Game Recap – Minnesota Vikings at Washington Commanders

November 7, 2022

By Noonefromtampa

First Half

Washington won the coin toss again this week and elected to defer until the second half. Kirk Cousins was able to drive the Vikings offense right down the field. Cousins hit key passes on third down twice in the drive. On third and five he hit T.J. Hockenson for 19 yards over the deep middle. Then on third and one, he hit Justin Jefferson for 17 yards over Benjamin St-Juste. Cousins followed that up with a 16 yard completion to Jefferson for 16 yards. After a short gain by Dalvin Cook, Cousins hit Jefferson for a 9 yard touchdown. Greg Joseph converted the extra point. Vikings 7, Commanders 0.

Washington’s first offensive series only went for 19 yards. Taylor Heinicke hit Cam Sims for a 12 yard completion on second down for a first down. But on third and six, Curtis Samuel was only able to pick up two yards, forcing a Tress Way punt.

The Vikings went three and out on their next series. After a short run by Cook, Jonathan Allen blew up a tight end screen to Hockenson to cause a four yard loss. Then, Daron Payne sacked Cousins for a 9 yard loss. Ryan Wright punted the ball 49 yards and Dax Milne returned it 11 yards, but Rachad Wildgoose was called for offensive holding on the return, which moved the ball from the Minnesota 44 to the Washington 45.

Samuel picked up 16 yards on first down, but Heinicke was sacked for a six yard loss on the next snap. The Commanders were unable to convert the first down and punted the ball away. The ball dropped inside the five yard line, but Percy Butler knocked the ball into the end zone for a touchback.

The Vikings were able to pick up one first on the next drive, with Cousins converting on a quarterback sneak on third down and one. Two short runs and a incompletion created by Kendall Fuller over Adam Thielen on third down forced a Vikings punt.

Washington went three and out with another Heinicke sack on third down. The Vikings were able to pick up 36 yards on their next drive, with 22 yards of that coming on a completion to Thielen with Bobby McCain pushing him out of bounds. An incompletion on second down was followed by a Jamin Davis blitz on third down.  Davis tipped the Cousins pass which was batted down by Payne.

After the Vikings punt to the Washington 10 yard line, Brian Robinson picked up a first down on two 5 yard runs. After a 4 yard loss on a throw to Robinson, Cameron Dantzler Sr. was called for a low block on an Antonio Gibson run, giving Washington 15 yards and first down. The Commanders could not do anything with that, picking up only 7 more yards before punting. Christian Holmes was able to down the ball at the Minnesota 6 yard line.

Kamren Curl stopped Alexander Mattison for a one yard loss on first down. A pass to Thielen was broken up on second down and Hockenson picked up 9 yards on third and 11. Milne returned the punt 11 yards to givd Washington some of its best starting field position of the game at their own 37 yard line.

Terry McLaurin picked up 8 yards on first down. Then, Gibson picked up a first down with a 7 yard run. Washington was able to pick up another first down on a 12 yard completion to McLaurin. Three straight incompletions by Heinicke forced a 44 yard field goal attempt by Joey Slye which he put through the uprights.

The Vikings got the ball back with 35 seconds left in the half at their own 25 yard line after the touchback on the kickoff. Cousins hit Hockenson for an 18 yard gain on first down. After an incompletion to Thielen, Cousins hit him on the next play for a 36 yard pick up to movethe ball down the Washington 21 yard line. After an incompletion on first down, the Vikings got a delay of game penalty. The Cousins threw a deep pass to Jefferson, but St-Juste batted the ball away and it was intercepted by Danny Johnson in the end zone. Washington took a knee to end the half.

Vikings 7, Commanders 3

Second Half

Washington opened the second half with a 45 yard kickoff return by Gibson which put the ball near midfield. After a three yard run by Robinson, Heinicke heaved a throw under pressure down the middle to a well-covered Samuel who able to catch the ball between three Vikings players and the back judge, who got mixed up in the coverage. Untouched, Samuel rolled over the one yard for the 49 yard touchdown reception. The play was upheld upon review. Commanders 10, Vikings 7.

