When the Washington Commanders take on the Denver Broncos this weekend, coach Sean Payton will arrive without a key player. But the real headache sits with Dan Quinn, who looked at his final injury report and saw problems everywhere. Nearly every position group is banged up, and the issues trace back to the toughest blow of all: losing quarterback Jayden Daniels.

The sophomore had limited practice during the week, but his left elbow still has not recovered, forcing the team to rule him out. Backup Marcus Mariota is expected to start again for them, with a receiver missing in the lineup, too.

Wide receiver Noah Brown has played only two games this year, recording three receptions for thirty-six receiving yards with no touchdowns. He started practice on Wednesday (November 26), which developed into a full practice the next day. But on Friday, he remained away, forcing the team to list him out and give time to recover from a knee/groin/non-injury related issue. This issue isn’t limited to the offense. Quinn will miss players in the defense, too.

Defensive end Drake Jackson is out with a knee that worsened this week. He hasn’t played a game this season. Two more players who are giving headaches to the defensive side are safeties Will Harris (ankle) and Tyler Ott (illness/back), who have both been listed as questionable. Harris’ absence has been normal this season, but his contributions hold value too. In three games, Harris has eleven tackles (seven solo) and one defended pass.

Apart from Jayden Daniels and two players out, two players questionable, there are plenty of other names listed as ‘unspecified.’

• WR Treylon Burks (Finger)
• LB Ale Kaho (Concussion)
• WR Jaylin Lane (Hip)
• LB Frankie Luvu (Shoulder)
• WR Terry McLaurin (Quad)
• WR Chris Moore (Shoulder)
• RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. (Illness)
• TE Ben Sinnott (Ankle)

Of these players, McLaurin and Rodriguez Jr. are the cogwheels in the Commanders’ offense. The receiver McLaurin has thirteen receptions for 203 receiving yards and one touchdown. Meanwhile, Rodriguez Jr. has played more, carrying the ball sixty times for 279 yards and three touchdowns. So, they certainly have injury issues throughout the roster. It runs further into their AFC rivals for Week 13.

They don’t have the same number of injured players, but they are also missing a major player.

Sean Payton will arrive at Maryland without a key player

Since Payton became the head coach, he has played against the Commanders only once, losing the Week 2 game in 2023 with 35-33. In the coming game, their tight end, Nate Adkins, will not play as he is dealing with a knee injury and missed practice on all three days. Adkins has been a key player for the team with six receptions in six games for forty-eight receiving yards and one touchdown.

Sean Payton’s issues don’t end with the offense. He has a missing player on his defense as well.

Linebacker Jonah Elliss is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury after having limited practice sessions all week. He has fourteen tackles (eleven solo), one sack, and one pass defended in eight games. So, the head coaches on both sides have issues to deal with. But this year, it comes down to this.

The Commanders are already hurting since Jayden Daniels got injured. They are 3-8 after 13 weeks. The Broncos, with Sean Payton managing the lineups, have played wonderfully and come with a 9-2 record. While their recent history gives them an edge, the overall record is still a mixed bag and could be anyone’s game.