Tag: Justin Jefferson

Vikings lead Commanders 7-3 at halftime

The Minnesota Vikings lead the Washington Commanders 7-3 at halftime in another ugly half of offensive football.

The Minnesota Vikings lead the Washington Commanders 7-3 at halftime of Week 9 action from FedEx Field.

The Vikings went on offense first, as quarterback Kirk Cousins marched Minnesota down the field, finding star wide receiver Justin Jefferson four times and new tight end T.J. Hockenson once. Jefferson capped off the drive with a nine-yard touchdown reception from Cousins.

Washington went on offense but struggled to get anything going. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke completed just six of 14 passes for 48 yards in the first half. Heinicke had three passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.

Washington’s defense was terrific after the first drive. Defensive tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen kept the pressure on Cousins, forcing four Vikings’ punts.

Cousins finished the first half by completing 13 of 20 passes for 158 yards with one touchdown and an interception to end the first half. Jefferson has five receptions for 57 yards. Washington has done a good job limiting Minnesota’s running game, as Dalvin Cook has just 28 yards on eight attempts.

The Commanders finished the first half with only 96 total yards. Running back Antonio Gibson led Washington with 23 rushing yards, while wide receiver Terry McLaurin had three receptions for 38 yards.

The Commanders open the second half with the football.

3 takeaways at halftime from Week 9 Vikings vs. Commanders

It’s an ugly game thus far out in Landover, MD

The first half is over and it’s been a hard-fought game from both sides, as the Minnesota Vikings hold a 7-3 lead over the Washington Commanders.

The Vikings got the first score of the game with a touchdown catch by Justin Jefferson who dominated on that first drive despite consistent coverage on the outside.

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Overall, the Vikings and Commanders has been an ugly football game and it was personified by a tip-drill interception by Commanders defensive back Danny Johnson at the end of the first half.

The game has been good so far but there are three main takeaways from the first half.

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Justin Jefferson doing it all for Vikings

Justin Jefferson made fashion statement and caught TD pass

Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson came onto the field for Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders with some stunning shades.

And then, he dropped some shade on his opponents who had him blanketed but still were unable to prevent Jefferson from grabbing a touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins.

Justin Jefferson dominates opening drive, scores touchdown

Nobody can stop Justin Jefferson

The Minnesota Vikings got off to a hot start against the Washington Commanders at FedEx Field with an opening drive touchdown pass from the returning Kirk Cousins to Justin Jefferson.

It was a very impressive drive from both Cousins and Jefferson. The drive lasted nine plays and they traveled 78 yards to get the score. Cousins completed all five of his passes for 67 yards.

Jefferson was the star of the drive, as he caught all four targets for 48 yards and a touchdown. The entire drive, he wasn’t what you would deem open, but it didn’t matter. Even when Jefferson is well covered, it doesn’t matter. He’s still open.

The Vikings have set themselves up well for the rest of the game.

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NFL fans had lots of jokes about Justin Jefferson’s incredible pregame sunglasses

Look at these beauties.

Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings are in Washington today to take on the Commanders where a win could bring the NFC North-leaders to a 7-1 record, which would be one of the quietest 7-1 starts in NFL history because it seems like this team has been under the radar so far.

You know what didn’t go under the radar, though? Jefferson’s sunglasses that he wore during his pregame warmups Sunday at FedEx Field. The third-year receiver who has 52 catches for 752 yards and two touchdowns on the year broke out a classic pair of sunglasses that looked right out of the old kid’s movie called “Spy Kids 3D.”

Check these things out:

I gotta be honest, I love those things.

Twitter had jokes.

NFL Week 9 picks: Who the experts are taking in Vikings vs. Commanders

The experts aren’t too high on the Commanders in Week 9.

The Washington Commanders [4-4] host the Minnesota Vikings [6-1] Sunday at FedEx Field in a battle between NFC playoff hopefuls.

The Vikings have won five in a row and sit in a terrific position to win the NFC North. Minnesota currently has a 3.5-game lead over Green Bay and Chicago, which feels insurmountable when you watch the Packers and Bears play.

