The Washington Commanders got the news they’ve been waiting for Friday, as head coach Dan Quinn confirmed Jayden Daniels will start Sunday against the New York Giants after missing two games with an elbow injury. The good news didn’t extend to the rest of the roster, however, as Stefon Diggs, Marcus Mariota, Percy Butler, Nick Cross, Charles Omenihu, and Tyler Owens have all been ruled out. Terry McLaurin returned to limited practice Friday but is questionable, leaving Washington with another big decision to make before Sunday.
Just one day after Washington waived rookie running back Kaytron Allen, the Miami Dolphins claimed the sixth-round pick off waivers, ending any hopes the Commanders had of bringing him back to the practice squad. Allen had 41 rushing yards on 12 carries through four games, but Austin Ekeler’s return pushed him further down the depth chart. With Robert Henry Jr. already heading to Seattle earlier in the week, Washington has now lost two of its young running backs in a matter of days.
The Giants have some injury concerns of their own, although Friday brought them more good news than bad. Safety Jason Pinnock (concussion) and defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck) have both been ruled out, but Malik Nabers and Andrew Thomas returned to full participation after missing practice earlier in the week. Isaiah Likely, Chris Manhertz, and Cam Skattebo also practiced fully Friday, leaving New York in considerably better shape than it appeared to be Wednesday.
While unlikely, the Commanders could also have some more help coming before Sunday’s game, with Trey Amos, Jeremy McNichols, and Deatrich Wise Jr. all listed as questionable. The three began their return-to-practice windows Wednesday, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be ready to play against the Giants. All three are still on their respective reserve lists and would need to be activated before taking the field. Given the number of injuries Washington has dealt with through four games, getting even a couple of them back would certainly be welcome news.
Commanders News From the Day
Commanders Mailbag: The Bigger Concern With Jayden Daniels’ Return
It’s important to understand the difference between designed runs and scrambling when needed. Washington was already using less of the read option with Daniels than you saw with Marcus Mariota. What makes that hard to see is that when plays broke down, Daniels was moving around to extend the pocket, and yes, taking off when needed. But that’s different from what Kliff Kingsbury was doing with Daniels in the shotgun and no-huddle. David Blough has him running a more traditional offense that allows for him to move once the play breaks down.
Commanders Scouting Report: How Washington Exploits Jameis Winston’s Penchant for Mistakes
The Washington Commanders have an old friend coming to town this week as the New York Football Giants will travel to Northwest Stadium on Sunday. Waiting for them there, the Giants will find a defense that is much improved over last year’s version. Jameis Winston will find it harder to beat than the one he faced in Arizona in Week 4, which intercepted him twice and sacked him four times.
After Four Games, the Commanders’ Season Is Already on the Brink
What has gone right: The Commanders have looked like a legitimate threat with Daniels under center, nearly stealing their season-opener at Philadelphia, then driving up and down the field at Dallas until Daniels dislocated his elbow on the final play of the first half. While veteran Marcus Mariota was a more-than-serviceable fill-in, leading the team to a (temporarily) season-saving upset of the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3, he, too, was lost to an injury (strained MCL), forcing third-stringer Athan Kaliakmanis into action during in London last week. With Daniels expected to return Sunday, the crisis at quarterback appears to be over, at least for now.
Sonny Styles vs Arvell Reese: Which is Better Positioned to Win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese shared a linebacker room at Ohio State. On Sunday, Oct. 11, the two rookies will meet for the first time as NFC East rivals when the Washington Commanders host the New York Giants at Northwest Stadium.
Tyler’s Take — Adam Peters is on a bad trajectory as Washington’s general manager
Make no mistake about it. Dan Quinn was not Adam Peters’ first choice. That honor would go to one Ben Johnson. Quinn wasn’t Peters’ second choice. That would have been Mike Macdonald, who went to Seattle instead. I don’t even know if Quinn was third on the list. Point is, we ended up with him and now he’s one of the top coaches on the hot seat after just two full seasons.
Podcasts
Washington In Early Must-Win Mode – The Kevin Sheehan Show
Interviews
The HTTR4LIFE Mailbag
Don’t forget to send your mailbag questions to: hailbng+si@gmail.com
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleÂ
