The Washington Commanders are 0-2, and two players are a little lighter in their bank accounts after the NFL announced its Week 2 fines on Sept. 26. After the loss, Odafe Oweh and Jeremy Reaves appeared on the list ahead of the team’s Week 3 game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Oweh received the largest fine of the two players for unnecessary roughness on a play in which he was striking, kicking, tripping, or kneeing someone during the fourth quarter at the 7:23 mark. As a result of this play, the NFL is fining him $12,537.
As for Reaves, he was also fined for unnecessary roughness for a hit on a defenseless player in the second quarter at the 10:13 mark. Because of that play, the league is fining him $10,277.
Stefon Diggs on Commanders QB Situation After Jayden Daniels Injury
In the Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Commanders lost Jayden Daniels to an elbow injury and will now turn to Marcus Mariota to try to steady the ship. Nonetheless, the team is rallying around the veteran, and players like Stefon Diggs are confident he can help get them out of their 0-2 hole.
“He’s a good quarterback,” Diggs said. “He’s been in this league a long time. We’ve got a lot of confidence in him. As a receiver, you just got to go with the right mindset of getting open and catching the ball. It’s still football at the end of the day, and you want to be open for him.”
Mariota did perform well off the bench as he was 11 of 16 for 111 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown pass to Diggs. Moreover, Diggs shared the mindset the team has now that they have to play without their starting QB.
“I really hate to say have the next-man-up mindset, it’s so cliché,” Diggs said. “But we can’t do anything about it. At this point, we’re trying to move forward. Hopefully (Daniels) can come back at some point this season, but for now, we’re rocking with eight.”
Former NFL Wideout Not Confident in Marcus Mariota
Despite Mariota looking decent against the Cowboys, former NFL wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh doesn’t believe in Mariota, given that the veteran did little last season to save the Commanders’ season.
“What do I expect him to do again that he didn’t do last year?” Houshmandzadeh said in a Sept. 24 video from “Speakeasy.” “I expect the same exact thing that he did last year and so, if I’m Jayden Daniels, I missed this week’s game and I’m coming back to play. Give me the brace that Kurt Warner had, give me the same shots that Kurt Warner had, and we’re gonna make it happen.”
The Commanders have their first game of the season at home in Week 3, but Mariota and Co. have a tough task: They’re up against the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Moreover, the Seattle defense has only given up 17 points in two games, so the Washington offense will have their hands full not just having to replace Daniels, but also scoring points against a team that doesn’t allow that many.
NFL Announces Punishment for Two Commanders Players After Week 2