Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota is in full “if” mode, with Jayden Daniels still uncertain to take his place against the Chicago Bears due to a rib injury.
With head coach Dan Quinn stating that Daniels didn’t practice on Wednesday, Mariota has been getting first-team reps in preparation for a potential start.
While the Commanders will give Jayden every opportunity to prove himself before making a decision, Mariota is in flux regarding his status this week.
But it’s still business as usual for the veteran quarterback.
“Going into this week, just trying to prepare and be ready to go if I am called upon, but I think our guys do a great job of helping that transition,” Mariota said.
With Mariota unsure of whether he will be starting against Chicago, it can be a little unsettling, but given how things transpired against the Carolina Panthers, this week will be a walk in the park for the veteran.
Mariota went 18 for 23 for 205 yards and two touchdowns while also racking up 34 rushing yards in the 40-7 rout of the Panthers.
“I really believe that our guys made my job pretty easy,” Mariota said in analyzing his game. “Those guys were finding zones, getting open, creating I think has been huge for us. So for me, I just try to play my game, playing on time but also having opportunities to extend and create plays, that makes it tough on a defense. So the more that I can balance that out and play within that realm, I think we’ll be fine.”
Given how well the offense functioned without Daniels, if it is to be the Mariota show against the Bears, there will be an air of confidence that the veteran can step in and lead the Commanders to their sixth win.
But there is still a lot to play out between now and then, with Mariota having to wait to see if his number will be called.
And he’s preparing as if it will be.
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