The Commanders have won three in a row. After beginning the season 1-3, Washington looked poised to take down the Tennessee Titans in Week 5, but quarterback Carson Wentz was intercepted at the goal line at the end of the game, breaking the hearts of Washington fans.

But the Commanders bounced back and have won their past three games.

Neither of these teams wins handily. Every Minnesota win during its current winning streak has been by one score. Meanwhile, the Commanders have won the last three games by a total of eight points.

Who do the experts believe wins in Week 9?

According to NFL Pickwatch, 90% of the experts picked the Vikings. This is nothing new for Washington, as it faces the same odds seemingly week after week.

The Vikings are probably the better team, but is there really a huge gap between these two teams? We shall find out Sunday afternoon.

Behind Enemy Lines: We preview Commanders’ Week 9 game with Vikings Wire

We spoke with Vikings Wire managing editor Tyler Forness ahead of this weekend’s game between the Commanders and Vikings.

The Washington Commanders [4-4] host the Minnesota Vikings [6-1] Sunday in a matchup between two of the NFL’s hottest teams.

There are multiple storylines ahead of this game. Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins makes his return to Washington for the first since leaving after the 2017 season. Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke began his NFL career with the Vikings back in 2015. And former Washington offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell is Minnesota’s head coach.

There are several interesting matchups in this game. How will the Commanders fare against Vikings running back Dalvin Cook and wide receiver Justin Jefferson?

To learn all we could about the 2022 Vikings, we spoke with Vikings Wire managing editor Tyler Forness ahead of Sunday’s game. Tyler gave us outstanding information, and his thoughts on Kirk Cousins sound awfully familiar to Washington fans.

 

 

4 keys to a Commanders’ win over the Vikings in Week 9

Here are four things Washington must do to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9.

The Washington Commanders are currently in a good position to make the playoffs. At 4-4, the Commanders hold the last wild-card spot in the NFC, but the calendar just turned to November, and there is a lot of football left.

The next challenge for Washington occurs Sunday when the 6-1 Minnesota Vikings come to FedEx Field for an NFC showdown.

These are two of the hottest teams in the NFL, with the Vikings winning five games in a row and the Commanders have won their past three. The common link between these winning streaks is both teams are winning close games.

Who has the advantage on Sunday?

We’ve identified four keys to victory for the Commanders in Week 9.

5 Vikings to watch in Week 9 vs. Commanders

These five Vikings could determine the outcome of this weekend’s game against the Commanders.

In case you haven’t heard, the Washington Commanders [4-4] have a big game this weekend. The Minnesota Vikings [6-1] come to town in one of the weekend’s better matchups. This game could be important for playoff reasons come January.

These two teams are among the hottest teams in the NFL. The Vikings have won five in a row and haven’t lost since Week 2. The Commanders have won three in a row, with their last loss coming on a heartbreaker to Tennessee in Week 5.

Who has the advantage heading into Week 9? The Vikings are the early favorites, but this game could come down to the wire as both teams have played their share of close games this season.

Here are five Vikings who should play a large role in the outcome of Sunday’s game against the Commanders.

Vikings Film Room: Kevin O’Connell uses space really well

The Vikings’ offense is creative and uses space really well

The Minnesota Vikings new offensive scheme under head coach Kevin O’Connell does a really nice job of utilizing space.

The college game has started to come to the NFL over the last few years with the spread offense and air raid concepts becoming more and more rampant.

One of the main ways that these offenses thrive in college is by utilizing space. In college, the hash marks are twice as wide on each side. Using the wide side of the field is an easy way to give your playmakers the football in space and let them be creative after the catch.

In the NFL, offenses are doing the same, but in a less extreme capacity. Head coach Kevin O’Connell is doing a great job utilizing space and letting K.J. Osborn work.

The Vikings put three wide receivers to the far side with Osborn in the slot. With the near side being the short side, Osborn has a lot of room to work with. He also has two blockers to seal the outside and allow him to get upfield quickly.

These concepts are simple in nature but a great way to potentially eat up chunks of yardage without any real risk.