Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota reacts after a play against the Miami Dolphins. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Marcus Mariota sends crystal clear message to Commanders’ teammates

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Nov 17, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Washington Commanders are taking the long flight back to the nation's capital with a lot of disappointment after falling 16-13 to the Miami Dolphins in Madrid.

Despite having the lead at times during the game and chances to win at the end, it wasn't enough for the Commanders to end their losing streak. Quarterback Marcus Mariota spoke about the bye week ahead and explained why it is coming at a good time for the Commanders.

"Yeah, for us I think it's a much needed reset," Mariota said of the upcoming bye week. "We'll see how DQ wants to handle the week, but at the end of the day, we have to figure out quickly how we can fix this. We can't play good on one side of the ball and not play good on the other. We have to find ways to complement each other.

"Like I said, our defense played phenomenal today, held a very good offense to 16, 19 points. We got to do better on offense to be able to convert some of our red zone opportunities, and we'll take a look at it during this week and self-scout it and see where we can get better."

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mariota sees positives in bye week

The Commanders have been in free fall ever since they beat the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 5. They have now lost six in a row to get to a 3-8 record going into the bye.

The biggest reason behind the Commanders' struggles have been injuries. Both sides of the football have lost key members, so they could use the bye week to heal and get ready for the final six games of the season.

When the Commanders return to the field, they will face the 9-2 Denver Broncos. Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 30 at 8:20 p.m. ET.