Scoring 40 points without Jayden Daniels didn’t surprise Terry McLaurin, and nor did the stellar performance of backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. The latter threw for two touchdowns after rookie sensation Daniels was forced off with a rib injury early during the Washington Commanders 40-7 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 7.
McLaurin snagged six catches for 98 yards, but all the four-time 1,000-yard wide receiver wanted to talk about was how well Mariota handled things. Stepping in for Daniels during the first quarter was never going to be easy, but McLaurin knew Mariota wouldn’t be rattled.
Speaking to reporters, including Monumental Sports Network’s Ethan Cadeaux, after the game on Sunday, October 21, McLaurin said, “shoutout to Marcus for coming in and being ready. I’d expect nothing else of him, he’s been a leader since he got here. He’s really helped Jayden along and we’ve really built some camaraderie with him as well.”
Mariota proved he can still win in the NFL, and the Commanders might need him to if Daniels isn’t healed by Week 8’s meeting with the Chicago Bears at Northwest Stadium. It’s supposed to be a star-studded quarterback battle between the top two picks in this year’s draft, Daniels and first-overall pick Caleb Williams, but details are lacking about the health of Washington’s QB1.
It’s significant, McLaurin also told reporters, “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 updates are mixed about the extent of Daniels’ injury, so Mariota could be called on for more quality relief duty.
Marcus Mariota Proved Veteran Quality
This was turn-the-clock-back stuff from Mariota, who has become a bit a of a nomad after entering the league as the No. 2 pick back in 2015. Going second overall isn’t the only similarity Mariota shares with Daniels.
Mariota also won a Heisman Trophy in college and generated a ton of initial hype thanks to awesome dual-threat skills. Those skills never translated to enough wins with the Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons or Philadelphia Eagles, but Mariota delivered in style when the Commanders needed him.
Touchdown passes to veteran tight end Zach Ertz and rookie Ben Sinnott showed Mariota’s comfort with coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. So did leading a 92-yard scoring drive in the two-minute drill before halftime.
That was McLaurin’s “favorite” part of the game, but he also credited the preparation of Mariota and fellow veteran backup passer Jeff Driskel. Mariota explained to Sam Fortier of The Washington Post how both deputy signal-callers have stay engaged during practice, despite Daniels clearly being the true star.
As McLaurin put it, “Both Jeff and Marcus, every time we’re in walkthroughs, every time we’re taking reps, they’re back there taking mental reps. They’re going through the checks, they’re going through the signals, they’re going through the routine as if they’re playing.”
McLaurin believes this level of preparation means Kingsbury and Commanders coaches don’t have to adjust the offense if Daniels isn’t on the field. That could be a huge asset if the so-far dominant playmaker is unavailable against the Bears.
Jayden Daniels Injury Verdict Remains Unclear
There’s no consensus on the seriousness of Daniels’ injury. His mother quickly assured fans her son is “fine,” but head coach Dan Quinn was non-committal.
Quinn told ESPN’s John Keim there’s “no update” until further tests are done. It’s smart to be cautious, but it would be a mistake to assume alarm bells aren’t ringing.
There was at least a hint of warning in a report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. He told “Football Night in America” how he “asked a source with knowledge of the situation, ‘what’s the level of concern, scale one to 10?’ I’m told it’s a three or a four, and that’s important because next week, Caleb Williams and the Bears come into town.”
The Commanders will want to see Daniels back on the field as soon as possible, but they don’t need to take chances with the future of the franchise. Not when Mariota’s proved he can keep one of the league’s most explosive offenses ticking over.
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