When you’re already missing your starting quarterback, the last thing you should do is experiment with the offensive line. Yet that’s exactly what the Commanders did in their 30-13 loss to the Colts in London, and it cost them dearly.
The decision to bench veteran right guard Nick Allegretti for sixth-round rookie Matt Gulbin backfired right out of the gate. While Gulbin might develop into a solid player down the road, throwing him in against a heavy-hitting Colts defensive front was a massive gamble. Ultimately, it blew up in Washington’s face and led directly to Marcus Mariota’s game-ending knee injury.
Matt Gulbin Struggled from the Opening Drive
From the opening whistle, Gulbin looked outmatched. He struggled to anchor against the interior pass rush and was just as big of a liability in the run game. The warning signs were glaring, especially on the drive right before Mariota got hurt.
On a 2nd-and-7 play, Washington tried to run off the right tackle. Asking a Day 3 rookie to block an All-Pro caliber defensive tackle like DeForest Buckner one-on-one went exactly how you’d expect. Buckner blew past Gublin at the snap, crashing into the backfield for a 4-yard loss. It’s exactly why benching a seasoned veteran like Allegretti was so costly—a veteran knows how to use leverage against elite rushers, while a rookie can easily get bullied. That negative play immediately derailed the drive, putting the offense in an obvious passing situation and foreshadowing the disaster to come.
Marcus Mariota Got Injured Because of a Collapsed Pocket
Things went from bad to worse on the second drive. Washington was marching down the field, highlighted by a spectacular 35-yard run from Mariota that set up a crucial 3rd-and-goal at the Indy 11. That’s when the personnel swap at right guard officially caught up with them.
At the snap, Colts defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore drove Gulbin straight backward into the pocket. Because Gulbin was walked right back into Mariota’s lap, the interior pocket simply ceased to exist. Normally, a quarterback is taught to step up to avoid edge pressure, but Mariota’s escape route was completely clogged by his own blocker.
Trapped in a collapsing vise, Marcus Mariota couldn’t step up away from Adebawore, and he couldn’t roll out to escape edge rusher Laiatu Latu. It resulted in a chaotic, tangled sack where Latu landed awkwardly on Mariota’s lower right leg. Physical therapist Jeff Mueller noted in his video analysis of the play that the violent inward bend of the knee showed the classic mechanics of a severe MCL or high-ankle injury. But looking at the film, that awkward takedown wasn’t just bad luck—it happened because the right side of the pocket collapsed so fast and from multiple angles. The catastrophic end to Mariota’s afternoon was set in motion the millisecond his rookie guard lost leverage.
Air Was Sucked Out of the Building for the Commanders
Mariota was forced out of the game, finishing his afternoon just 3-of-4 for 46 yards. With Jayden Daniels already sidelined by an elbow injury, Washington had no choice but to hand the offense to seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis. Forced into an impossible situation behind a leaky offensive line, Kaliakmanis struggled, throwing 15-of-33 with an interception as the offense completely flatlined.
You can’t point the finger at Athan Kaliakmanis, and you certainly can’t blame Marcus Mariota, who was actually moving the ball well. The blame falls squarely on the coaching staff. When your backup quarterback is forced into action, you protect him with your best five linemen. Washington decided to tinker instead, and now they are flying home at 1-3, staring down a massive void at the most important position in football.
