The Minnesota Vikings badly needed to stop turning the ball over, a season-long problem. They had to figure out a way to revive their passing attack from the stunning depths to which it had sunk during their four-game losing streak. They wanted to play well at home for their fans for once, too.
Most of all, they were seeking the good vibes that had been eluding their quarterback-in-training, J.J. McCarthy.
Everything on their long wish list was checked off in a chicken-soup-for-the-soul type of victory over Washington on Sunday, a 31-0 decision that was satisfying in every way except for the sobering reality that it came too late to salvage their bid for the playoffs with a 5-8 record.
“It’s definitely reassuring,” said McCarthy, after his first turnover-free game and a personal-best three touchdown passes in his seventh career start. “I always knew I had that, and I always knew the potential is there. But I’m looking at it right now and there’s so many ways I could get better. I’m so far from where I want to be, so it’s just great to get the win and grow in this game.”
The message from coach Kevin O'Connell was for McCarthy to focus on decision-making, not mechanics. The playbook had been pared back for the betterment of the entire struggling offense. The goal was to start strong so the quarterback — and the play-caller — could finally enjoy the advantage of playing with a lead.
Not only did the Vikings deliver with a seven-play, 61-yard touchdown drive to open the game, they followed it up with a 19-play, 98-yard march for the longest possession (12:01) in the NFL in four years. The Vikings converted five third downs along the way, including a 21-yard completion from McCarthy to Jordan Addison on third-and-8 from near midfield that told O'Connell his protegee was starting to get it.
Justin Jefferson was well-covered as the first read, so McCarthy looked to Addison on a deep out and delivered a perfect strike into the void of the zone.
“Regardless of statistics or anything like that, he played winning football. He protected the ball. He made throws situationally. He made some chunk throws on some of the early downs,” O'Connell said.
What's working
The Vikings held their opponent under 100 net passing yards for a second straight game. They've been under 200 yards in 10 of 13 games this season. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was largely out of sorts before being sidelined by injury in the third quarter.
What needs help
Despite the clear progress in just about every aspect of his game, McCarthy took four more sacks. The Vikings have the third-worst sack rate (12.1%) in the league this season.
Stock up
Fullback C.J. Ham played 26 of 64 snaps on offense (40.6%) for his highest usage in four years. Long a fixture on special teams and in the locker room, having recently been named for a second straight season the club's nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award, Ham delivered key block after key block for the ball carriers. He also saved McCarthy from a potential safety by fending off a late blitzer in the end zone on the third play of the 98-yard touchdown drive, allowing McCarthy to scramble forward for the first down.
Stock down
Suggesting Justin Jefferson's performance or leadership has lacked or that his value has decreased would be foolish at best, despite only four catches for 15 yards over the last two games with O'Connell and the staff trying to reset the playbook. So this is purely a tongue-in-cheek selection from an afternoon during which the Vikings finally thrived in every facet of the game.
When the coaches were pulling some regulars with victory in hand, Jefferson tried to sneak onto the field to join the offense for the final drive midway through the fourth quarter, according to O'Connell.
“That was a tough conversation ... because Justin did not want to come out of the game," O'Connell said.
Injury report
The Vikings fielded their full starting lineup on both sides of the ball for the first time all season on Sunday. What's more, they emerged with no new injuries of significance or aggravations of existing conditions, O'Connell said. Backup safety Theo Jackson and backup defensive lineman Levi Drake Rodriguez both were held out Sunday because of neck injuries.
Key number
5 — The Vikings are one of only five teams, according to Sportradar research dating to the Super Bowl era that began in 1966, to post a shutout in the game immediately after they were shut out themselves. The last team to do so was Denver in 1992.
Up next
The Vikings visit Dallas (6-6-1) on Sunday night. The Cowboys are last in the NFL in pass defense, allowing an average of 255.2 yards per game. They've given up 7.42 yards per pass play, the third-worst rate in the league.