The Commanders go into Sunday’s home opener with an 0-2 record and starting quarterback Jayden Daniels sidelined with an elbow injury. The reigning champion Seahawks come to town 2-0, and could see their starting quarterback return from an injury of his own.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Kickoff: 1 p.m. at Northwest Stadium, Summerfield, Md.
TV: Fox
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Betting Lines
Lines from DraftKings, as of Saturday.
Spread: Commanders +7.5
Money line: Commanders +310, Seahawks -395
Over/under: 40.5 points
Pregame Reading
After Daniels dislocated the same elbow for the second time in 10 months, The Washington Sun’s Dave Sheinin wrote that the Commanders need to start asking themselves if the team can count on him long-term.
GM Adam Peters said Friday that the team does not expect Daniels to have surgery or need to go on injured reserve, after the quarterback sought additional opinions on the injury this week. There is no immediate timetable for his return, with the team considering him week-to-week.
While Daniels is out, veteran backup Marcus Mariota will step in, with a focus on playing within the offense and not trying to be the hero all by himself.
About the Seahawks
Starting quarterback Sam Darnold is “on a good track” to return Sunday, according to coach Mike Macdonald, after Darnold suffered a glute injury in the season-opener against the Patriots. Backup Drew Lock has led the Seahawks to a 2-0 start in Darnold’s absence and has kept the offense humming. In Sunday’s win against the Cardinals, Lock connected with star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba for three touchdowns.
Macdonald also apologized to Broncos coach Sean Payton for describing the “cold war” that took place between the two teams in 2024, when the Seahawks watched videos of the Broncos’ training camp, which Payton thought was a violation of NFL rules. Macdonald said that his comments, which were part of an interview, weren’t meant to be public.
“I’m responsible for what I say, really no matter the circumstance, whether you’re mic’d up, whether you’re not, whether you have some type of understanding,” Macdonald said. “So I fell short in that moment. So it stings for me, frankly, but it’s something I’m definitely gonna learn from.”
One Big Question
What can the Commanders get out of Mariota?
Mariota was 11-for-16 on Sunday with 111 yards passing and a touchdown after coming in for Daniels. But there is a big difference between the suspect Cowboys defense he faced then and the one he’ll see Sunday; Seattle again has one of the best defenses in the league, a year after the unit helped carry the team to a Super Bowl victory.
If Mariota can lead the Commanders to an upset win or keep the team competitive in a loss, it would bring some optimism that they can still make something of this season.
Quote of the Week
“At the end of the day, it’s my job,” Mariota told reporters Sunday after stepping in for Daniels. “I just never want it to be in these types of circumstances. With as much experience that I’ve had, I feel comfortable. … I really like what [offensive coordinator] coach Blough’s doing. I believe in this system, and we’ll get this thing working.”
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