3 Things to know for Vikings vs Commanders in Week 14
Before the season, this week’s matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders looked like it could have tons of intriguing storylines. 2024 first-round draft picks J.J. McCarthy and Jayden Daniels would be facing off in a game that could have playoff implications.
Instead, the game will feature two disappointing teams that never recaptured the magic they had from one season ago. The Vikings are 4-8 and have lost four straight games after upsetting the Detroit Lions. Meanwhile, the Commanders sit at 3-9 after losing seven in a row.
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That has both teams playing for pride rather than postseason glory. Perhaps that doesn’t make for a great storyline, but it could help take some pressure off McCarthy and allow him to play looser.
Here are three things to know for Sunday’s game between the Vikings and Commanders.
3 Things to know for Vikings vs Commanders in Week 14
These teams have combined to lose 13 of 14 games after 3-2 starts
Two months ago, neither the Vikings nor the Commanders would have thought they would be playing meaningless football as December began. Each team sat at 3-2, with the Vikings beating the Browns 21-17 in London and the Commanders destroying the Chargers 27-10.
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But things haven’t been the same since then. Carson Wentz came undone in losses to the Eagles and Chargers, dropping the Vikings to 3-4. McCarthy played well in his return against the Lions, but he has struggled since, prompting Kevin O’Connell to trim the offensive playbook and focus more on execution than on McCarthy’s mechanics.
Daniels has missed the past three games after suffering a dislocated elbow in Washington’s 38-14 loss to the Seahawks in Week 9. With Marcus Mariota, the Commanders came up just short the past two weeks, losing in overtime to both the Dolphins and Broncos to essentially end their season before Daniels returned.
The Vikings have turned the ball over in nine straight games
O’Connell and McCarthy talked about the importance of taking care of the ball this week. The Vikings have turned the ball over in nine straight games, and they’ve turned the ball over at least twice in each of the games of their losing streak. O’Connell and his staff hope a more straightforward approach helps McCarthy play faster and focus on executing play calls rather than his mechanics.
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Fortunately, the Commanders haven’t been effective at taking the ball away this year. They are tied for second-worst in the league with seven takeaways. If there was ever a time for a “get right” game, it’d be this one for the Vikings.
McCarthy has nowhere to go but up….right?
It’s been a tough season for McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie campaign with a meniscus tear. Not only has he missed six games due to injury, but his 57.9 passer rating is last in the NFL. Worse yet, that’s the worst career passer rating for any first-round pick drafted since 2000, passing Josh Rosen (61.1).
The feeling is that it can’t get much worse for McCarthy, but we saw Max Brosmer stink it up in Seattle last week and throw four interceptions. Hopefully, McCarthy, a self-described “overthinker,” can play loose and not only avoid turnovers but also produce positive, explosive plays.
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Minnesota’s offense could use some of those. They haven’t scored in their last six quarters of play and have been outscored 49-6 in their previous two games. The Vikings won’t make the playoffs, but it’d be nice if they could remind us what it’s like to experience a touchdown again.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 3 Things to know for Vikings vs Commanders in Week 14