The Vikings had their way with the Commanders on both offense and defense, shutting out the visitors by a score of 30-0 in Washington’s most lopsided loss in a season full of lopsided losses.
A summary
of the game with several highlights and lowlights follows.
First Quarter
The Vikings took the field first to open the game at the 39-yard line following the kickoff.
They got across midfield in two plays, then added another pair of 1st down in another four plays, reaching the 18-yard line.
The next play finished the drive with an 18-yard TD pass to TE Josh Oliver.
The Vikings took an early 7-0 lead with 11 minutes left in the first quarter. The drive covered 61 yards in 7 plays and looked far too easy.
Jayden Daniels made a too-rare appearance for the Commanders first drive of the game. The Washington offense started its first drive at the 15-yard line after Deebo returned the ball to the 41 yard line, but with a holding penalty against Percy Butler.
The initial formation was reminiscent of what we saw vs Lions in the playoffs last year with all the receivers split very wide with huge gaps to the tackles.
McLaurin started things off with a 28-yard gain on a deep pass to the left outside the numbers.
That was followed by a first down on next two plays — a screen pass to Deebo and a run by Chris Rodriguez to the MIN 42-yard line.
Ben Sinnott got a reception; Jayden Daniels is getting great pass protection early. On 3rd & 3, Jayden scrambled and dived for the first down. Apparently, he’s not avoiding contact when it counts.
McNichols took the handoff on the subsequent play, but a good run was negated by a holding call against John Bates forcing 1st & 21 at the 41-yard line.
Daniels scrambled up the middle against pressure to bring up 3rd & 14.
On the 3rd down play, Deebo caught a quick pass at the line of scrimmage and quickly earned 15 yards to get the fresh set of downs.
On 1st down from just inside the 20-yard line, Chris Rodriguez took the ball up the middle, broke a tackle, and ended up at the 4-yard line, 1st & goal.
After a run and a pair of incomplete passes, on 4th & goal at the 2-yard line, Jayden had all day to survey the field and hit Deebo in the hands at the back of the end zone, but the receiver couldn’t hold on. Change of possession. A good offensive drive comes up empty.
The Vikings have 98 yards of green grass in front of them.
Two plays later, on 3rd & 6, McCarthy was under pressure – hit in the end zone, but then breaking and running and diving for the first down. Great play by the quarterback against good defensive pressure and coverage.
The quarter came to an end with the Vikings facing 2nd & 8 at their own 15-yard line. It was a pretty quick first quarter.
Second Quarter
CRod averaged 8 yards per carry on 4 runs in the first quarter. Jayden has 55 passing yards. But the Vikings have the only points on the scoreboard. The Washington defense needs to step up.
Vikings open with another 1st down with an 8-yard pass to Jalen Nailor, then Jordan Mason ran for 12 yards to the 35-yard line.
Will Harris picked up a 3-yard sack to force 3rd & 9; on the 3rd down play, McCarthy easily hit Nailor on the left sideline for 12 yards to about midfield.
On 2nd down, it looked like McCarthy was trapped and then tackled at the line of scrimmage on the scramble to bring up 3rd & 8. On the 3rd down play, McCarthy went deep to Jordan Addison for a 21-yard gain on the left sideline.
The ball is inside the 30 yard line with about 9 minutes on the clock.
Two plays later, on 3rd & 12, Jefferson took a short pass reception 13 yards on a catch and run in the middle of the field. The defense is swarming but not successfully preventing the Vikings from moving the ball. This drive is already at 17 plays.
On 3rd & 1 at the 8 yard line, the Vikings brought in 2 tight ends. On the 3rd down play, the RB, Mason, went untouched to the left side of the formation and into the end zone.
After the PAT, the Vikings had a two-TD lead, 14-0 with less than 6 minutes left in the half. The drive lasted 12 minutes and covered 98 yards in 19 plays.
If the rest of the game goes like this, the final score could be very embarrassing.
Washington’s offense has to put a touchdown on the board here. They drove the ball well on their first possession; now they need to get it into the end zone.
