Cris Collinsworth said what Commanders fans were thinking about Marcus Mariota

With superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels not yet healthy enough to be cleared for contact after his dislocated shoulder sustained against the Seattle Seahawks, the Washington Commanders were once again relying on veteran backup Marcus Mariota to lead the charge in Week 13. And despite an encouraging start, there was one perplexing decision that could have dented momentum considerably.

Mariota is an experienced signal-caller. He knows how to deploy offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's schematic concepts effectively. Although the No. 2 pick out of Oregon is aging, there is still enough athleticism to make things happen. Against the vaunted Denver Broncos defense, that would be easier said than done.

The Commanders moved the football effectively during the opening exchanges. Mariota was making smart decisions and getting the ball out quickly to negate Denver's formidable pass rush. Unfortunately, this promising opening came screeching to an abrupt halt with an ill-advised throw that was picked off by linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

Commanders need Marcus Mariota to make smarter decisions after costly interception

What Mariota was trying to accomplish is anyone's guess. He stepped up in the pocket, left his feet, and aired it out into tight coverage. The Commanders held Denver to a field goal, but Cris Collinsworth from NBC Sports analyzed the situation perfectly.

"Marcus Mariota is one of the really smart guys playing quarterback, but this was really unsmart."

Cris Collinsworth

Fortunately for the Commanders, Mariota brushed this off quickly. It was an inexplicable decision that defied any logic, so the important thing was to stay focused and get back into the groove. The signal-caller managed to accomplish this effectively, leading Washington on a touchdown drive later in the first half that was ruthlessly finished off by running back Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Collinsworth was correct in his assessment of Mariota. He's a solid, intelligent quarterback who is sometimes prone to rash decisions. It's been the tale of the tape throughout his eventful career, and things are unlikely to change at this relatively late stage of his NFL journey.

The Commanders were still competitive, but razor-thin margins like this are not going to look favorably on the quarterback. Mariota is dependable, but the limitations are apparent. This is also why fans are clamoring for Daniels to get back involved at some stage during the season.

Time will tell on that one, but silly errors from Mariota are not going to do the Commanders any favors until Daniels gets the all-clear to return.