The Washington Commanders arrived at their Week 4 trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium riding high after a stunning upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. By the end of the day, that momentum had vanished, swallowed up by injuries, mistakes and a game that kept tilting further away.
For Washington, the loss was about more than one bad afternoon. The team is already dealing with a long injury list, and the situation only worsened in London. It now looks like a group trying to keep its head above water, and the next chance to steady things comes in Week 5 against the New York Giants.
The biggest blow came at quarterback. Marcus Mariota started well enough, but a knee injury in the first quarter changed everything.
With Jayden Daniels already out because of a dislocated elbow, the Commanders suddenly found themselves in a spot they could not afford. Mariota was sacked in the red zone, edge rusher Laiatu Latu landed on his right knee, and after a check in the medical tent, the veteran headed to the locker room.
That left seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis to take over under center.
The offensive line situation didn’t help. Washington shuffled things up with Lucas Patrick remaining at center and rookie sixth-round pick Matt Gulbin stepping in at right guard for Nick Allegretti, who had opened the season poorly.
But the setup again underscored how much Sam Cosmi matters. Cosmi missed the trip to London because of a concussion and throat issue, and Gulbin had a rough time against Indianapolis.
The Colts controlled the Michigan State product, which made life even harder for a rookie quarterback trying to manage the game.
And then came the injury parade. Charles Omenihu went down early.
Jaylin Lane was carted off after a gruesome-looking injury on a kickoff return. Jeremy Reaves hurt his arm.
Tyler Owens suffered a hamstring issue. Rookie linebacker Sonny Styles also spent time off the field.
It all feeds into a troubling pattern for Washington. The Commanders were crushed by injuries in 2025, and now the same kind of damage is piling up again. That leaves Dan Quinn’s team with plenty to fix and no margin for error as it turns toward a crucial Week 5 matchup with the Giants.
In Other News...
Commanders Got Pulled Into Jason Kelces Latest On-Air Awkward Moment
Jason Kelce found himself in another clumsy on-air moment during the NFL International Series game between the Commanders and the Colts, when he slipped and used Washingtons former team name. Dave Pasch quickly corrected him on the broadcast, keeping the moment from lingering too long, but it was the kind of live-TV stumble that instantly stands out when the whole audience catches it in real time.
Kelce has already had a few of these awkward broadcast miscues lately, including a separate slip on Monday Night Football when he referred to the Eagles as "we." For Washington fans, it was another reminder that even in a game with an overseas spotlight, the conversation can drift away from the action on the field and into the broadcast booth. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders London Game Suddenly Feels Very Different Before Colts Matchup
The Commanders trip to London just picked up a different kind of weight. What was already an unusual early kickoff against the Colts on Oct. 4 now has a new quarterback storyline attached to it, with Jayden Daniels sidelined and Marcus Mariota set to make the start. Washington is also carrying a mixed injury picture into the game, with Sam Cosmi and Nick Cross ruled out while Frankie Luvu and Chig Okonkwo are back in the fold.
For a team trying to keep its footing on an international stage, the ripple effects are hard to ignore. A morning kickoff alone can alter the feel of a game, but losing Daniels changes the way Washington will have to approach everything from protection to tempo against Indianapolis, even as a few injured pieces return to help stabilize the roster. The matchup still has plenty of intrigue, but it now looks like a very different kind of test for the Commanders. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Now Face A Brutal Problem Heading Into Division Games
The Commanders left London not just with a loss to the Colts, but with a deeper sense of urgency heading into the division stretch. Playing with third-string quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis after injuries sidelined Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, Washington was already operating under difficult conditions before Indianapolis pulled away for a 30-13 win. Jonathan Taylor powered the Colts with two rushing touchdowns, and Daniel Jones added another on the ground even while his passing day never quite got going.
For Washington, the bigger concern is how thin the offense looked by the end of the trip. Wide receiver Jaylin Lane also exited with an ankle injury, adding another health issue to a unit that is suddenly scrambling for answers. With division games up next, the Commanders are facing a stretch where every missing piece matters, and the margin for error already looks painfully small. [Read more 🡒]