The second drive began at the 24-yard-line after a 19-yard return by Deebo Samuel.
After a batted pass and a CRod run, on 3rd & 9 at the 29-yard line, Jayden scrambled from heavy pressure, gaining 4 yards. Three & out. Not good.
After the Tress Way punt, Minnesota took over at their own 21-yard line with just over 4 minutes on the clock. Vikings have run 26 plays and earned 11 first downs on two offensive possessions. If they go up by 21 points here, this game will be looking like a rout. Washington has forced 3rd downs, but has allowed the Vikings to convert every one of them. Defense needs a stop.
Two plays later, on 3rd down, Washington gives up its 6th 3rd down conversion of the game.
At the 2-minute warning, the Vikings face 2nd & 6 at their own 38-yard line.
After the time out, a false start moved the Vikings back 5 yards. After Luvu batted down a 2nd down pass, on 3rd & 11, Washington’s defense came up big with a sack by Von Miller!
After the punt, Washington’s offense took the field at their own 32-yard line.
With 1:45 left in the half, the Commanders offense will need to work quickly; they have 2 time outs in hand.
The Vikings are rushing Jayden hard with their ears pinned back. He makes two quick decisions; one a 6-yard completion, the other a throw-away. On 3rd & 4, he found Terry McLaurin on the left side of the field at the numbers for a 7 yard gain.
Again, the Vikings pass rush is brutal right now. Jayden is getting rid of the ball in about 1.5 seconds.
On 3rd & 12 following a loss on a screen pass, the pass protection holds up well, but so does the defensive coverage, and Jayden finally rolls out of the pocket and throws the ball away to end the drive.
After a very good punt and a short but exciting return, the Vikings take over at their own 14 yard line with 17 seconds left on the clock.
If looks like the half will end with the score at 14-0. It could have been worse.
Washington will get the ball to open the second half.
Halftime Stats
Statistics via ESPN
Third Quarter
There have been no turnovers (aside from Washington’s turnover on downs) and limited penalties. The clock has moved quickly and the first half moved right along. Washington’s offense needs to put a TD on the board to change the game’s complexion, and the defense then needs another stop.
The Commanders begin their 4th offensive drive of the game at the 24-yard line following the 2nd half kickoff.
CRod is on the field and opens the half with a run with Jayden under center. On 3rd & 7 after a Jayden scramble/sack under pressure, Jayden threw deep to Noah Brown down the left sideline, and Noah Brown did what he does, drawing an defensive pass interference flag to get the fierst down at the WAS 40-years line.
Another pair of CRod run brought up 3rd & 1 at the 49-yard line. On the 3rd down play, what looked like a sack-fumble was negated by a penalty against Minny for 12 men on the field. The play was busted because Jayden called for the early snap to get the flag.
More CRod on 1st down. followed by an incompletion on a busted screen brought up 3rd & 6. On the 3rd down play, Jayden scrambled, but came up one yard short.
DQ decided to go for it on 4th down at the MIN 37-yard line. The play was an easy pitch & catch to Zach Ertz in the middle of the field. First down at the 27-yard line.
Bill Merritt came into the game and burst for 7-yards with Jayden under center.
Every 1st down play on this drive has been a run. After a stuffed run on 2nd down, on 3rd & 3 at the 19-yard line, with a stacked formation on the left side, Jayden missed Noah Brown wide at the sideline.
On 4th & 3, on a similar formation and play, Andrew van Ginkel stepped in front of Jayden, batted the pass in the air, got the interception, and rumbled all the way to the WAS 29-yard line.
Daniels stayed on the turf for a few seconds, appearing to be in some pain before jumping up and running off the field. Washington went 58 yards in 12 plays and then — again — came up empty.
The Vikings have fantastic field position with about 8 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. The game feels like it’s about to get completely out of hand. The defense will be lucky if it can force a field goal.
Two plays later, on 3rd & 8, Jonathan Jones got both hands on the pass at the sideline to kill the Vikings drive.
