The Commanders SHOULD NOT Play Jayden Daniels This Week

Jayden Daniels could potentially return for the Washington Commanders' Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, but Sean Anderson has a very different question: should he? Dan Quinn said Jayden Daniels traveled with the team to London and will have his participation limited during the week. Marcus Mariota is currently listed as the starter, but Washington will evaluate Daniels throughout the week before making a decision that is expected to come Friday. Daniels is wearing a brace on his injured left arm after suffering a dislocated elbow against the Dallas Cowboys. But Sean isn't interested in speculating about Daniels' physical condition or pretending to know whether he is medically ready to play. Instead, the question is simple: Can Marcus Mariota beat the Colts? Sean believes the answer is yes. Mariota delivered one of his best NFL performances against Seattle, helping Washington beat the defending NFC champions despite playing in difficult weather conditions. Sean doesn't expect Mariota to duplicate that performance every week, but he believes the matchup against Indianapolis gives Washington an excellent opportunity to win without putting Daniels back on the field prematurely. The Colts have struggled defensively through the first three weeks of the season. Sean breaks down Indianapolis' defensive numbers, including its points allowed, yards allowed, yards per play, rushing defense and passing defense, and explains why he believes the Colts are the weakest opponent Washington has faced this season. Indianapolis is allowing 30.3 points per game and 417 yards per game, while opponents are averaging 6.5 yards per play against the Colts. The Colts are also allowing 4.9 yards per carry and 276 passing yards per game. That creates an opportunity for Marcus Mariota, Washington's running backs and the Commanders' offense to have another productive afternoon. Sean also explains why Washington doesn't need to rush Jayden Daniels back simply because he may be physically capable of playing. The Commanders have already shown they can win without Daniels. If Mariota can help Washington beat Indianapolis, the team can then use the next several weeks to determine when Daniels is fully ready to return. Sean also discusses Indianapolis' offense, including Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs and Tyler Warren, and explains why he isn't particularly concerned about the Colts' ability to consistently move the ball. So should Jayden Daniels play if he's medically cleared? Or should Washington give him another week to recover and allow Marcus Mariota to start? Sean Anderson makes the case for why the Commanders should take the cautious approach against Indianapolis. Let us know what you think in the comments. Subscribe to A to Z Sports Washington Commanders for daily Commanders news, analysis, reactions, predictions and coverage throughout the 2026 NFL season. 0:00 Should Jayden Daniels Play? 0:22 Jayden Daniels' Week 4 Status 1:28 The Question Isn't If He Can Play 2:12 Marcus Mariota Can Win This Game 3:05 Why The Colts Are A Bad Team 3:54 Indianapolis' Awful Defense 5:08 Why Mariota Should Start 5:59 Washington Doesn't Need Jayden Yet 6:29 The Colts' Biggest Problems 7:27 Why There's No Rush 7:57 The Smart Play For Washington 8:25 What Happens After The Colts Game #Commanders #WashingtonCommanders #JaydenDaniels #MarcusMariota #NFL Make A to Z Sports your preferred source on Google: Play A to Z Sports Daily Games: Subscribe to the channel if you enjoy the content, and hit that like button! Facebook: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter/X: