Mariota touchdown to McLaurin came via on-the-fly adjustment, Zach Selby reports
SEATTLE — Sept. 28, 2026 — Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin that developed differently than the Washington Commanders had called and gave the team a two-score lead over the Seattle Seahawks, Zach Selby reported. The play began at the Seahawks’ 30-yard line and ended when McLaurin turned, plucked the ball near the front of the end zone and secured it as he fell. “It kind of changed on the fly,” Mariota said.
The play was designed as a pinch route, which McLaurin described as similar to a 12-yard curl, but McLaurin beat cornerback Josh Jobe off the line and converted the route into a go pattern. Mariota recognized the change and placed the throw where only McLaurin could make the catch. “We don’t try to make a habit of going off key, but at the end of the day, we speak about being ball players out there,” McLaurin said. “When you get a clean release like that, and you have a chance to make a big play, you want to capitalize, and we did that.”
McLaurin had been quiet in the first two games as opposing teams used cloud coverage to limit his targets, and the offense is adjusting to David Blough’s system, Selby reported. Mariota, though the backup, and McLaurin have developed a rapport over the last two seasons that allows them to adjust on the fly. “He made an unbelievable play,” Mariota said. “Me, if it’s one-on-one, I’m gonna take my shot with Terry every time, and he made an unbelievable catch.”
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The touchdown illustrates why the Commanders trust Mariota to handle the offense while Jayden Daniels recovers; Selby noted the timetable for Daniels’ recovery is not public. It also shows the value of veteran timing and in-game chemistry, as a route designed to be a pinch became a vertical shot after McLaurin created separation. With opponents deploying cloud coverage, Washington has sought different route concepts to free McLaurin, and plays that allow Mariota and McLaurin to improvise will carry extra weight. The sequence underscores that Mariota can recognize route changes in real time and put the ball where only his receiver can make the play.