Marcus Mariota and a reconfigured Commanders offense run past the Raiders 41-24

A reconfigured Commanders offense — nearly half the starters were different from a game ago, including quarterback Marcus Mariota filling in for an injured Jayden Daniels — produced 201 yards on the ground, 174 in the first half alone, and Washington beat the Las Vegas Raiders 41-24 on Sunday. In his first NFL start since 2022 with Atlanta, Mariota went 15 for 21 for 206 yards with a late touchdown through the air, and ran six times for 40 yards, including a 2-yard TD on the game's opening possession. In addition to Mariota's 43-yard scoring pass to Luke McCaffrey with a little more than two minutes left, Washington (2-1) got touchdowns via a 60-yard run by Jeremy McNichols, a 1-yard plunge by rookie seventh-round draft pick Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt that was set up by Mariota's 56-yard throw to Terry McLaurin and a 90-yard punt return by rookie fourth-round selection Jaylin Lane.