{
  "id": 11980771,
  "title": "Studs and duds from Commanders' Week 4 loss to Colts",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/studs-and-duds-from-commanders-week-4-loss-to-colts",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-04T18:22:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/studs-duds-commanders-week-4-182202167.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Washington Commanders faced the Indianapolis Colts in a game played in London, a crucial match as a win would have put them at .500 through their first four games. The team secured a Week 3 victory, yet this Week 4 loss to the Colts ended poorly, with a final score of 30-13. The Commanders' performance was not solely due to bad play. A significant factor was the injury to veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, who left the game early and never returned. Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis struggled to fill his shoes, further complicating matters.\n\nTreylon Burks stood out as a positive, catching a big pass from Kaliakmanis for a 47-yard touchdown, the only receiving score of the game. However, there were several negatives. Offensive line rookie Matt Gulbin, who replaced Nick Allegretti, faced criticism for poor performances. On defense, the running backs were ineffective, with Croskey-Merritt gaining only 15 yards on nine carries and Marcus Mariota contributing just 35 yards. Running defense was also subpar against the Colts, allowing Jonathan Taylor to score twice and rack up 95 yards in the second half, despite the Commanders' previous success in preventing rushing plays. Amik Robertson and Rasul Douglas were the bright spots, holding Daniel Jones to just 143 passing yards and no touchdowns, while contributing significantly with tackles, pass breakups, and an interception. However, the game was marred by the poor officiating, with the Commanders facing 10 penalties for 84 yards, including a critical call against Robertson that swung momentum, while the Colts were penalized only once for five yards.",
  "summary": "The Commanders' London trip did not go according to plan in Week 4.",
  "key_points": [
    "Washington Commanders lost 30-13 to Indianapolis Colts in London.",
    "Quarterback Marcus Mariota's injury significantly impacted performance.",
    "Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis struggled to replace injured starter."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}