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FINAL: Colts 30, Commanders 13
Indianapolis goes to 2-2, Washington 1-3.
It took a while -- and an injury to the opposing quarterback -- for them to get going, but the Indianapolis Colts are in the win column for the second straight week with a 30-13 win over the Washington Commanders. Jonathan Taylor had 97 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns to lead the way in London.
Washington, meanwhile, had to turn to third-string quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis after Marcus Mariota hurt his knee on a first-quarter sack. Mariota, who was already starting in place of Jayden Daniels, aggravated the MCL injury he suffered in the preseason, according to Dan Quinn. It's just another brutal blow for a team with a shockingly unlucky injury bug already this season.
The game swung majorly there and again on both sides of halftime. The Commanders were up 6-0 late in the second quarter, thanks largely to two Jones turnovers, including one on the second play from scrimmage. But Washington got stuffed on a fourth down, and both the decision to go for it and the play call were questionable at best. The Washington defense appeared to respond with a quick stop, but Amik Robertson's personal foul extended Indianapolis' drive, and Taylor found the end zone to give the Colts the lead.
Up 10-6 at halftime, the Colts' defense got in on the turnover party early in the third quarter: Jaylon Carlies' terrific interception of Kaliakmanis set up Taylor's second score.
Kaliakmanis hit back with a 47-yard touchdown to Treylon Burks, but that proved to be the only scoring drive the seventh-round rookie out of Rutgers could muster. Jones added a short score of his own, and the Colts' defense took care of business from there.
Colts survive more Daniel Jones blunders
Jones now has five turnovers in his last two games. He also has two wins. But winning this way feels unsustainable; it should be noted that the wins have come against the offensively inept Texans and a Commanders team playing its third-string quarterback. Mistakes like these just can't happen … but they keep on happening.
Jones finished 19-for-34 for 143 yards (an unsightly 4.2 yards per attempt) and two turnovers. He did have the rushing touchdown, but overall, this offense was miserable, mustering just 257 yards on 3.9 yards per play. The defense coming through in crucial situations and the offense finishing in the red zone were the difference.
There's no real "cure" here for Jones. With no Alec Pierce and no Keenan Allen on Sunday, the passing game was extremely limited. Washington took away Josh Downs effectively; Laquon Treadwell led the way with 42 receiving yards. Turnovers have long been an issue for Jones, and they're rearing their head again.
Jonathan Taylor loves playing overseas
It wasn't last year's 286-yard, three-touchdown day against the Falcons in Berlin, but Taylor found the end zone two more times in his latest international game. He now has six touchdowns in international games, which is the most all-time. His 458 yards from scrimmage are the third-most behind Justin Jefferson and Travis Etienne Jr.
Taylor is the heart of this offense and should have it moving this year, and it hasn't always been easy sledding. His 4.4 yards per touch are on pace to be the lowest rate of his career. But if the Colts are to get anything going offensively, it's far more likely it will be through Taylor than through Jones.
Commanders hit with brutal rash of injuries, self-inflicted errors
Already reeling from injuries up and down the roster, the Commanders' trip to London made things even worse. On Friday, Terry McLaurin hurt his hamstring, causing him to miss Sunday's game. Then came the Mariota injury — and several others — during the game.
Here's a list of starters or key players just on offense who either missed Sunday's game or got injured during it:
- QB Jayden Daniels (elbow)
- QB Marcus Mariota (knee)*
- RB Rachaad White (shoulder)
- WR Terry McLaurin (hamstring)*
- WR/KR/PR Jaylin Lane (ankle)*
- LT Laremy Tunsil (triceps)
- RG Sam Cosmi (concussion)
- LT Brandon Coleman (undisclosed)*
* = suffered this week
The margin of error was already small before those injuries, and it has shrunk to nonexistent since. That was on display all game in London. The Commanders had too many missed opportunities and errors. They only managed field goals on their first two drives, including one starting at the Indianapolis 21-yard line after the Jones turnover. The Robertson penalty was a major blow and completely unnecessary. Antonio Williams had an 87-yard touchdown wiped out by two penalties. Overall, Washington had 10 penalties for 84 yards (the Colts had one for 5 yards). The offense also failed on two fourth-and-1s, neither of which was pretty, and managed just 49 yards on 18 non-quarterback carries. And this was against what had been one of the NFL's worst run defenses.
What's next?
The Colts (2-2) have now won two straight games after losing nine straight, dating back to last season. Given how Jones is playing, it's hard to see how they can be true playoff contenders, but at least the results are tilting in their favor. The Colts play the Steelers next week.
The Commanders (1-3) staved off true desperation in Week 3 with a shocking win over the Seahawks, but their backs are against the wall once again. Will it be Kaliakmanis again next week, against the Giants? Or can Daniels return? Is it wise to have him return so quickly? He missed four weeks the last time he dislocated his left elbow. What's Mariota's status?
It's another rough week for Washington.
