Three Pro Ducks start on an NFL Sunday, Mariota opens with TD run

With Jayden Daniels out, Marcus Mariota gets the start for the Commanders, one of three Oregon quarterbacks starting on Sunday.
With Jayden Daniels out, Marcus Mariota gets the start for the Commanders, one of three Oregon quarterbacks starting on Sunday. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

For the first time since 2007, three Oregon quarterbacks are starting in the NFL today.

Justin Herbert and Bo Nix square off against each other at 1 p.m. PT on CBS for a share of first place in the AFC West. With Jayden Daniels out with a knee sprain, Marcus Mariota gets the start in Washington.

With 4:39 to go in the first quarter his team leads 7-3 over the Raiders. He's 4-5 passing for 33 yards. He's kept the ball on the ground three times for 38 yards, including runs of 22 and 14 yards.

On the Commanders first possession Deebo Samuel set the team up with a 69-yard kickoff return to the Raider 27. Mariota kept himself to cap a five-play drive scoring from 2 yards out to take a 7-0 lead.

Near the end of the first quarter he drove the team to the Raider 19 but Matt Gay missed a chip shot field goal wide right.

The three who started in 2007 were Joey Harrington, AJ Feeley and Kellen Clemens. A fourth Oregon QB might join the current trio later this year, fifth-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel of the Browns.

In their Oregon careers, Mariota, Herbert and Nix threw for a total of 274 TD passes. They rank 1, 2 and 3 all-time in that category.