Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota is slated to make his second career start on Sunday, stepping in for the sidelined Jayden Daniels as the team travels to London to face the Indianapolis Colts at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The matchup will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, giving fans an international showcase of the NFL's growing global presence. Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed the quarterback change on Friday following a team practice held at the Commanders' hotel outside the city.
Quinn praised Daniels for returning to the field after suffering a dislocated elbow in the second week of the season against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite wearing a protective brace and expressing confidence that he could continue playing without aggravating the injury, Daniels will sit out at least one more game as a precaution.
"[Daniels] had a great week. It was awesome to have him back on the field in a limited fashion," Quinn said. "He'll be out. Marcus will start." Quinn described Daniels' brief return as "a huge positive step for him and for us," emphasizing that the coaching staff will evaluate the quarterback's condition during a full week of practice next week before making any further decisions.
"We'll assess where we are next week when we get to a full week of practice all the way through," he added. Mariota entered the spotlight last week, throwing three touchdown passes in a dramatic 33‑31 victory over the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.
That performance helped solidify his role as a reliable backup who can step in and produce when called upon. Daniels' elbow dislocation marks the second such injury in as many seasons. He missed a significant portion of the second half of the previous year after a similar setback. The third‑year quarterback, who guided the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season, told reporters on Thursday that he was mentally preparing to start against the Colts and was not overly concerned about re‑injuring his elbow.
"That's what the brace is for," Daniels remarked. The Commanders will host the New York Giants the following Sunday, October 11, before entering a bye week in Week Seven. Quinn highlighted the importance of any practice time for Daniels, noting, "Certainly, anytime you can practice, that's a big deal. So for him to get back, that was a big step for us.
Typical for him, he's more ready than you'd expect. That's just kind of how he is." When asked what criteria would need to be met to return Daniels to the lineup, Quinn explained that the decision hinges on a comprehensive medical evaluation. "It's really just like an entire group medical performance.
Where he's at, the practice part was a big piece of that today. But next week we're planning for him to get a full week of practice. That would be a big deal for us," he said.
In the lead‑up to the game, Sky Sports' "Inside The Huddle" panel—hosted by Neil Reynolds and Phoebe Schecter—discussed the implications of the quarterback switch and the broader context of the international matchup. Schecter noted, "When you come off a win you get a little bit of a different schedule, but you have hope and they both really needed these wins, especially the Commanders. The confidence that should give them, especially having Mariota at quarterback, is exactly what we need going into these International games." The Colts, meanwhile, are grappling with their own offensive challenges.
They remain without wide receiver Alec Pierce and are still trying to get quarterback Daniel Jones back to the speed and rhythm he displayed last season. Schecter observed, "They're not the same without an explosive running game.
So much of that team is run through Jonathan Taylor and they're struggling to get the ball going consistently. He has his sparks but there's nothing that's consistent.
That's forcing Daniel Jones into this uncomfortable position because right now your top players are Josh Downs and tight end Tyler Warren. That also limits where you're able to throw it on the field." Schecter added a tactical perspective, "Other than that you got Laquon Treadwell, Keenan Allen. I mean if you're this Commanders defence, you're coming into it saying: 'We're going to take away everything inside and we're going to force you to throw it outside to your lesser receiver and out you under pressure.' We've read that book before and saw it a couple of times last year when people felt they had Daniel Jones' number. It should be a high‑scoring game but I'm going to go with the Commanders." Reynolds emphasized the pivotal role of Indianapolis' star running back, stating, "This is a game that Jonathan Taylor takes over.
They don't attack Washington through the air because they don't have the weapons so this is a big Jonathan Taylor game. He's going to touch the ball at least 30 times, so give me the Indianapolis Colts." Both analysts agree that the contest could turn into a shootout, given the Colts' reliance on the ground game and the Commanders' need to protect a vulnerable passing attack without Daniels. The defensive schemes will likely focus on limiting Taylor's explosive runs while forcing Jones to make throws under pressure, a strategy that could benefit Mariota's experience and poise. Fans can tune in to watch the 2026 NFL season live on Sky Sports, which will also carry every playoff game and the Super Bowl LXI scheduled for Sunday, February 14, 2027.
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