Studs and duds from Week 9 as Commanders collapse late vs Vikings

The Washington Commanders’ winning streak is over after they squandered a 10-point fourth quarter lead against the Minnesota Vikings. The Commanders were in the driver’s seat and even scored 17 unanswered points before a fourth quarter interception from Taylor Heinicke turned the game upside down.

With the loss, the Commanders fall to 4-5 and out of the playoffs. It’s not the end of the world, but fans could taste victory in the fourth quarter. The Vikings were begging to lose the game, only for Washington to commit its own barrage of mistakes en route to an ugly collapse in front of a raucous FedEx Field crowd.

Despite a wobbly performance and getting bruised and battered by the Commanders’ defensive line, Kirk Cousins gets a win in his return to Washington.

This was a measuring stick game for the Commanders and they passed the test until the final 10 minutes. It was those closing minutes proved this team has a lot to prove before it can be considered a playoff contender, however.

Let’s get into Washington’s studs and duds from the game.

Commanders studs and duds from Week 9

Stud: Jon Allen/Daron Payne

In need of a stop after Washington’s offense went three and out following Jefferson’s touchdown, Allen and Payne delivered, as they typically do. After Allen snuffed out a screen pass to Dalvin Cook, Payne executed a picture-perfect swim move to sack Kirk Cousins. Payne never played with Cousins in Washington — he was drafted the same offseason Cousins left — but this sack had to feel good.

Payne now leads the Commanders with 5.5 sacks and both he and Allen got multiple free shots at Cousins. Just utter domination from No. 93 and No. 94.

Dud: Rachad Wildgoose

Wildgoose enjoyed a strong hot start filling in for the benched William Jackson, but he’s crashed back down to earth in recent weeks. On Sunday, his struggles extended to special teams, where he was flagged for holding on a punt return that moved the ball from the Vikings’ 45-yard line to the Commanders’ 35. Trailing 7-0 at the time, this was a needless (and costly) penalty from the second-year defender.

Stud: Terry McLaurin

McLaurin  typically makes a catch every week that makes your jaw drop. While Sunday left a little to be desired in that regard, he made a sneakily impressive grab in the first quarter on a tipped pass over the middle. The ball was tipped no more than five yards in front of Terry and he had no trouble adjusting.

Dud: Cornelius Lucas

Sam Cosmi was wildly inconsistent in pass pro before his injury, but the Commanders sorely missed Cosmi’s presence at right tackle Sunday. While Cornelius Lucas is an elite swing tackle, there’s a reason he’s only started 35 games in nine seasons before Week 9: his skillset isn’t conducive to three-down football.

Not only has Lucas been beat for sack in consecutive weeks, but both reps were laughable. Just poor footwork allowed Danielle Hunter to bend around him with a simple stutter step. You won’t see an easier sack for an edge rusher.

Later in the first half, Za’Darius Smith navigated around Lucas like he was a practice sled. Fast forward to the fourth quarter, and Lucas was beat for a sack on a crucial third down with the score tied 17-17. Need Cosmi back ASAP.

Stud: Kam Curl

Like McLaurin, Allen and Payne, you can pencil in Curl as a stud almost every week. Remember against the Eagles in Week 3 when Curl turned in a forgettable performance? The third-year safety’s been outstanding in the six games since and entered Week 9 as Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded safety.

With how much the NFL emphasizes player safety, thumping hits have become a rarity in the league. Curl is an exception to that regression, as he’s delivered hit sticks in consecutive weeks after his pile-driving tackle on Vikings running back Alexander Mattison.

It’s a matter of when, not if, Curl makes a Pro Bowl, though he did get beat on the Dalvin Cook touchdown that allowed Minny to tie the game at 17. That will take away from what was an otherwise solid game from Curl.

Stud: Curtis Samuel

Washington has turned in catch-of-the-year candidates two weeks running. After McLaurin leaped over Stephon Gilmore to set up Taylor Heinicke’s game-winning touchdown in Week 8, Samuel nearly one-upped his former Ohio State teammate, though the grab required more luck than skill.

The luck had everything to do with Heinicke and the refs.

For starters, Heinicke heaved a needless deep ball into trouble coverage. A Vikings DB was camping underneath the pass to pick it off. The only problem? He ran into a ref, which allowed Samuel to swoop in out of nowhere, make the catch, and roll into the end zone after going untouched on the ground.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1589342494617088001

You really have to see it to believe it. Sometimes you need luck on your side to win in this league, and the Commanders have had plenty during this win streak.

Dud: Scott Turner

Turner was the subject of our mid-game article, where we questioned (some would say berated) the offensive coordinator’s 3rd and 9 quarterback draw play in the first half. In the third quarter, Turner once again drew the ire of fans when he dialed up a bootleg for Heinicke on 4th and 1 following a timeout.

A run up the middle would’ve received similar backlash, but cutting the field in half for your already-limited QB makes little sense. That kind of play design just increases the margin for error, and the pass fell incomplete.

Stud: Dax Milne

The Commanders have long been enamored with the idea of targeting Milne in the red zone and it finally manifested itself against the Vikings. With Washington knocking on the door early in the fourth quarter, Milne ran a beautiful whip route to create space and Heinicke hit him for a six-yard touchdown to cap a 10-play drive. It was Mine’s first career receiving touchdown, and it couldn’t come at a better time.

Dud: Taylor Heinicke

Heinicke was so close to qualifying as a stud, but his fourth quarter interception completely flipped the script of the game. Curtis Samuel was WIDE open over the middle and Heinicke sailed it over his head by a good five yards. Two plays later, Cousins hit Dalvin Cook up the seam for a touchdown to tie the game at 17.

Dud: John Ridgeway

Fitting on the day we publish an article on Ridgeway being an excellent claim by Washington (which is true!) he goes out and blows the game with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a Vikings field goal late in the fourth quarter after the Commanders came up with a massive red zone stop.

The penalty — coupled with some questionable game/clock management by Ron Rivera — allowed Minnesota to milk the clock until there was 15 seconds left before kicking the go-ahead field goal. It was a chip-shot field goal. Selfish and reckless of Ridgeway to think he needed to make a play there.

Dud: Game/Clock management

Don’t even have to say anything. It’s the same thing every week.

Though an infuriating loss, just remember all signs are pointing to Dan Snyder selling the team. Don’t forget that. This week was still a win in the bigger picture.