The Washington Commanders bounced back in a huge way, improving to 2-1 with a dominant 41-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 21 at Northwest Stadium. It was a statement performance that highlighted the team’s depth, and resilience just one week after their disappointing 27-18 loss to the Green Bay Packers in week two. 

“It meant a lot to us, after losing a game, the whole week, you get ready to get back on the field and prove you’re better than what you put on tape last week,” said running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. “So, it was good to see everybody just go out there and execute and have fun at the same time.”

Now, Washington sets its sights on a week four road trip to Atlanta, where the Falcons are recovering from an ugly 30-0 shutout loss to the Carolina Panthers. Here are six key observations heading into what could be a pivotal early-season showdown in Atlanta:  

Marcus Mariota May Just Be The NFL’s Top Backup Quarterback

Stepping in for the injured Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota looked completely in command of Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. 

In his first start since 2022, Mariota recorded 15-of-21 passes for 207 yards, one touchdown, added 40 rushing yards, and another touchdown on the ground, while leading multiple efficient scoring drives.

“Super happy for him.” “He deserves everything and he’s been my biggest supporter,” said quarterback Jayden Daniels. “So, it was my turn last week to be his.”

Mariota could’ve had two more passing touchdowns if not for a drop in the end zone and a questionable call on a long Terry McLaurin catch. Aside from a fumble on a long run, Mariota’s performance was nearly flawless. 

Although Daniels is known for not staying down for long, Mariota’s work Sunday is a reminder that he’s more than capable of stepping in and dominating as quarterback. 

“I was pleased. I knew we’d support him like crazy,” said Head Coach Dan Quinn. “He felt very much in control of it… I was super proud of him.”

Injuries Are Becoming A Big Deal 

The Commanders entered Sunday’s matchup against the Raiders already shorthanded due to injuries at multiple positions, most notably with Daniels sidelined by a lingering knee injury. 

**FILE** While Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels says he feels good despite his injury, it is unclear if he will be cleared to play in Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

While Daniels was limited to practice on Sept. 24, he said that he feels good, but is still questionable for Sunday’s game in Atlanta.

Despite emerging with a hard-fought victory while navigating the wave of injuries, Washington took even more hits, especially in the secondary.  

Safety Will Harris exited the game with a leg injury and didn’t return that afternoon. He was placed on the injury reserve list for a fractured fibula on Tuesday Sept. 23. 

In addition, cornerback Marshon Lattimore was taken into the locker room mid game for a concussion evaluation and he managed to make it back onto the sideline with his helmet on in the second half. Meanwhile, cornerback Trey Amos also left Sunday’s game with a calf injury. 

Safety Percy Butler left the game briefly with a hip injury but was not officially ruled out of Sunday’s matchup. 

With defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. out for the season, Jonathan Jones and Will Harris on injured reserve, and Butler and Amos listed as questionable for week four against the Falcons, depth in both the first and secondary defense is becoming a growing concern.   

On the offensive side, wide receiver Terry McLaurin suffered a quad injury while diving for the end zone on a 56-yard catch. Though he appeared to be okay initially, he did not return for the remainder of the game. 

Quinn announced that he will not practice on Wednesday and is questionable to play against the Falcons. 

“I mean, he’s Terry, he does what he does. He makes big plays, but we kind of were dealing with that throughout training camp. So, we very much have the next man up mentality. We’re confident in other people to make plays,” said Daniels.

Looking ahead, the Commanders hope to get some key players such as Daniels, wide receiver Noah Brown, and tight end John Bates back after a week of rest. But with injuries still on the rise and play status questionable for some, the team’s overall health is becoming a huge concern early on. 

Luke McCaffrey Signaling A Breakout Season?: 

Wide Receiver Luke McCaffrey delivered the best performance of his young NFL career against the Raiders, recording three catches for 56 yards including a 43-yard touchdown, the first of his professional career. While all three receptions came late in the game, they carried real significance helping Washington keep the game out of reach for Las Vegas. 

For a second-year player like McCaffrey, every snap matters and Sunday’s breakout could be the confidence booster he needed to have for breakout season this year. 

With injuries in the wide receiver room piling up, with Brown already sidelined and now McLaurin, the Commanders need other pass-catchers to step up. 

McCaffrey now has the opportunity to carve out a larger role in Washington’s offense and this may be the signaling of a major breakout ahead.  

The Run Game Is Becoming A Staple In Washington:

The Commanders’ run game is becoming a staple in Washington and Sunday’s win over the Raiders proved just how effective it can be. 

With the team playing their first game without running back Austin Ekeler, the Commanders utilized a versatile backfield that recorded 201 rushing yards on 31 carries, averaging 6.3 yards per attempt, and three scoring touchdowns. 

Five different players recorded carries, showing just how balanced and unpredictable the Commanders’ run game has become. Running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. finished the day with 11 carries for 29 yards, including a physical 14-yard gain early on in the game. 

Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt provided a steady change of pace in the game recording 26 yards and a third-quarter touchdown. 

However, it was Jeremy McNichols who bolstered the momentum of the run game. With just four carries, McNichols racked up 78 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by an electric 60-yard run, the longest of his career where he broke multiple tackles and showed impressive burst of speed. On two of his runs, he looked nearly impossible to bring down, making a strong case for more in-play opportunities moving forward. 

