Marcus Mariota is back in the spot Washington has leaned on before, and he’ll be the Commanders’ starting quarterback Sunday against the Seahawks at Northwest Stadium.
Jayden Daniels is still sidelined after dislocating his left elbow in last Sunday’s 37-20 loss at Dallas, and Dan Quinn has not offered a timetable for his return while the third-year quarterback meets with specialists. For now, the assignment belongs to Mariota, who finished that Cowboys game and gave Washington a glimpse of what the offense looks like with him at the controls: 11 completions on 16 attempts for 111 yards and a 20-yard touchdown to Stefon Diggs.
That touchdown connection helped set the tone for Wednesday’s media session, where Diggs kept his answer light when asked what he thought of Mariota.
“I don’t know nothing about it; I think he’s alright. We’ll see.
I don’t know. He can throw a good ball, he’s been in the league for a long time.
I got a lot of confidence in him,” Diggs said.
Marshall Kramsky posted the clip on X: “Stefon Diggs was asked about the scouting report he would give on his QB Marcus Mariota. Diggs, as usual, had jokes.”
Diggs has reason to be comfortable either way. He caught touchdowns from both Daniels and Mariota last week and already has three scores through two games since signing with his hometown team.
Mariota, for his part, described the job in familiar terms. “The more that I can get these guys the ball, the playmakers, especially faster, the more space they get, the more they can do with it,” he told reporters.
“I used to joke that they tackle the guy with the ball, so the more I can get it out of my hands, then by all means.” He also stressed the importance of the group around him: “It takes a collective group effort.”
Those remarks were also included in the Associated Press dispatch carried by FOX Sports.
Sunday’s matchup asks Washington to adjust without Daniels’ legs and his off-schedule creativity. Quinn has said the full playbook remains available, but this week’s emphasis is clearly on rhythm and timing, not on trying to force Mariota into Daniels’ dual-threat mold.
The opponent adds another layer. Seattle has held teams to a league-low 136.5 passing yards per game through two weeks and already has four interceptions. Mariota said the Seahawks “fly around” and make their scheme come to life.
Daniels’ elbow injury carries a familiar note, too. He first dislocated the same non-throwing elbow last November against these same Seahawks, missed four weeks, returned, then aggravated it and sat out the rest of 2025.
X-rays after Sunday’s injury showed no fracture, but Quinn has not shared MRI details while Daniels sees additional specialists. An update could come Thursday or Friday.
Until then, Mariota is the answer, just as he was for eight starts last season, when Washington went 2-6 with him under center. The Commanders are 0-2 and a home underdog to the 2-0 defending Super Bowl champions, but the task remains straightforward: protect the ball, get it to Diggs, Terry McLaurin and the rest of the playmakers, and give the defense a chance.
Energy around the building has stayed up after Wednesday’s first full practice of the week, and Diggs called it “a great first day.” Now Washington turns to the quarterback it knows, and the version of the offense that comes with him.
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