Jayden Daniels Returns to Practice Ahead of Matchup with Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons (1-2) face off with the Washington Commanders (2-1) after suffering an embarrassing 30-0 loss at the hands of the Carolina Panthers. The Commanders were without star quarterback Jayden Daniels in Week 3, as the starter dealt with a sprained knee. 

However, the team did not miss a beat, rolling to a commanding 41-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Former Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota was at the helm of Washington’s offense, and the former second overall pick put up over 240 yards of total offense and two touchdowns. 

The Commanders expect Daniels to be healthy on Sunday for their matchup with Atlanta, as the starter returned to practice as a limited participant on Wednesday, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter. 

Washington’s head coach, Dan Quinn, addressed the media ahead of Wednesday’s practice with an update on his quarterback.

“What I can say is, man, he is doing everything you possibly can to get there. The guy’s the ultimate competitor for us. You know that, I know that, but he is absolutely digging it.” Quinn said.

Quinn opened the presser by noting that the team will wait for the medical staff to give Daniels full clearance before making any final decisions. 

The Falcons faced off against Jayden Daniels and the Commanders in Week 17 of the 2024 season, in a road game with immense playoff stakes for both teams. The Commanders won 30-24 in an overtime thriller, with Daniels recording 354 total yards (227 passing, 127 rushing) along with three touchdowns. The win clinched a playoff spot for Washington. 

Quinn expects another close game in Atlanta this year. 

“You know the matchup for this weekend, and last time went into extra time, you know, to go through that, and we expect that same kind of fight and battle again,” he said.

The Falcons have dropped four straight games to the Commanders, with Washington trotting out a different starting quarterback in each of the past three meetings: Taylor Heinicke in 2022, Sam Howell in 2023 and Jayden Daniels in 2024. 

If Mariota does get the start Sunday, it would mark the fourth consecutive year Atlanta has faced a different Washington starter; however, it seems that Daniels is trending towards playing. 

Quinn mentioned that he’s watched his quarterback working on cutting and pivoting, and he’s been working really hard; however, he’s waiting on the medical staff to give them the all clear. 

While one cannot say a Week 4 game is a “must-win”, Atlanta needs to prepare well no matter who’s under center come Sunday. Whether it’s Daniels or Mariota, the Falcons will be looking to snap their losing streak against Washington and prove they can bounce back from Week 3’s humiliating loss.

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