The Washington Commanders hosted the Seattle Seahawks in their 2026 home opener today and secured their first win of the season, a 33-31 victory over the reigning Super Bowl Champions.
This marks the first game of 2026 in which Marcus Mariota got the start over Jayden Daniels, who is nursing an elbow injury on his non-throwing arm. The way the offense fell into place with Mariota under center was remarkable, which is why Mariota is getting the nod for this week’s Player of the Game.
Mariota completed 19 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed five times for 11 yards. He not only moved the Commanders' offense down the field, but they also scored points and didn't turn the ball over. He used two running backs and had nine different
players catch passes. He's a backup quarterback behind a second-string offensive line, and he basically willed this team to a win.
While Daniels rests his elbow in hopes of returning to the field sooner rather than later, Mariota is proving to be the best veteran backup quarterback in the league.
We considered a few other players this week. Sonny Styles played a role in two turnovers and nearly created a third. Amik Robertson played better than anyone has seen a Washington cornerback play in a few years. Kain Medrano is responsible for the pick-six. But Mariota kept the offense on track. He made sure points were scored. He orchestrated the offense we saw today and made things happen when most people thought they wouldn’t.
Daniels will be welcomed back with open arms when he’s ready to return to the field, but in the meantime, Mariota will remain under center, and that’s just fine.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders vs. Seahawks Player of the Game: QB Marcus Mariota
