Colts and Commanders try to build on Week 3 wins when they face each other in London

Last November, the Indianapolis Colts went to Europe and came home with an 8-2 record. They'd beaten Atlanta in Berlin and seemed on a glide path to some sort of postseason berth.

It turned out to be their last victory of the season.

Before too long, quarterback Daniel Jones was hurt, and the bottom fell out during a seven-game skid. Now another international game is on Indy's schedule — this time in London against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

“I think we try to keep these guys on a normal schedule,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said earlier this week. “So get the rest on the plane during the red-eye flight right there, and then we have a walkthrough Friday practice there. Don’t want to get out on the field right away, going on a long trip like that, and run those guys — because I’ve been a part of that where guys have stepped on the field Friday and gotten hamstrings.”

Both teams should be familiar with the challenges of playing overseas. Washington went to Spain last season and lost to Miami. Quarterback Jayden Daniels missed that game and was replaced by Marcus Mariota. The same could happen this year in London, but Daniels has been able to practice after missing last weekend's win over Seattle because of a dislocated elbow.

“Just taking it day by day,” he said Thursday, offering few hints about his likelihood of playing.

Both teams should feel as if they can take advantage of this matchup. The Colts (1-2) had to open the season with games against Baltimore, Kansas City and Houston. They took the Chiefs to overtime and then beat the Texans. Only one of their next five games is at home, however, so this neutral site matchup feels pivotal.

Washington (1-2) appeared to be in a dire situation when Daniels went down in Week 2, but Mariota led the Commanders to a victory over Seattle in their home opener last weekend. With Daniels on the mend and the Colts and New York Giants up next on the schedule, there's reason for newfound hope.

“Obviously Marcus means a lot. Grew up, and he hates when I say this, but grew up a fan of Marcus, obviously at Oregon and in Tennessee and stuff like that,” Daniels said. “But just being around him, just the type of person he is and how much he shows that he cares about me and wants me to be at my best and anything I need, he’s really out there for me.”

Indianapolis (1-2) vs. Washington (1-2) in London.

When/where to watch: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EDT, NFL Network.

Latest odds: Colts by 4.

Against the spread: Colts 2-1; Commanders 2-1.

Last week: Colts beat the Texans 19-17; Commanders beat the Seahawks 33-31.

Last meeting: Commanders beat the Colts 17-16 on Oct. 30, 2022, in Indianapolis.

Series record: Colts lead 21-11.

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor vs. the Washington defensive front. Taylor had one of the greatest international performances in league history last season, rushing for 244 yards and three touchdowns, including the game winner in overtime, as Indianapolis beat Atlanta 31-25. The Commanders did a solid job against the Seattle backfield last week.

— If Jones and Mariota start, they'd become the seventh and eighth quarterbacks to start an international game in back-to-back seasons in different markets. The others are Matthew Stafford (London 2025, Australia 2026), Aaron Rodgers (London 2024, Ireland 2025), Philip Rivers (London 2018, Mexico 2019), Derek Carr (Mexico 2017, London 2018), Matt Ryan (Canada 2013, London 2014) and Jay Cutler (Canada 2010, London 2011).

— The Colts have 15 penalties, tied for the fewest in the NFL so far.

— Indianapolis has gone 30 consecutive games without a red zone giveaway, the longest active streak in the league.

— Indy's Keenan Allen needs two catches to tie former Colts star Reggie Wayne (1,070) for 11th on the career list.

— The Commanders were the first 0-2 team to defeat the defending Super Bowl champions in Week 3 since 1980, when the Bengals beat the Steelers.

— Washington rookie linebacker Sonny Styles was the NFC defensive player of the week after he had five tackles, two passes defensed and an interception against Seattle. He's Washington's first rookie LB to win the award since Brian Orakpo in Week 14 of 2009.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) is tackled by Washington Commanders cornerback Amik Robertson (2) and linebacker Sonny Styles (52) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026 in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) rushes against the Houston Texans during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have mastered the art of building a competitive, 85-win team over the past several seasons. Manager Torey Lovullo will get more chances to turn it into a 95-win club.

“I don't know what that answer is,” Lovullo said. “But we're going to die trying. That's our job.”

The Diamondbacks announced Thursday that Lovullo will return for his 11th season, with the manager signing a two-year deal that keeps him under contract in the desert through the 2028 season.

The 61-year-old's future with the club was in flux after the D-backs missed the playoffs for a third straight year. Arizona was eliminated from postseason contention on the final day of the regular season for the second time in three years when the Phillies beat the Rays 7-3 on Sunday.

The Diamondbacks finished 86-76, the best record of any MLB team that didn’t qualify for the playoffs.

Arizona general manager Mike Hazen blamed himself for the club's shortcomings this year, saying he didn't do enough to address weaknesses, particularly at first base, designated hitter and in the starting rotation.

He added that he believed Lovullo had one of his best seasons as manager, working through several injuries to key players and guiding the team to 47 comeback wins, most in the big leagues.

“Nobody's content with winning 86 games and finishing in third place and not making the playoffs," Hazen said. "That's the goal and we failed at that goal, but I wanted to take a slightly broader view of all the good things he does.”

Lovullo is the winningest manager in Diamondbacks history, going 750-768 during a full decade in charge, with the highlight being a surprise World Series appearance in 2023 after barely squeezing into the playoffs with an 84-78 record. He is the third-longest-tenured manager in the big leagues behind Tampa Bay's Kevin Cash and Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts.

Lovullo choked back tears at one point during Thursday's news conference, expressing appreciation for more chances to lead the team to a World Series title. He said he took some time to decompress in the days following the regular season, ignoring his phone and watching every episode of “Ted Lasso” with his wife over a roughly 72-hour period.

By Thursday, he was ready to get back to work. Then Hazen called with the good news.

“I was relieved, grateful and excited,” Lovullo said. “It's emotional. I've been here a long time — 10 years in this valley. And I've got to believe I'm doing something right.”

The postseason success in 2023 raised expectations in Arizona, but the D-backs haven’t been able to make it back to the playoffs since. Arizona won 89 games in 2024, missing out on October baseball after losing a tiebreaker to the New York Mets.

The D-backs were in playoff contention for much of 2025 before fading down the stretch and finishing with an 80-82 record.

Arizona started this season with postseason expectations and was in contention throughout the summer, but the team could never quite reach its full potential. Two of the club's main starting pitchers — Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly — struggled and injuries to ace right-hander Corbin Burnes, relievers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez, and top prospect Jordan Lawlar put a dent in the depth.

Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno won the NL batting title this season, but other key hitters like Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo were inconsistent.

Late-season drama surrounding Marte’s no-show in Boston back in August didn’t help momentum. His future with the organization will be one of the biggest storylines of the offseason.

The affable Lovullo is a popular presence in the organization. He played eight seasons in the big leagues for seven teams in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the bench coach for the Boston Red Sox when they won the World Series in 2013 and played college baseball at UCLA.

He was hired following the 2016 season by Hazen and named the 2017 NL Manager of the Year after leading the Diamondbacks to a 93-win season — a 24-win improvement over the previous year — and a trip to the playoffs.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo pauses in the team dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' manager Torey Lovullo smiles in the dugout before a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Caitlin O'Hara)