Washington’s season hit a new low in Minnesota: A 31-0 shutout loss, playoff elimination, and devastating injuries to Jayden Daniels and Zach Ertz.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Washington Commanders entered Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings on a seven-game losing streak, but reason to be optimistic.

For one, the message of continuing to compete even in a 3-9 season with playoff chances all but gone hasn’t just been lip service from Commanders coach Dan Quinn. Additionally this week, the return of quarterback Jayden Daniels and receiver Noah Brown meant that Washington would not only have two key members of its offense back, but it had the most complete version of it since Week 2.

What excitement there was entering the game quickly faded as the home team took control of the game early, and by the end of it not only was Washington’s season over, but several players were once again injured–one potentially suffering the career-ending variety–and it’s hard to believe, but a season that was already going so badly, actually got worse in a 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14.

The game certainly didn’t get off to the start that the Commanders hoped for as quarterback J.J. McCarthy led the Vikings’ offense down the field for a seven-play scoring drive that took less than three minutes off the first quarter clock, capped off by a touchdown pass to tight end Josh Oliver to go up 7-0, quickly.

It wasn’t as quick a trip back down, but Daniels and the Washington offense were able to get the ball down to the Minnesota two-yard line, facing second-and-goal from that spot. Running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. averaged eight yards per carry on four of them on that first drive to help get the team down there, and a clutch catch and run by receiver Deebo Samuel on third-and-long kept the drive alive. But three straight passes called from the one-yard line resulted in no completions, no points, and a turnover on downs on the Commanders’ first possession of the game.

When teams go for it on fourth down that close to the goal line, they oftentimes reference the advantage their defense gets, even if the play results in a turnover on downs. This time, however, it didn’t prove to be an advantage for Washington but a historic opportunity for the Vikings. 


 A historic 12-minute drive by Minnesota

Gaining possession of the ball off the failed Washington fourth-down play with just over four minutes left in the first quarter, Minnesota didn’t relinquish control of the ball until it had eaten 12 minutes and one second of game clock and scored another touchdown. The drive is now the longest possession in team history, and before Daniels got his hands on the ball for a second time, McCarthy and the Vikings had already possessed it for over 15 minutes.

Fortunately, the Commanders’ defense was able to stop the bleeding a bit and forced a Minnesota punt on the next drive, but ultimately the offense wasn’t able to do anything with it and entered the halftime locker room trailing by 14.


“Bad to Worse”: Daniels injured again

Things unfortunately went from bad to worse in the second half. Driving, with the ball in the red zone for a second time this game, Washington faced a second fourth down on the opening drive of the third quarter, again going for it, and again opting for a pass play to do so. 

The pass was tipped and intercepted by Vikings defender Andrew Van Ginkel, and during the return, Daniels was leveled. He went down hard, immediately clutched at his left arm, and was surrounded by trainers before ultimately heading into the medical tent for further evaluation. 

Officially, the story was that he was questionable to return with an injury to the same non-throwing arm elbow. But the question about whether or not we’ve seen the last of Daniels this season has to be seriously discussed and considered.

Minnesota turned that opportunity into a field goal.

Marcus Mariota was forced into action to replace Daniels at that point, and threw an interception on his first possession that the Vikings turned into another touchdown and a 24-0 lead.


A legendary career ends in tears?

On the next Commanders’ possession, however, disaster struck as Mariota targeted tight end Zach Ertz, who was hit low by a defender and immediately signaled for medical help. Eventually, he was carted off the field, visibly emotional as an equally emotional Mariota tried to console him as best he could, with the unspoken knowledge that we may have seen the legendary tight end play his last snap in the NFL.

Of course, the game went on, as it has to. The Vikings scored another touchdown, and Mariota turned the ball over again.

As the clock struck zero, the clock hit midnight in Washington a while ago it seems, and not only is the season over as the team was mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but the defense has given up 30 or more points 12 times in the past two seasons, including the postseason, and was just shutout for the first time since October of 2019.