“I really thought he got tackled like four times in the course of that, and then he popped out,” said Mariota. “He’s a dear friend of mine because we’ve been in a couple places together. To see him have success, he’s always been such a good player for us. He does so much in the pass game, probably more than people even realize in terms of blocking. For him to get an opportunity to make a few plays like he did today was really cool.”

The versatility on offense didn’t just stop with the running backs. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel was used in a variety of ways gaining 18 yards on three carries. He took a direct snap for a 9-yard pickup and added two more gains of four and five yards on designed backfield touches. Samuel’s versatility added another layer of unpredictability to the ground game. 

Offensive Coordinator Kingsbury continues this performance-based approach, and so far it’s paying off. There’s no need to settle on a clear-cut No. 1. Despite the loss of Ekeler, the Commanders appear to have one of the league’s deeper backfields, and they proved it by streamrolling a Raiders defense that came into the game ranked fourth-best in rushing yards allowed. 

Whether it’s Croskey-Merritt setting the tone early, Rodriguez making some noise late in the backfield, or McNichols making big plays, this committee approach is giving Washington flexibility, production, and an identity in the run game.     

The Return Game Is Sparking Momentum On Special Teams: 

The Commanders’ Special Teams unit delivered one of the most impactful performances in recent history, contributing significantly to the team’s dominant showing against the Raiders. Rookie wide receiver Jaylin Lane stole the show with a 90-yard punt return touchdown, making it the franchise’s first since 2016 and tied for the longest return in team history. Lane, a Virginia Tech product, looked electric against the Raiders every time he touched the ball. 

“First off, just glory to God, but it’s really just my teammates,” said wide receiver Jaylin Lane. “They work their tails off blocking for me, speaking life into me. They give me all the confidence in the world back there. All I told them was that I just need one lane and I’ll make the rest happen, and that’s what they did for me.”

He nearly broke another long return before it was called back due to a penalty, flashing speed and  explosiveness that makes him a legitimate threat in the return game. Fellow wide receiver Deebo Samuel also made a major impact, opening the game with a 69-yard kickoff return that set up Washington’s first touchdown just five plays later. 

Samuel continues to prove he’s a playmaker in all phases of the game, though there’s understandable concern about exposing such a vital offensive weapon to extra hits on special teams. Still, when he produces field-thrilling plays like that, the reward may outweigh the risk for Washington. 

In total, Washington’s top Special Teams’ returners, Samuel, Lane, and McCaffrey, combined for 245 yards for returns on just eight touches. That was more than the Raiders’ total offensive output until the fourth quarter. In that effort McCaffrey added a 25-yard return of his own and if he didn’t slip on the turf, he would have accumulated another big gain in the second half. 

The Specials Teams unit is sparking rare momentum for the Commanders and their performance against the Raiders is the start of a new campaign in Washington 

“Special teams was right at the start of it again, and I thought they’ve got a knack and regaining on it,” said Quinn. “Having Jaylin [Lane] there on the punt return side, seeing Deebo [Samuel Sr.] on the kick return side. I think what we saw maybe a week ago was the covering side of punt— putting it down inside— and so, we just missed some of those chances. And so, when you can capitalize and win on field position, a long return, keeping them pinned back, those are winning football moments.”

Washington’s Front Seven Continues To Be Dominant:  

While the Commanders racked up over 400 yards of the offense, marking their 11th performance under Kingsbury, it didn’t come without a few early missteps. Fortunately for Washington, the defense picked up the slack, led by a dominant pass rush to set the tone disrupting Las Vegas’ offense. 

“I think we just wanted to be aggressive,”  said linebacker Bobby Wagner. “We understood that we have really good talented players and [Defensive Coordinator] Coach Whitt [Joe Whitt Jr.] did a really good job of sending us and mixing up the coverages and it was just a great gameplan.”

The Raiders found some early success, marching into field goal range on their opening drive thanks to a 45-yard strike to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. But from that point on, Las Vegas struggled to move the ball up the field and even isolated quarterback Geno Smith due to relentless pressure from Washington’s front seven. 

Smith was under fire all afternoon, facing a collapsing pocket on nearly every dropback. Although he escaped on a few occasions, he was ultimately sacked five times the most by the Commanders in a game since 2013. 

Much of that disruption came from the Commanders’ veteran stars. 

Wagner came through the middle for two sacks, while Von Miller notched this first sack of the season, extending his lead as the NFL’s active sack leader. Dorance Armstrong and Javontae Jean-Baptiste also contributed to the sack parade as well. 

The sustained pressure led to extended dead plays for the Raiders’ offense. After that opening field goal, Las Vegas managed just one first down in the entire first quarter and went on to punt on four straight possessions across the second and third quarters. 

“I thought we had to get the pressure on this guy,” said Quinn. “He can absolutely rip the ball. So, we knew that was going to be one of the factors. I think the running back’s going to be a real player. He’s got quickness, he can break tackles and so going into it, you can see why he’s as talented as he is. So, coming in we thought, D-Line, man let’s make your move, make your space to go.”

The Washington Commanders are set for a road trip to Atlanta to take on the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m.