Sunday’s matchup between the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks won’t have the same star power that was once expected, as quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Sam Darnold are both expected to remain sidelined with injuries.
But their respective backups — Marcus Mariota and Drew Lock — aren’t strangers to the spotlight.
Mariota has appeared in 105 games — including 82 starts — with five different franchises. Lock has started 29 total games since the Denver Broncos selected him with a second-round pick in 2019.
They might not have the pedigree of Darnold and Daniels, but their coaches have preached confidence.
“We just love him. …” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said of Lock after Sunday’s 31-7 win over the Cardinals. “I thought he was aggressive when he needed to be and took care of the ball when he needed to. He did a great job.”
The message from Commanders coach Dan Quinn has been consistent since Daniels left Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys with a dislocated left elbow. The team would “rally around” Mariota. He’s felt it.
“It’s the culture that DQ’s built. Everyone’s talked about the next man up. That type of belief, whether you’re the starter or not, is something that’s built within the culture,” Mariota said. “Guys, whether it’s the support, whether it’s Terry [McLaurin] or Stefon [Diggs] saying, ’Hey, I’m seeing this.’ Or, “If you see this, this is what I’m expecting.”
But Washington’s journeyman quarterback insists that he’s just doing his job. It’s part of what he described as “life as a backup.”
Mariota isn’t looking to replace Daniels — his career as a starter is over. His job now is to keep the Commanders’ season afloat until the franchise quarterback returns. That means resisting the urge to do too much, or “put the cape on.”
He has to run the offense with a focus on concepts that are already installed and hit receivers in stride.
“I think of myself as a point guard. The more that I can get these guys the ball, especially faster, the more space they’ve got and the more they can do with it,” Mariota said. “They tackle the guy with the ball, so the more I can get it out of my hands, by all means.”
That return lacks a timeline, though.
Daniels saw specialists on Tuesday and Wednesday to determine the extent of the injury. It’s his second elbow dislocation in less than a year. The Commanders are still evaluating their options.
“I’ll hold off answering any questions about his timeline for return until we get all the info,” Quinn said.
The third-year quarterback saw specialists on Tuesday and Wednesday to better determine the nature and severity of the injury to his non-throwing elbow.
The fact that it’s a recurring issue — Daniels dislocated the same joint in a game against Seattle last November — has the Commanders proceeding with caution.
Until Daniels is ready to return, it’s Mariota’s offense.
His preparations haven’t changed since his days when he was starting for the Tennessee Titans and the Atlanta Falcons. That’s the nature of the backup quarterback. He sits in the same meetings, studies the same film and practices the same plays as the starter. Every week, he grinds, ready for the opportunity.
“I really try to focus on keeping that mentality the same throughout. You never know when your number is going to be called,” Mariota said. “I treat every week like I’m the starter and mentally prepare that way, so that if it does happen, the transition’s relatively easier.”
Teams aren’t lost just because their starting quarterback goes down. Ask the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, who lifted the Lombardi Trophy after the 2017 season with Nick Foles under center. Or, for an option closer to home, ask Doug Williams. He led Washington to championship glory in 1987 after starting just two regular-season games for the franchise.
This year’s Seahawks might be closer to those Super Bowl squads than the Commanders, though. Seattle opened its title defense with a 2-0 start behind dominant performances against the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals.
Washington, meanwhile, has stumbled out of the gate to the tune of an 0-2 start. Defensive lapses have plagued the group, even as Daniels and Mariota have tried to will a middling offense down the field.
The back-to-back losses to start the year have upped the ante for Sunday’s game. The Commanders need a win. If nothing else, they need signs of life from a defense that has featured gaping holes in coverage. The secondary has allowed explosive chunks in spurts.
It doesn’t get easier. Last week, the Commanders’ defenders failed to contain Cowboys receivers George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. They’ll try to limit Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, on Sunday.
That’s no easy task for a group that’s struggled to find its footing.
“I feel like we shoot ourselves in the foot once, and we give up a lot of explosive plays,” defensive tackle Daron Payne said. “Little things here and there. But, if we can stop shooting ourselves in the foot, I feel like we’ll be good. … Just knowing where the premium guys are at all times and stopping them.”
The Commanders’ home opener kicks off at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
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