It looked for a while as if Jayden Daniels would take his place back in the lineup. However, the Washington Commanders' medical staff was not fully satisfied with the quarterback's mobility, which led to ruling him out once again in Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons.
This is a big blow, of course. But the Commanders can take solace in the fact that they have one of the league's most accomplished backups to depend upon.
Marcus Mariota will get the start versus another of his old clubs. The No. 2 pick is capable of coming in and ensuring no real momentum is lost. He put this on full display when deputizing for Daniels last time out against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mariota showcased his athleticism well. He made some key throws in big moments to keep the chains moving. There was complete control pre-snap, and everyone believed in him. It also helped that Washington's ground attack gained more than 200 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns.
The Falcons represent another challenge Mariota must overcome. His life will be easier with cornerback A.J. Terrell out through injury, but nothing but supreme execution and flawless composure would have done.
As it turned out, Mariota's performance was not enough to prevent the Commanders from suffering a disappointing defeat on their travels.
With that being said, here are five significant observations from Mariota's performance at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Major observations from Marcus Mariota's performance against the Falcons
Marcus Mariota's early caution
The Falcons were always going to come out of the blocks with urgency and purpose. Getting humiliated in Week 3 left a sour taste in the mouth, and head coach Raheem Morris is not the sort of guy who accepts such mediocrity.
This led Marcus Mariota into some early caution. The Commanders needed to weather the storm as Atlanta came out firing on all cylinders. It wasn't easy, but the signal-caller was way down the list of Washington's problems as they got into an early hole.
Mariota was missing some legitimate weapons in the passing game, which didn't exactly help his cause. The offensive line couldn't keep Atlanta out of the backfield during the opening exchanges, and it showed. The Heisman Trophy winner was frequently moved off his spot. He protected the football, but it didn't do much to get Washington into the required rhythm.
That wasn't the case with Michael Penix Jr., who was nothing short of electrifying to begin the contest. Mariota has spent much of his time behind center in Washington managing a lead. Now, the tables have turned, and a massive response was needed, with many influential figures not suiting up.
Marcus Mariota's solid first half
It wasn't a first half that will live long in the memory for the Washington Commanders. Their defense was sloppy, and the offense struggled to make any progress as the Atlanta Falcons gained the upper hand almost immediately. However, the performance of Marcus Mariota was a small bright spot amid the doom and gloom.
The Commanders were on the back foot. Mariota had to do much more, and he responded well. His laser to Luke McCaffrey for Washington's first touchdown of the game was outstanding. And although he didn't make every throw, he was largely accurate without setting the stat sheet on fire.
This is all the Commanders expect from Mariota, in all honesty. He's not going to take over a game in the way Jayden Daniels became so accustomed to during his rookie campaign for the ages. He's a sound game manager who can get things done if everyone around him meets expectations. And this is precisely what transpired over the first half.
- 75 percent completion
- 62 passing yards
- 1 touchdown
- 0 interceptions
- 2 sacks against
- 113.9 passer rating (ESPN)
The Commanders were not really at the races. They were still in the game, but this would have gotten ugly versus a better opponent.
Marcus Mariota was chasing the game too much
The reason why everything went so well for the Commanders in Marcus Mariota's first start of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders was solid complementary football that limited mistakes. That is the recipe for success with any backup signal-caller, and it wasn't evident nearly enough in Week 4.
Mariota was always chasing the contest. That's not exactly the best way to gain success, and the mistakes began to creep into his game throughout the second half.
There was an interception on a deep pass that was expertly brought in by Xavier Watts. Mariota looked more flustered as the Falcons dialed up the pressure. He stayed composed amid the chaos, but the cracks were showing from a long way out.
While one could point the blame on other areas, Mariota's usually flawless accuracy deserted him at the wrong time, which was a bad look. The Falcons knew it, too, and they had no trouble turning up the heat on him with a healthy advantage to protect.
There was no safety valve for Mariota. The timing was off as the stakes were raised. And yet, the Commanders weren't entirely out of the game heading into the fourth quarter.
Marcus Mariota kept fighting, but it wasn't enough
Nobody could accuse Marcus Mariota of throwing in the towel despite things not clicking as fans would have liked. The Washington Commanders quarterback kept fighting right until the end, but it wasn't enough.
This determination even got the Commanders back to within one score after a sensational throw by Mariota found wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. in the end zone. He successfully converted the two-point conversion, but the signal-caller got no help from the defense.
They were nothing short of woeful throughout. The Atlanta Falcons got whatever they wanted on the ground and through the air. Mariota didn't have the firepower to keep up, and the Commanders are now sitting at 2-2 through the first month of the campaign.
As previously mentioned, Mariota was relatively low on the list of problems. His performance wasn't perfect, but he was good at making things happen. He never gave up, even when other areas of the team seemed to wave the white flag. It's a testament to his professionalism and purpose, but one man cannot do it alone.
There was too much for Mariota to overcome. That's the long and short of it, and there is a lot of soul searching needed for this season to get back on track.
Marcus Mariota is serviceable, but the Commanders desperately need Jayden Daniels
There is no doubting that Marcus Mariota is an experienced, dependable No. 2 option. But if the Commanders want to fulfill their growing expectations after a sensational first campaign under head coach Dan Quinn, they need Jayden Daniels back at the earliest possible opportunity.
Things aren't going to get any easier for the Commanders next weekend. They are traveling to face the Los Angeles Chargers, who appear to be a genuine Super Bowl contender with an NFL MVP candidate in quarterback Justin Herbert leading the way. Washington will need a significantly improved overall performance to stand any chance of coming away victorious.
Daniels reportedly has a good chance of playing. That will send Mariota back to the sidelines, but he can hold his head high. He did a decent job of holding down the fort, especially considering the absences of key personnel in the passing game. If others had matched his production, maybe the Commanders would have snatched an unlikely win from a less-than-stellar performance.
It wasn't to be. Mariota kept slinging the football right until the end, but he was always fighting a losing battle. And the sooner Daniels gets the all clear to participate, the better.