Commanders vs. Colts: Jonathan Taylor, Marcus Mariota lead teams into London

Both teams head to London after earning their first wins, but two of the NFL's worst defenses could allow this matchup to turn into a high-scoring battle

Oct 3, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET • 2 min read

The NFL International series kicks off Sunday in London, as the 1-2 Washington Commanders take on the 1-2 Indianapolis Colts across the pond. Both teams are coming off their first wins of the season. The Commanders registered a thrilling upset victory over the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks last Sunday, while the Colts defeated C.J. Stroud and the rival Houston Texans. 

Quarterback Marcus Mariota again gets the start for the Commanders, as Jayden Daniels continues to ramp up after dislocating his elbow in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. Daniels has not been placed on injured reserve and does not plan to have surgery right now. He was a limited participant in practice this week while sporting a brace on his left arm.

As for the Colts, they are adjusting to life without Alec Pierce -- who was placed on injured reserve with his ankle injury. Josh Downs has stepped up in his place, catching 12 passes for 149 yards over the last two weeks. He will again be an important part of the game plan with Keenan Allen ruled out with a groin injury. 

Daniel Jones has thrown one touchdown and one interception in each game this year. Can he find a spark against this Washington defense? Let's break down this exciting interconference matchup, but first, here's how you can watch:

Historical data courtesy of CBS Sports Research

Where to watch Commanders vs. Colts

Date: Sunday, Oct. 4 | Time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, England)
TV: NFL Network | Stream: Fubo (try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Colts -4.5, O/U 47.5 (via DraftKings Sportsbook)

Commanders vs. Colts need to know

Defenses have faired poorly: Maybe we are due for some points in London. The Colts rank dead last in total defense (417.3 yards allowed per game), and third-worst in scoring defense (30.3 points allowed per game) this season. The Commanders aren't much better. Washington owns the second-worst scoring defense (30.7 points per game), and second-worst passing defense (280.3 passing yards allowed per game). This Commanders' secondary has allowed the most passing touchdowns (11) in the NFL this year. 

Marcus Mariota vs. Jayden Daniels: Daniels, of course, was named the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year after leading Washington to a 12-5 record and an NFC Championship appearance. He became the second player in NFL history to record 4,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season, including playoffs, joining Lamar Jackson. However, he's missed 11 of the past 20 games due to injury.

The Commanders have one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL in Mariota, who threw for 183 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Seattle last Sunday. Believe it or not, he's led Washington to more wins over his last nine starts than Daniels has!

Washington QBs -- last nine starts

	Jayden Daniels	Marcus Mariota
W-L	2-7	3-6
Team PPG	18.7	24.0

Last time Jonathan Taylor played overseas: Do you remember the last time the Colts played overseas? They defeated the Atlanta Falcons in overtime last November thanks to a ridiculous performance from Jonathan Taylor. The star running back rushed 32 times for 244 yards and three touchdowns, while also adding 42 yards as a receiver.

Commanders vs. Colts prediction

This line reopened Sunday at Colts -3.5, but has shifted a full point to Colts -4.5. This snaps a seven-game streak for the Colts as underdogs. I'll take Indy to pull out a victory thanks to two touchdowns from Taylor. He's already found the end zone four times this year. Washington is 0-2-1 straight up in international games, and 1-2 against the spread.