Minnesota was able to pick up one first down on their first possession of the half behind a 13 yard completion to Hockenson. Two incompletions and a tackle for loss by Allen on Cook forced the Vikings to punt.

Washington took over at their own 18 and was able to move the ball in Vikings territory. Gibson picked up 14 yards rushing and McLuarin caught a 15 yard pass. Washington was able to pick up nine yards but on 4 and 1 failed to convert on a pass to McLaurin which was broken up.

The Washington defense kept up the pressure on the Vikings, tackling Cook for a loss on a screen pass. Two straight completions forced a Vikings punt. On Washington’s next series, Heinicke hit Samuel for 14 yards and a first down on in a third and two situation. Heinicke picked up 9 yards on a run/pass option and head coach Ron Rivera challenged the spot of the ball. The call was upheld, giving Washington a third and one. Armani Rogers picked up 22 yards on a jet sweep, catching the Vikings defense flatfooted. Three plays later Heinicke was sacked on third down, but Za’Darius Smith was called for a facemask penalty to give the Commanders a first down on the Minnesota 11 yard line. Robinson picked up 5 yards on first down; then, Heinicke hit Milne for a touchdown on a great in-out move by Milne along the goal line. Commanders 17, Vikings 7.

The Washington defense started the next series with two good plays a tackle for loss and incompletion. St-Juste then intercepted Cousins and returned it for a touchdown; however, he was called for defensive pass interference, which nullified the touchdown. Cousins was sacked by St-Juste on the next play for an eight yard loss. After an 11 yard pickup by Jefferson, Cousins was hit by Payne as he threw but was able to get the ball to Jefferson for a 47 yard reception. Cousins was hurt on the play and Nick Mullens came in for one play, a 3 yard loss to Hockenson. The drive stalled out at that point and Joseph kicked a 25 yard field goal. Commanders 17, Vikings 10.

On the next series, Washington picked up a first down on an illegal contact penalty against the Vikings. Two plays later, Heinicke’s poor mechanics showed up when he sailed a pass over a wide-open Logan Thomas and the pass was intercepted by Harrison Smith who returned it 35 yards. Two plays later Cousins hit Cook on a wheel route who made a one-handed catch over Curl for a nine yard touchdown. Commanders 17, Vikings 17

Washington responded with a three and out, but the drive ended on a sack of Heinicke for a 9 yard loss. Jalen Reagor returned Tress Way’s punt 10 yards to the Minnesota 46 yard line. Cook picked up 4 yards and Cousins hit Hockenson for 10 yards. After an incompletion, Cook picked up 9 yards and then Jefferson picked up 10 yards on third and one. Two plays later Cousins hit for 9 yards on a third and four play, taking the ball down to the Washington 6 yard line. On first and goal, Cousins threw the play action pass out of the back of the end zone. The second down running play saw Cook picking up two yards around the left end. After the two-minute warning, St-Juste broke up the pass to Jefferson on third down. The Vikings kicked the field goal, but John Ridgeway was called for a personal foul for contacting the long snapper, which gave the Vikings a first and goal from the 2 yard line. The Vikings decided to run some plays to take time off the clock before attempting the 28 yard field goal again with 16 second left. Joseph split the uprights with his kick. Vikings 20, Commanders 17

With 12 seconds left, the Vikings kicked the ball through the end zone for a touchback. Heinicke completed a pas to Gibson, but he failed to get out of bounds and the clock ran out.

Final Score: Vikings 20, Commanders 17

Game Thoughts

We got all to see what good game management looked like from the Vikings, who smartly left Washington little time on the clock for a heroic comeback.

Taylor Heinicke is a great backup QB who can win you a couple of games, but his mistakes will also cost you some wins.

Plays Washington runs on first and second down to slow up an opponent’s pass rush should be run on fourth down. The offensive play calling just seems to have no rhyme, reason, or rhythm.

The defense is playing much better but still gives up the big play (30+ yards) too frequently.

The team also makes too many mental mistakes that are so easy to fix, but they fail to do so.

Chase Young coming back is not going to be some miracle which puts this team over the top.