The Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders opened the NFL's 2026 International Series on Sunday morning at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, and the Week 4 matchup turned eventful early when Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota left the game with a knee injury. Through the opening stretch of action, Washington held a 6-0 lead built entirely on field goals.
Mariota Hurt, Kaliakmanis Steps In
After taking a big sack on third down for a six-yard loss, Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota spent a few minutes in the blue medical tent before heading back to the locker room. With Mariota sidelined, backup Athan Kaliakmanis took over at quarterback deep in Washington's own territory as the Commanders tried to protect their lead.
The injury compounded an already thin receiving corps for Washington, since Terry McLaurin was ruled out with a hamstring injury before kickoff. Washington was already playing without its starting quarterback from the first three weeks, as Jayden Daniels, dealing with an elbow issue, had been ruled out for the London game ahead of Mariota's own injury.
Commanders Jump Ahead on Special Teams Reliability
Washington's offense struggled to finish drives in the red zone but leaned on its kicking game. The Commanders settled for a 31-yard field goal from Drew Stevens after stalling at the 13-yard line, and later added a 29-yard Stevens field goal after a long drive was stopped at the 11-yard line, pushing the score to 6-0.
Indianapolis' defense generally held up despite conceding two scoring drives. The Colts have bent but not broken against Washington, forcing a third-down sack to limit one Commanders possession to another field goal rather than a touchdown.
Colts Offense Searching for a Spark
On the other side of the ball, Indianapolis has yet to find traction. The Colts were unable to take advantage of a potentially-deflated Washington squad following the injury to Mariota, and their first offensive drive after that injury stalled out again, with Indianapolis settling for a punt after converting a third down rather than going for it near midfield.
A Rematch Four Years in the Making
Series History
Sunday marked the two franchises' first meeting since Washington beat the Colts 17-16 on Oct. 30, 2022, in Indianapolis. Despite that result, Indianapolis still leads the all-time series 21-11 heading into London.
Paths to London
Both the Colts and Commanders entered Week 4 at 1-2, with each team looking to avoid dropping to 1-3 as playoff math starts to tighten early in the season. Washington arrived off a stunning upset, as the Commanders had beaten the Seahawks 33-31 while the Colts topped the Texans 19-17 in Week 3. That Seattle win carried extra weight because Washington became the first 0-2 team to defeat the defending Super Bowl champions in Week 3 since the Bengals beat the Steelers in 1980.
Names to Watch the Rest of the Way
Even with the early scoring hiccups, Indianapolis still features one of the league's most productive backfields. Running back Jonathan Taylor enters with recent London pedigree, since he rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns, including the overtime game-winner, in a London win over Atlanta last season. Veteran receiver Keenan Allen also carried a milestone into Sunday, needing two catches to tie former Colts great Reggie Wayne for 11th on the NFL's career receptions list.
Sunday's game was the first of three NFL contests scheduled in London this season, part of the league's broader NFL international push. The result will factor into an increasingly crowded Week 4 picture across the league, which also featured the Buccaneers' win over the Vikings and followed a short week highlighted by the Steelers-Browns Thursday night clash. Both the Colts and Commanders return to their regular home markets after the London trip as the AFC South and NFC East races continue to take shape.