Commanders QB Jayden Daniels ruled out for London game against Colts; Marcus Mariota to start
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels ruled out of London game
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was ruled out of the London game against the Indianapolis Colts.
LONDON - Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will not play in Sunday's game in London against the Indianapolis Colts as he continues to rehabilitate a dislocated elbow, head coach Dan Quinn announced Friday.
What we know:
Marcus Mariota will start in place of Daniels for the international match-up.
Daniels dislocated his left elbow during a Week 2 loss at Dallas, marking the second time he has suffered the injury to his non-throwing arm.
Mariota stepped in last weekend to lead Washington (1-2) to a victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the team's home opener.
Tight end Chig Okonkwo and linebacker Frankie Luvu will be back from injuries. Terry McLauren was added to the injury report on Friday with a hamstring issue, and he's listed as questionable for Sunday's game.
The Commanders flew to London on Tuesday night, arriving on Wednesday morning to give players a few extra days to adjust to that six-hour time difference. Daniels made the trip along with the team.
"Sunday Marcus will start," Quinn said during a Friday news conference. "As you know for us and for him, we’ll see where we are next week when he gets a full week of practice all the way through, typical of him like working incredibly hard to get back through and everything that he can behind the scenes to go do that as fast as you can so he is a true competitor on and off the field."
Dig deeper:
Daniels remains week-to-week. He was seen wearing a large brace on his left elbow as he went through limited practice this week.
While his progress is encouraging, Quinn made it clear that the decision won't be up to Daniels. It will be Quinn and the medical staff who will determine when Daniels is ready to return. That could be as early as week five against the Giants.
Practice leading up to the game in London was usual for any away game, with just a few extra days added on.
Fans react
What they're saying:
Despite the news, fans back home said they were feeling good ahead of Sunday's game.
When asked for one word to describe the mood among the fans, Deborah Hart-Johnson said, "Excitement."
"Last Sunday, they proved that they have the energy, they have the stamina, and they have what it takes to bring a win home, and they did," Hart-Johnson added. "They fought against the Super Bowl champs, and that meant volumes after they lost the two opening games. So, I think people are hopeful now."
"I'm gonna say hope," said fan Vaughn Jefferson.
"They beat the Seahawks. They beat the champs. I love it," said Felicia Hamilton.
Others across the pond are getting ready for the game.
"I had a chance to go to the fan rally, and it was a big turnout," said former Commanders' player Shawn Springs. "People were really pumped. Was at a pub, people drinking beer at 12, so they're ready to go to get the weekends. I already started here, you know. In London, you know, in London they don't work on Fridays and Mondays, so their their weekend has started. You know, they're ready to go."
Kickoff is set for 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. Back at home, Hawk and Griffin will be opening early and serving a traditional English breakfast for the game.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Washington Commanders