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Commanders' QB Marcus Mariota Injured, Team Falls to Colts
Confirmed
In Short: Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota left Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts with a knee injury, leading to a 30-13 loss.
Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota was ruled out at halftime after suffering a knee injury during the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts in London.
Mariota was injured on the second series of the game when Colts defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore sacked him, causing his right knee to bend awkwardly.
Coach Dan Quinn told ESPN's Molly McGrath that Mariota aggravated an MCL injury that had previously sidelined him during the preseason.
The injury occurred as Mariota was playing in place of Jayden Daniels, who missed the game due to a dislocated left elbow.
After Mariota's exit, third-string quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis took over, completing 15 of 33 passes for 186 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The Commanders' offense struggled without Mariota, scoring only a field goal on their first possession after his injury.
Jonathan Taylor rushed for two touchdowns and 95 yards, while Colts quarterback Daniel Jones added a rushing touchdown, contributing to the Colts' victory.
The Commanders' loss dropped them to 1-3 for the season.
Prior to the injury, Mariota had led the team to a 33-31 upset win over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3.
The team is now down to their third-string quarterback, with no immediate plans to add another quarterback to the roster.
The Commanders are hopeful that Jayden Daniels will return for their Week 5 game against the New York Giants.
The injury to Mariota highlights the Commanders' thin depth at the quarterback position.
What this adds
The injury to Mariota is a significant setback for the Commanders, who were counting on him to lead the team while Daniels recovers.
The team's offensive struggles without Mariota underscore the importance of having a strong quarterback.
Background
The Commanders are now down to their third-string quarterback, with Kaliakmanis taking over after Mariota's knee injury.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to return to the field against the Washington Commanders in Week 3, after missing the previous game due to a glute injury.
What's confirmed
- The Commanders are down to their third-string quarterback.
- The Commanders ruled him out with an elbow injury shortly after.
What's still developing
- Given how prevalent the elbow issues have been for Daniels over the past two seasons, the Commanders want to be cautious to make sure he is at full strength before putting him back on the field.
- Mariota did walk on his own into the locker room after being examined in the medical tent.
- Mariota was injured on this play against the Colts: Mariota is headed to the locker room for further evaluation.
- Overall, this is disastrous news for the Commanders and their quarterback, who was excellent in the first half.
- Commanders still await Daniels timeline, will start Mariota vs. Seahawks | ESPN La Crosse 105.5 You are using an outdated browser.
- After a short time in the injury tent, Mariota walked back to the locker room for further evaluation.
- Washington scored field goals on each of its first two possessions, with Mariota completing three of four passes for 46 yards and also ripping off a 35-yard run.
- The @Colts get a huge sack on 3rd and goal @INDvsWAS on NFL Network Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/orNGwpNKtU Kaliakmanis was the 223rd overall pick in April's draft and won the Commanders' third-string quarterback job with a strong preseason.
- But one statistic highlighted just how tough it was for the Commanders’ offense on Sunday.