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Commanders' Injury Woes Continue In 30-13 Week 4 Loss To Colts
The Washington Commanders injury problems worsened on Sunday in the team's 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in London.
Washington entered the London matchup without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was sidelined with an elbow injury after week two against Dallas. The Commanders were also without starting wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who was added to the team’s injury report as questionable after suffering a hamstring injury in Friday’s team practice.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota started in Daniels' place but left the game early in the first quarter after injuring his right knee on a sack. According to Head Coach Dan Quinn, the team thinks that Mariota re-aggravated the MCL injury he suffered during the preseason. The veteran quarterback will undergo scans on Monday to determine the full extent of the injury.
Mariota's injury called rookie quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis into action, marking his NFL debut under unfortunate circumstances. Kaliakmanis completed 15-of-33 passes for 186 yards, recorded one touchdown, and one interception.
The Commanders got off to a strong start defensively. On the first play of the Colts’ opening drive, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw deflected a pass from quarterback Daniel Jones that was intended for running back Jonathan Taylor. One play later, outside linebacker Odafe Oweh sacked Jones for a loss of 8-yards and forced a fumble, which Oweh recovered at the Indianapolis 21-yard line. The takeaway gave Washington excellent field position.
Washington capitalized on the turnover by reaching the red zone, but the Commanders settled for a field goal to put the first points on the board. On their next possession, Washington again moved into scoring range but failed to finish the drive. Mariota suffered his injury during that possession, adding to the Commanders’ early offensive struggles.
The Commanders led 6-0 late in the second quarter, but the Colts responded after a questionable fourth down decision and an unnecessary roughness penalty on cornerback Amik Robertson extending Indianapolis' drive. Running back Johnathan Taylor then scored on a rushing touchdown to give Indianapolis a 7-6 lead. The Colts took a 10-6 advantage into halftime.
Indianapolis extended its lead early in third quarter when linebacker Jaylon Carlies intercepted Kaliakmanis' pass intended for wide receiver Antonio Williams. The turnover set up Taylor's second touchdown of the game.
Kaliakmanis responded with a 47-yard bullet downfield to wide receiver Treylon Burks, giving Washington a brief spark. However, the Commanders' offense struggled to generate consistent production following that play. Although, Kaliakmanis did connect with Williams on a play that initially resulted in a 87-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
But it was two penalties that erased the touchdown. The first penalty was an illegal shift call and the second was an offensive holding call on wide receiver Dyami Brown.
The Colts managed to pull away in the fourth quarter behind its rushing attack. Taylor finished the day with 95 yards and two touchdowns, while Seth McGowan added 31 rushing yards and Jones scored on the ground. Jones also finished the day completing 19-of-34 passes for 148 yards and threw one interception.
Washington's offense moved the ball effectively with Mariota but struggled after his departure. The protection up front also left Kaliakmanis repeatedly fighting under pressure, while the Commanders 10 penalties compared to just one for the Colts further limited the team down the stretch.
The Commanders also lost wide receiver Jaylin Lane to what head coach Dan Quinn described as a “serious” ankle injury, while defensive end Charles Omenihu exited with a groin injury. Theses injuries were added to Washington’s ongoing list of absences.
Sunday’s loss in London dropped the Commanders to 1-3 on the season and raised further questions about team's quarterback situation heading into Week 5 against NFC East rival, the New York Giants. The matchup will mark Washington’s second home game of the season.
Daniels is expected to return to practice Wednesday, while Mariota’s status will depend on further evaluation of his knee injury.
