It must be hard for the Washington Commanders not to look to the future. And a rookie running back could be part of that picture. But to finish this awful season, the Commanders made a Josh Johnson decision amid the injury to Marcus Mariota.
It looks like they might need the journeyman veteran once again, according to a post on X by Ben Standig.
“Josh Johnson would start at Philly if Marcus Mariota is out.”
It’s not fun to have to turn to Johnson. He has won just one game in his 10 NFL seasons. That actually came with the Commanders back in 2018. His overall record as a starter is 1-9.
Commanders QB situation up in the air
In his start last week against the Cowboys, Johnson hit on 15 of 23 passes for 198 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. And he only took one sack.
The chances of him getting a second start are looking strong, according to CBS Sports.
“Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Monday that Mariota (hand/quadriceps) is “a stretch” to be available for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Eagles but has not been ruled out yet, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.”
Mariota has not been very good as a starter, either, at least in terms of wins and losses. He has a record of 2-6.
At least Johnson gives a veteran presence to the huddle. That could give the Commanders a chance against the Eagles, who haven’t announced whether they will fully play their starters. Johnson seems to understand the basics of what the Commanders want to do, according to commanders.com.
“When you're coaching him, and you're talking through different concepts, he has thoughts on it,” Kingsbury said. “He's been in it before. It may have been called eight different names and different systems he's played in, but he's probably repped it in a game at a time or two.”
Washington will travel to meet the Eagles in Week 18. The game is scheduled for a 4:25 p.m. (ET) start. If the Commanders lose, it will be their second four-win season in the last three years.
