Marcus Mariota played great Sunday, but he is not the Washington Commanders starting quarterback.
While talking with the press on Monday, Commanders‘ head coach Dan Quinn was asked if Mariota’s performance would influence his plan regarding Jayden Daniels’ return to action.
Quinn first said he was perhaps the least surprised person in the stadium on Sunday. He told the press last week that he believed in Mariota and expected him to have a good game in Week 3.
“Yeah, I think you probably heard me talk, I was probably one of the least surprised people in the stadium that he played well,” Quinn said. “I just see him, I know what he is and how it goes.”
Sure enough, Mariota did complete 15 of 21, was not intercepted, and added 40 rushing yards himself. Yes, Quinn was affirming Mariota had played wonderfully. But in his very next breath, Quinn left no doubt where he stands on the quarterback question for this week.
“But as far as tying one to the other, that’s not part of the deal. We just have a lot of trust in him and how we would go about it but man, we’ll lean into the medical people and where we’re at and what to do. But that type of preparation for him, it’s just that kind of steady, consistent way but they’re not tied together to answer your question.”
Interpretation: “Yes, Mariota was super, Sunday. But if I am told and convinced that Jayden Daniels is ready to go this week, then Daniels will absolutely be the starting quarterback in Atlanta for the Week 4 contest.”
So what might be the plan for Daniels this week as the team prepares for the Falcons?
“We’re still listing him as day to day, and then as we get into Wednesday, I’ll be more qualified to hit on what types of practice and what we can hit on to go,” he said. “So, he went through some things today, some more tomorrow and that’ll lead us up into Wednesday. But when we get together prior to practice, I’ll have a better idea for the plan. We’ve not nailed that down for the week as of yet.”
It is no secret that Daniels did not exactly pick up where he left off last season. The 2024 NFL Rookie of the Year has struggled in his first two games of action. He is completing 59.7 percent of his passes. He is averaging only 6.0 yards per passing attempt, his passer rating is 90.8, and his QBR is 39.0. By contrast, Mariota has completed 71.4 percent of his attempts in a single game. He is averaging 9.9 yards per passing attempt. His passer rating is 118.6.
But he is not Jayden Daniels, and Dan Quinn realizes the Falcons in Atlanta is going to be a test. Quinn knows he must play Daniels as soon as he is ready to return to action.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: What is Jayden Daniels’ status ahead of Week 4?
