McLaurin had six receptions for 98 yards, but all he wanted to speak about was how effectively Mariota handled the situation. Stepping in for Daniels in the first quarter was never going to be easy, but McLaurin was confident Mariota would not be intimidated.
Following the game on Sunday, October 21, McLaurin told reporters, including Monumental Sports Network’s Ethan Cadeaux, “shoutout to Marcus for coming in and being ready.” I’d expect nothing less from him; he’s been a leader since he arrived here. He’s really helped Jayden along, and we’ve really developed a bond with him as well.”
Mariota demonstrated that he can still win in the NFL, and the Commanders may rely on him if Daniels is not fully recovered by Week 8’s game against the Chicago Bears at Northwest Stadium. The top two picks in this year’s draft, Daniels and first-overall pick Caleb Williams, are expected to compete in a star-studded quarterback war, but information about Washington’s quarterback number one are few.
It is significant. McLaurin further told the press: “I’m not going to speculate on his injury, but he’s a tough guy and I know he’s going to do whatever it takes to try to be ready for next week.”
Subsequent developments on Daniels’ injury have been mixed, so Mariota may be called upon to provide more quality relief.
Marcus Mariota Proved Veteran Quality.
This was turn-the-clock-back stuff from Mariota, who has become somewhat of a nomad since entering the league as the second overall choice in 2015. Going second overall isn’t the only similarity Mariota has with Daniels.
Mariota also won the Heisman Trophy in college, which garnered a lot of initial buzz due to his incredible dual-threat abilities. Those abilities never translated into enough wins for the Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, or Philadelphia Eagles, but Mariota delivered in style when the Commanders needed him.
Touchdown throws to veteran tight end Zach Ertz and youngster Ben Sinnott demonstrated Mariota’s ease with Kliff Kingsbury’s offence. In the two-minute drill before halftime, he also led a 92-yard touchdown drive.
That was McLaurin’s “favourite” part of the game, but he also gave respect to Mariota and fellow experienced backup quarterback Jeff Driskel for their preparation. Mariota recounted to Sam Fortier of The Washington Post how both deputy signal-callers remained focused during practice, despite Daniels clearly being the star.
According to McLaurin, “Both Jeff and Marcus, every time we’re in walkthroughs or taking reps, they’re back there taking mental reps.” They’re going through the checks, signals, and routines like they’re playing.”
McLaurin believes that with this degree of preparation, Kingsbury and the Commanders coaches will not need to change the offence if Daniels is not on the field. This may be a major advantage if the so-far dominant playmaker is missing against the Bears.
Jayden Daniels Injury Verdict Remains Uncertain
There is no unanimity on the severity of Daniels’ injury. His mother instantly assured supporters that her son is “fine,” but head coach Dan Quinn remained noncommittal.
Quinn told ESPN’s John Keim there will be “no update” until additional testing are completed. It’s prudent to be cautious, but it’s a mistake to pretend that alarm bells aren’t ringing.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk provided a hint of warning in his report. He explained on “Football Night in America” that he “asked a source with knowledge of the matter, ‘what’s the level of concern, from one to ten?’ I’m told it’s a three or four, which is essential because Caleb Williams and the Bears will be in town next week.”
The Commanders will want to see Daniels return to the field as quickly as possible, but they cannot risk the franchise’s future. Not when Mariota has proven he can keep one of the league’s most explosive offences running smoothly.
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