariota, who started 13 games for the team during the 2022 season. 

McLaurin was ruled out as well, leaving Washington without two key offensive weapons ahead of the matchup with the Falcons. 

Daniels had returned to practice on Wednesday as a limited participant, with Washington head coach Dan Quinn saying he had watched the quarterback working on cutting and pivoting. Daniels’ status for the game was entirely dependent on the medical staff. 

Meanwhile, earlier this week, McLaurin popped up on the injury report with a quad injury. On Wednesday, it was reported that he was receiving a second opinion on his quad.

McLaurin had been held out of practice for three consecutive days. He is the Commanders' leading receiver with 149 yards through three games. McLaurin had 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns a season ago.

The Falcons faced off against Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin and the Commanders in Week 17 of the 2024 season, in a road game with immense playoff stakes for both teams. The Commanders won 30-24 in an overtime thriller, with Daniels recording 354 total yards (227 passing, 127 rushing) along with three touchdowns; McLaurin, who was dealing with a slight injury, was limited and had just one catch for five yards. The win clinched a playoff spot for Washington. 

The Falcons are looking to bounce back from an embarrassing 30-0 loss at the hands of the Carolina Panthers in Week 3. 

The Falcons have dropped four straight games against the Commanders, with Washington trotting out a different starting quarterback in each of the past three meetings: Taylor Heinicke in 2022, Sam Howell in 2023 and Jayden Daniels in 2024. Regardless of the quarterback, McLaurin has fared well against Atlanta, amassing 252 yards and two touchdowns in the previous three games before last season’s matchup. 

The Falcons desperately need to get back in the win column, especially with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sitting at 3-0 and looking ready to pull away with the NFC South crown for the fifth straight year. A win against the Commanders, who are missing two key starters, is certainly a good place to start.