The Washington Commanders fell to 4-5 on the season after a heartbreaking 20-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings Sunday.
In what was a very winnable game, Washington took control early in the third quarterback when quarterback Taylor Heinicke found wide receiver Curtis Samuel for a 49-yard touchdown to give the Commanders a 10-7 lead. It wasn’t one of Heinicke’s better decisions, throwing into triple coverage, but somehow Samuel came away with the football and landed in the end zone.
The Commanders defense was outstanding, hitting Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins over and over. Washington took complete control at the start of the fourth quarter when Heinicke ended a drive with a touchdown pass to wide receiver Dax Milne.
Unfortunately for Washington, that’s where the fun ended. A Taylor Heinicke interception and a couple of critical penalties ended any chance of extending their three-game winning streak.
Let’s examine our five takeaways from a disappointing loss.