The Washington Commanders did precisely what they needed to do in Week 3, but it wasn't good news for everyone at Northwest Stadium.
Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota stepped in for the injured Jayden Daniels and didn't miss a beat. The Commanders' ground game ran all over the helpless Las Vegas Raiders defense, and the defensive line made quarterback Geno Smith's life miserable. Even the special teams unit got in on the fun, with two massive returns, including a touchdown from rookie Jaylin Lane.
The performance was professional and effective in difficult circumstances. But for one player who has been considered a building block of the future, his status is suddenly on thin ice.
Brandon Coleman faces a fight to get his Commanders starting job back
The Commanders' offensive line was a disaster through the first two weeks of the season. Adjustments were made during the extended 10-day break, with Andrew Wylie and Chris Paul starting on the interior in place of Nick Allegretti and Brandon Coleman.
Coleman was not only taken out of his starting slot, but was stunningly made a healthy inactive. He had been dealing with a shoulder injury, but his benching was a coach's decision. This means it was performance-related, and it doesn't look favorably on his production levels through the opening fortnight.
Dan Quinn emphasized that the Commanders are merely assessing all of their options, rather than explicitly trying to send a message to the second-year pro, but one may have been delivered anyway.
Paul, a player who has perpetually been fighting for his life for a role on the Commanders, held his own. It comes with the territory for a seventh-round pick in the final year of their rookie deal. Anytime you get an opportunity to showcase your skills, you'd better make the most of it.
Coleman will now need to take up that mentality as well. As a third-round selection who was expected to have an unchallenged starting role in 2025, it's easy for complacency to set in. Now, the TCU product must realize that he is by no means safe, and he has his work cut out for him to get back involved.
Time will tell what happens with Coleman moving forward. But after Paul's showing in a convincing victory for the Commanders, the way he responds to his benching might not entirely be up to him.