Will Reichard kicked the 45-yard field goal that cleared the right upright by about a yard. 17-0 Vikings.
Dan Quinn sends Marcus Mariota out to run the offense with about 7 minutes left in the quarter.
After the touchback, Mariota and the offense take the field at the 20-yard line.
Under center again, Bill Merritt runs for 5 yards on 1st down — the 2nd half game plan is clear. Mariota hits Deebo in the middle of the field for 11 yards to get a first down, which turns out to be another run by JCM, this for just one yard.
On 2nd & 9, Mariota is picked off on a pass intended for Trey Burks, intercepted by Harrison Smith who stretches out completely to pluck the ball out of the air. Still, it looked too easy. The game is quickly turning into a rout.
The Vikings have the ball at the WAS 37-yard line with about 5 minutes in the quarter and the chance to pad their current 17-point lead.
It only took 4 plays. McCarthy found the tight end, Josh Oliver, wide open at the 5-yard line.
In a refrain that is familiar to Washington fans, an opposing tight end has his first career multi-touchdown game.
With less than 3 minutes left in the quarter, the score is 24-0. It feels like the Commanders losing streak is about to reach 8 games.
Mariota re-takes the field at the 30-yard line. This first-down run by CRod loses a yard; the Vikings know what’s coming now.
Ertz gets hit hard on an incomplete pass on 2nd down; the trainers come out to look at him.
He had to be helped off the field and then carted to the locker room. This may change Ben Sinnott’s career trajectory.
On 3rd & 11, the Vikings break through the middle of the line and sack Mariota at the 20-yard line.
The Tress Way punt is well-covered by Tyler Owens. Minnesota takes over at their own 34-yard line with just over a minute left in the quarter.
The Commanders get pressure on McCarthy on 1st down, but he breaks contain and scrambles for 16 yards.
The quarter ended with the Vikings facing 2nd & 1 at the WAS 41-yard line leading 24-0.
Fourth Quarter
Having lost Jayden Daniels and Zach Ertz en route to a 24-point deficit, the Commanders probably just want to get through the final 15 minutes without further injury. The Vikings are also likely to want to just run the clock; they don’t really need to run up the score. This game may finish pretty quickly.
Mikey Sainristil made a beautiful pass breakup on a 40-yard pass to the end zone targeting Justin Jefferson, so maybe Kevin O’Connell does want to run up the score.
Aaron Jones breaks an 18-yard run and the Commanders get called for a (soft) roughing the passer penalty. The Vikings have 1st & goal at the 9-yard line.
Jones runs to the 2 yard line, then McCarthy gets sacked for no gain. On 3rd & goal from the 2 yard line, Sainristil breaks up a pass intended for Jordan Addison at the goal line.
On 4th & goal, TJ Hockenson puts another tight end TD on the board for Minnesota.
After the PAT, the score stood at 31-0 with about 11 1/2 minutes remaining in the game.
Noah Brown makes his first catch of the game for 18-yards on 1st down to put the ball across midfield. Then Bill Merritt runs for 9 yards. The offense is moving, but the game is already over.
Bill runs for 10 yards to the MIN 28-yard line.
After a short run & a Mariota scramble, on 3rd & 6 at the 25-yard line, Mariota scrambled, was tackled near the right sideline, and Mariota fumbled.
Minnesota recovered the fumble to make sure that everything that could go wrong actually did go wrong.
Vikings take over at their own 16-yard line with less than 8 minutes remaining in the game.
The Washington defense does not appear to be much an inconvenience. The Vikings drive covers 58 yards in 9 plays ahead of the 2-minute warning. The key plays included a drop by Jordan Addison on a good McCarthy pass that soon led to a 4th & inches that 3rd string RB Zavier Scott converted with a 10-yard run.
No one is calling time outs. Following the two-minute warning, starting with a 1st & 10 at the WAS 25-yard line,
JJ McCarthy knelt three times to mercifully end the game.
Full Game Stats
Statistics via ESPN
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