With Jayden Daniels sidelined after a nasty injury last Sunday, backup quarterback Marcus Mariota led the Washington Commanders to an impressive 33-31 win over the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. In a stunning upset before their home fans at Landover's Northwest Stadium, Mariota completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin was Mariota's top target, finishing with six receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown in the win.
With the huge win on Sunday, Mariota also received a significant incentive boost built into his contract. After the win, Front Office Sports reported that Mariota will receive a $200,000 bonus. Mariota gets that incentive bonus whenever he plays for at least 60% of the snaps in a win.
He can earn this 11 more times this season, so he has plenty of extra reason to play well and lead this team to wins in Daniels' absence. More news: Former NFL QB Not Sold on Arch Manning as a Can’t-Miss Pro Prospect Last week, Daniels suffered a brutal dislocated elbow on the final play of the first half in his team's loss to the Dallas Cowboys. In an injury update earlier this week, the Commanders said that Daniels wouldn't go on Injured Reserve and is considered week-to-week.
While Mariota played steadily to help his team win against Seattle on Sunday, he also owes some credit to the Commanders' defense. They forced three turnovers, including two interceptions on Sam Darnold. Linebacker Kain Medrano had a clutch pick-six to help the Commanders stave off a Seahawks comeback.
Mariota, a former No. 2 pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2015, has moved around the league, playing for the Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, and Philadelphia Eagles. He was a major help for the Commanders last season, starting in eight games when Daniels was out with various injuries, and seems fully capable of doing the same this season. With Sunday's win, the Commanders improved to 1-2 and will now prepare for their next matchup as they host the Colts on Sunday, Oct. 4.
It remains to be seen how long Mariota will replace Daniels, but if he can continue having these types of winning performances, Washington should be in good hands while their starter recovers. More news: Myles Garrett’s Injury Timeline Revealed Ahead of Rams-Broncos ‘SNF’ Clash For more about the Washington Commanders and the NFL, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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