12 Quick Hit Reactions to Vikings Win over Commanders
The Minnesota Vikings have now won six of their last seven games against the Washington Commanders, shutting out Dan Quinn’s team by a score of 31-0. Few saw such a dominant dub coming, and here are our reactions to the event.
Lo and behold, the Vikings rebounded on Sunday from a four-game losing streak, defeating the Washington Commanders in style — somewhat surprisingly.
The Vikings move to 5-8 with a slight sliver of a chance to reach the postseason.
Snap Takes to Vikings Dub against Commanders
The misery is over.
1. Wouldn’t you know it? There’s hope for J.J. McCarthy. The 22-year-old has played miserably in the last two games, but on Sunday, the son of a gun looked like a Pro Bowler. There’s a credible study suggesting quarterbacks come into their own between 250 and 350 dropbacks; McCarthy was at 204 entering Week 14. Perhaps fans saw the true version of the young man versus Washington. That’s a bold take, but it could be true.
2. Kevin O’Connell, alas, ran the football. It’s an easy strategy to endorse during a 31-0 shutout. Still, in games past, O’Connell might still rear back and throw the football when it just wasn’t necessary. The skipper appears to be learning. A team with a young quarterback — especially one who largely stunk until this weekend — must run the ball. A lot.
O’Connell did that on Sunday, and his team won by 31 points. Funny how that works. Run the football. Continue to run the football. When McCarthy gets good enough — if he does — he’ll have plenty of games to throw it 40 times. This season is no time for it.
3. Minnesota walked a tightrope by, once again, not really involving Justin Jefferson in the gameplan but winning the damn game by five scores. There’s no way that Jefferson could be mad about that, so it somehow all worked out.
4. The offensive line did its job in Week 14, probably because it was fully healthy for the second time this season, and the Commanders don’t have a legendary defensive front. This could be a glimpse into the offensive line’s future. In a good way. Knock on wood.
5. Dallas Turner is gaining confidence by the week, and while he didn’t totally disrupt the game like last week, he played a role and looked the part. He’ll continue to ascend.
6. Anthony Barr blew the Gjallahorn while wearing a Harrison Smith jersey, which was one of the coolest highlights of a fun afternoon. Barr evidently loves Hitman. That kind of respect is an example of “actions speak louder than words.”
7. Speaking of Smith, he probably snagged the final interception of his career on Sunday. Smith turned back the clock for a day and sounded emotional after the game. Guy’s a pro’s pro. When Minnesota introduces starters before the Week 18 game against Green Bay, it will likely be the final time Smith is introduced. Bring tissues.
8. Jalen Redmond had 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and a sack. The man should get some Pro Bowl votes. If he had a bigger name and more popularity, that would be a no-brainer. Around the league, he might still be known as just a “UFL guy.” But the guy is a beller.
9. Tai Felton sighting: up by four scores, Minnesota tossed its 3rd-Round on the field for a few offensive plays. The coaching staff never does that. Maybe he’s showing his stuff behind the scenes at practice. He even caught a pass from McCarthy.
10. Jayden Daniels — shield your eyes — has struggled compared to last season, and no one really cares. In fact, he’s enduring a bit of the C.J. Stroud slump. Food for thought.
11. For the first time in three months, Minnesota won the turnover battle in a game. The last time it did so was against the Cincinnati Bengals — when it won by 37 points. See the correlation. O’Connell’s team is close to unbeatable when it wins the turnover battle.
12. To reach the playoffs, the Vikings must win out, ask the Chicago Bears to lose all their remaining games, the Detroit Lions to lose all games but Week 16, the Carolina Panthers to lose two games, and the Dallas Cowboys to lose a game in addition to a loss versus Minnesota. Insert the Dumb and Dumber quote.
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