Botched fourth-down call swung the momentum
Despite losing Marcus Mariota, the Washington Commanders were still looking pretty comfortable. This was thanks in no small part to their exceptional defensive display in the first half.
That's what made the Commanders' botched fourth-down call just inside their own half even worse.
The decision was terrible; the execution was even worse. After getting to the line of scrimmage quickly, the Commanders went into a huddle before barely getting a snap off. And giving the football to practice squad running back Craig Reynolds was another grave error of judgment.
It completely swung the momentum. Head coach Dan Quinn should have relied more heavily on his defense and pinned the Indianapolis Colts deep in their own territory. Instead, it gave them a short field, which led to a Jonathan Taylor score.
Austin Ekeler flashed promise
An enormous amount of intrigue surrounded Austin Ekeler's recent return. And with Rachaad White missing the contest with a shoulder injury, the veteran running back was needed immediately.
Ekeler wasn't going to take up lead-back duties. But when he did get touches, the flashes of explosiveness were there.
The Western Colorado product looked convincing, which was impressive given how long he's been out of action with a torn Achilles tendon. Ekeler showed no hesitation, which bodes well for his chances of featuring heavily as the campaign progresses.
With other running backs in Washington either hurt or struggling to produce the desired numbers, Ekeler could be an important piece of the puzzle moving forward.
Two fading Commanders players get reality checks
The Commanders have no room for passengers and underperformers if they want to get back on sounder footing this season. And two formerly established veterans got another harsh reality check against the Indianapolis Colts.
Nick Allegretti was benched. Lucas Patrick continued at center, with Matt Gulbin at right guard. For someone the Commanders placed so much faith in this offseason to get the hook for a sixth-round rookie, it's a sign his performances are being viewed poorly in the building.
And it looks as if Adam Peters' faith in Allegretti was severely misplaced.
If that was surprising, cornerback Mike Sainristil being on the fringes wasn't. His role is being reduced after a woeful start to 2026, and it could be a long way back into the coaches' good graces for both players.
Athan Kaliakmanis' debut
Athan Kaliakmanis probably didn't expect to get any game-time reps in Week 4. He was a backup to Marcus Mariota, but when the signal-caller went out with a knee injury, he was thrown into the fire.
The seventh-round rookie has a live arm and did shine in the preseason. However, doing the same against a formidable Colts defensive front was something else entirely.
Kaliakmanis showed some jitters, which wasn't surprising. The porous offensive line did him no favors, and everything looked out of sync with such an inexperienced quarterback under center.
The Rutgers product got more into his groove as the game wore on. Kaliakmanis was fearless in pushing the football downfield, trying desperately to keep the Commanders in the game. Sadly, it wasn't enough, but there were some encouraging moments.
Jayden Daniels will be pushing to start next week against the New York Giants. But if Mariota is now set for a spell on the sidelines, the Commanders need to sign another veteran.
Add us as a preferred source on Google