Vikings-Commanders Preview: Kirk Cousins' Return, Other Storylines, Key Matchups
The Vikings are riding a five-game winning streak as they head to the nation's capital to take on a Commanders team that has won three in a row to get back to .500. One of those winning streaks will come to an end on Sunday at FedEx Field.
Let's go over some of the top storylines and matchups to know heading into this game.
Cousins returns to Washington for the first time
Kirk Cousins, who spent his first six NFL seasons with Washington, is returning to FedEx Field for the first time since joining the Vikings in 2018. He beat his old team at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2019, but this will be his first time on the visiting sideline at the stadium he used to call home.
Unlike last week, when ex-Cardinals Patrick Peterson and Jordan Hicks were open about being extra fired up to play their former team, Cousins isn't looking at this as any sort of "revenge game" — or at least he isn't saying so publicly.
"Whenever we go back to play the Lions in Detroit, for me, it's a little bit like going home, being from Michigan," he said on Wednesday. "And I think going back to Washington has a similar feeling. I spent six years there, have a lot of great memories, and just think very highly of a lot of people that I've worked with there, coaches and players and teammates."
Cousins was drafted in the fourth round in 2012, the same year Washington took Robert Griffin III second overall. He eventually surpassed Griffin and became the team's full-time starter in 2015, leading them to the playoffs. Cousins didn't sign a long-term deal with Washington, instead becoming the first quarterback to ever receive the franchise tag in consecutive years. He's now in his fifth season with the Vikings, who gave him the lucrative multi-year contract he was seeking. At 6-1, Cousins is off to the best start of his career, record-wise.
The last time the Vikings played in Washington, Cousins was the opposing quarterback in a 38-30 Minnesota win. Now he'll play against his old team for just the second time.
It's not just Cousins. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell coached in Washington for three seasons (2017-19), while offensive coordinator Wes Phillips was there from 2014-18.
The other quarterback is facing his former team, too
Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke has a great story, and it began in Minnesota. He was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2015, and despite playing well in preseason action, was released early in his third season with the Vikings.
After three other NFL stops and a brief stint with the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL, Heinicke was signed by Washington in 2020 and wound up starting a wild card playoff game against Tom Brady and the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers. He played well in that game and ended up as Washington's full-time starter last season when Ryan Fitzpatrick got hurt in the opener.
The Commanders traded for Carson Wentz this offseason, relegating Heinicke to backup duties, but Wentz got hurt a couple weeks ago and Heinicke has won both of his starts. If he keeps playing well, he'll have a chance to hold onto the job for the rest of the season.
This is a huge game for Heinicke and the 4-4 Commanders, who have a legitimate shot at being a wild card team in the wide-open NFC. He's shown some Case Keenum-like magic during his time as a starter, throwing downfield with confidence and using his legs when needed.
"I just think he’s an incredibly smart player," O'Connell said. "Scrappy, tough. He’s willing to stand in that pocket in the face of rush and keep his eyes downfield and find the open man. He can create off-schedule. He’s going to make not only the right play, but he’s going to try to situationally make the play he has to make — whether it’s with his legs, whether it’s off-schedule, whether it’s checking them into a run versus a premier look. You can tell he’s incredibly prepared."
There's interesting Vikings what-if involving Heinicke. In the summer of 2016, Heinicke and a friend were locked out of the friend's apartment late at night. In an effort to get in, Heinicke kicked a glass door and severed a tendon in his ankle, forcing him to miss two months. A month later, Teddy Bridgewater suffered a severe knee injury. If Heinicke was healthy, would the Vikings still have traded for Sam Bradford?
"That was one of the dumbest mistakes I've ever made," Heinicke told Minnesota reporters this week. "It was definitely a setback, you know. I feel like maybe if that didn't happen and then Teddy blows out his knee, I might've got a chance that year and (the Vikings) maybe (wouldn't) have traded for Sam Bradford, who knows?"
How much will Hockenson play?
The Vikings made a big splash at the trade deadline this week, acquiring tight end T.J. Hockenson from the Lions. They envision him as the perfect complement for Justin Jefferson and the other weapons on their offense, because of what he can do both as a blocker and as a pass-catcher.
It won't be long before Hockenson is nearly an every-down player for the Vikings. But this week is an awfully quick turnaround. He arrived in Minnesota on Tuesday, had his first day in the facility on Wednesday, and now will play his first game with his new team on Sunday. Hockenson is doing everything he can to learn the Vikings' playbook and familiarize himself with this offense, but I'd imagine he'll have a somewhat limited role in this game.
What that will look like is unclear. Football is football, and he's smart and talented enough to make an impact right away. Hockenson's skills could be put to use in certain situations, particularly in the red zone.
"We’ll just see how T.J. handles it," O'Connell said. "The good news is, it’s not one of those situations where he hasn’t played or anything like that, he is absolutely game ready, he looks like he’s in great shape, feeling really healthy and ready to roll."
It'll be very interesting to see what Hockenson's role looks like in this game.
Matchups and players to watch
The Commanders have played four straight one-score games, winning the last three. They have some notable talent on both sides of the ball that will cause problems for the Vikings.
- No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin is heating up with Heinicke at quarterback, catching 11 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown over the past two games. McLaurin is extremely dangerous and will command a lot of attention from Patrick Peterson and the Vikings' other cornerbacks.
- McLaurin isn't their only weapon, though. Curtis Samuel, another former Buckeye, is a crafty underneath target who also gets some carries in the running game. In Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson Jr., Washington has a solid RB tandem. And tight end Logan Thomas is a tough cover in the red zone.
- Defensively, Washington's strength is easily its defensive line. Montez Sweat is a beast of a defensive end who has 32 pressures this year, and Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne form one of the best defensive tackle duos in the league. The Vikings' offensive line, particularly the interior, will have their hands full.
- Safety Kamren Curl is a player to watch in the secondary, but cornerbacks Benjamin St-Juste, Kendall Fuller, and Rachad Wildgoose have struggled, which should be advantageous for Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.
- The Washington offensive line is a bit suspect, particularly C Tyler Larsen and RG Trai Turner. Look for Za'Darius Smith to target those matchups and potentially have another big day.
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