The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
The Washington Commanders are traveling to Minnesota to play the Vikings in Week 14. Here are three keys to getting the win.
While the Vikings don’t present quite as many defensive challenges as the Denver Broncos did last week, they do have some wrinkles that could give the Commanders problems.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores likes to bring more pressure than anyone in the league this year. They blitz opponents 43.8% of the time — nearly 10 percentage points higher than the next team on the list. They’ve generated 109 pressures — the eighth most in the NFL — and got 31 sacks out of it. Linebacker Eric Wilson has been Flores’ primary weapon, as his 62 blitzes are the second most in the league.
The Commanders proved they could handle a strong pass rush last week when they held the Broncos, who have the most sacks in the NFL, to two sacks on Marcus Mariota. Tackle Laremy Tunsil also allowed just two pressures in his 28 matchups with Nik Bonitto last Sunday, while guard Sam Cosmi allowed one pressure on 55 pass blocks, according to Next Gen Stats. However, the Broncos are more content to rush with their defensive front and blitz nearly half as much as the Vikings (26.6%).
Assuming they can get past the Vikings’ blitzes, there should be opportunities for Jayden Daniels, who was cleared for contact and will start this weekend to connect with his playmakers. It will require the offensive line to give him time, though, as well as a solid game plan from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.