Commanders vs. Vikings: 6 takeaeways from Washington’s 31-0 loss

The Washington Commanders lost their eighth straight game Sunday, putting up little resistance in a 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The loss was embarrassing on many levels, given that the Vikings’ 4-8 run was an opportunity for Washington to pull out a victory. Minnesota entered Week 14 having lost four straight and six of its last seven games.

This wasn’t supposed to happen as the Vikings dominated from the first possession. While the Commanders had a chance to tie it in the first quarter after an impressive first drive, Washington failed to get the ball into the end zone on three straight plays from the two-yard line. After turning the tide, the Vikings went on a 19-play, 98-yard drive that lasted more than 12 minutes to take a 14-0 lead.

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That was all. The commanders were done. Then quarterback Jayden Daniels was injured again, chasing a Vikings defender after an interception. The good news is that he seems to be doing well. However, the same cannot be said for veteran tight end Zach Ertz, who suffered a gruesome knee injury. Ertz’s season is likely over. And considering he’s 35, maybe his career.

It was another brutal day for Washington, which fell to 3-10 on the season.

Here are six takeaways from Sunday’s loss to the Vikings.

The bottom?

Commanders have had many adversaries to answer the question: “Is this the bottom?” as the years go by, it’s hard to keep up. There have been several instances this season, most notably five weeks ago against the Seattle Seahawks. This one was notable because it took place under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football, and we saw Daniels suffer a dislocated elbow. But Sunday’s defeat was serious. The Commanders entered the game as road favorites. Yet he didn’t score a single point against a struggling defense, making second-year quarterback JJ McCarthy look as good as he has since entering the NFL in 2024.

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Aside from the first drive, the offense struggled. The game wasn’t great. The quarterback play was bad. The running game worked, but the commanders didn’t engage in it more frequently. The defense was once again bad. To put this season’s disaster into perspective, Washington has lost five times by 21 points or more. When you consider that with the injuries, it’s hard to imagine it being worse.

The first drive ended the game

Washington’s defense looked normal on the game’s first drive, allowing the Vikings to go seven plays and 61 yards for an easy touchdown and an early lead. Commanders appeared to respond, but opted to pass it three times in a row from inside the two-yard line. They failed to convert and Minnesota took over at the two-yard line. The rest is history. Although it was an impressive performance, the commanders were unable to match it for the rest of the game. Instead of three straight passes, why not pass one or two to running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., who helped them get there in the first place?

It’s hard to say whether the commanders were worse on offense or defense. One thing is certain: failing to score ended Washington’s chances of winning this game. Daniels was never the same after that practice, and Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores hounded him the rest of the day.

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Kevin O’Connell, Brian Flores, owned Dan Quinn and Cliff Kingsbury

Kevin O’Connell is one of the best players in the NFL. He was terrific on Sunday, keeping the Commanders defense off balance and putting struggling quarterback JJ McCarthy at ease. The Vikings offense looked the best in a long time and that’s without the significant contributions of Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockenson.

Meanwhile, Flores holds a masterclass. Kingsbury had a phenomenal first drive, but became pass-happy inside the five-yard line and was never the same after that. Kingsbury had no answers to Flores’ whirlwind plans. Sure, some of that can be blamed on the offensive line or the quarterbacks, but overall, Kingsbury had to adjust to what Flores was doing. Either he didn’t or he couldn’t. It’s a problem.

Justin Jefferson had 11 yards – and Washington lost by 31

What would you have said if someone told you the Commanders would limit Minnesota superstar Justin Jefferson to two catches for 11 yards? Naturally, you would have said that the Commanders probably win by double digits, since much of the Vikings’ offense runs through Jefferson. No. With Washington holding Jefferson to 11 yards, Minnesota finished with 313 yards, while McCarthy threw touchdown passes – all to tight ends – and the Vikings ran for 162 yards. Incredible when you think about it.

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Jayden Daniels was bad

It’s okay to admit: Jayden Daniels was not good on Sunday. Let’s stop making excuses. Sure, it was a total team effort, but everyone is quick to blame Terry McLaurin if he misses time, or Deebo Samuel if he drops a pass, or Josh Conerly if he allows a sack, or if Zach Ertz drops a pass. We need to hold Daniels to the same standards. This in no way means that you are depressed or giving up on him. It’s a lost season for everyone, especially Daniels. But these games matter. These reps matter. Although Daniels has been in and out of the lineup, which is part of the reason he’s struggled, when he has played, he hasn’t been sharp. Ball placement is disabled. He holds the ball too long and leaves too soon. Part of this is due to a lack of trust in his receivers. They also came in and out of the lineup. But he still needs to get better. Kingsbury needs to find a way to help Daniels play with more confidence.

Dan Quinn’s defense stinks

Remember when so many people thought Dan Quinn magically fixed Washington’s defense after demoting Joe Whitt Jr? Not so fast. Look, Whitt was not a good defensive coordinator. He had no idea about the position and the players regressed under his watch. But this product that we see on the field every week has never been just about him. It’s general manager Adam Peters, it’s Quinn and it’s the players. Quinn never wanted to demote Whitt. He wasn’t looking for a scapegoat. He had no choice after that Detroit game and previous losses. Things looked better because Miami and Denver didn’t have the same explosive passing attack as the Cowboys, Chiefs and others. You could make the argument and no one would argue that the Commanders need at least nine new defensive starters next season. That’s unlikely to happen, but Washington has no choice but to spend in free agency on young free agents, instead of exhausted veterans, whom it can sign on the cheap.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: 6 takeaways from 31-0 loss to Vikings