Fourth quarter comeback gives Vikings 20-17 win over Commanders
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LANDOVER, Md. -- Kirk Cousins got the game ball after leading the Minnesota Vikings to a comeback victory against the team he started his NFL career with, and the first thought that came to his mind was starting a chant with the most famous words from his time with Washington.
"You like that?! You like that?" he and his teammates shouted in the visiting locker room.
Cousins and the Vikings are off to their best start since 2009 after rallying to beat the Commanders 20-17 Sunday. They really like that.
"We're finding ways to win," Cousins said. "We grind on and keep trying to pull them out in the end here."
MORE: How far will this Vikings team go? A look at past teams could tell us
Minnesota pulled out this win thanks to two touchdown passes by Cousins, Harrison Smith's interception of Taylor Heinicke and a go-ahead 28-yard field goal by Greg Joseph with 12 seconds left.
Playing his first game at Washington as a visitor, Cousins rebounded from an interception at the end of the first half and popped back up after one of several big hits to finish 20 of 40 for 265 yards with TD passes to Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook. He led three fourth-quarter scoring drives to cap off an emotional return that started with pulling into a familiar stadium in an unfamiliar role and ended with smiles.
"It feels great to win in this league," Cousins said. "I had so many warm memories coming in, and so on the way out, to be able to remember those as well with a win is so much better than after a loss."
Besides catching Cousins' first TD pass in the first quarter, Jefferson came down with a 47-yard completion in the fourth. Jefferson finished with seven catches for 115 yards as the Vikings (7-1) extended their lead atop the NFC North and avoided what would have been their first loss since Sept. 19 at Philadelphia.
"A win is a win," safety Camryn Bynum said. "We've got to know that we're not playing our best ball yet, but it's coming."
Heinicke's magic ran out on the interception after he threw two touchdown passes, including an inexplicable heave into triple coverage that Curtis Samuel came down with after a Minnesota defender ran into an official, and had the crowd chanting his name.
He was 14 of 27 for 139 yards but could not lead another game-winning scoring drive, and the Commanders (4-5) had their winning streak snapped at three.
"We got some opportunities," coach Ron Rivera said. "We didn't take advantage of the opportunities. Enough mistakes to go around for everybody."
One of those mistakes was a penalty on defensive lineman John Ridgeway on Joseph's initial field goal attempt with under two minutes remaining, which allowed the Vikings to run the clock down further and effectively ice the game.
"We teach the guy to go across the guy's face to get across," Rivera said. "What we were told is that he ran through the guy's head and neck area. I can't tell you whether he did or didn't."
BIZARRE PLAY
After Antonio Gibson gave Washington strong field position to start the second half with a 45-yard kickoff return, Heinicke provided one of the highlights of the game with one of the weirdest plays of the NFL season.
Heinicke made the risky decision to heave the ball into the air from midfield like a Hail Mary, and it looked like a certain interception until Bynum collided with back judge Steve Patrick, who was trying to get out of the way. Samuel got in front of Smith and cornerback Patrick Peterson and made the catch at the goal line.
"Definitely need to give a game ball to that ref for knocking down that safety," Heinicke said with a chuckle.
HOCKENSON THRIVES
Tight end T.J. Hockenson caught all nine passes Cousins threw his way for 70 yards in his Vikings debut, less than a week after they acquired him in a deal at the trade deadline from division rival Detroit. Cousins praised Hockenson for learning Minnesota's offense in four days after what took him four months.
"He's kind of making me look bad," Cousins said. "Not one time in the huddle did I feel like he was looking at me like he didn't know what to do. Just very much on top of it - gave me a sense of ease as a result."
HAPPY O'CONNELL
Cousins was not the only member of the Vikings able to celebrate a winning return. First-year coach Kevin O'Connell spent three seasons with Washington as an assistant and enjoyed this one in the aftermath of wife Leah giving birth to their fourth child, daughter Cassie Grace, Friday.
"I just feel so blessed having been there and then get a chance to make sure she was in a good place and would receive incredible care helped me to be confident to come out here with our team and try to get a win," O'Connell said. "But I cannot wait to get back there. Just so excited to get back to my family and really spend some more time with my new daughter."
INJURIES
Vikings: CB Cameron Dantzler left in the first half with an ankle injury and was quickly ruled out after halftime. O'Connell said Dantzler would likely have an MRI Monday and did not want to put a timetable on how much time the third-year pro might miss. ... DT Dalvin Tomlinson missed the game with a calf injury.
Commanders: WR Jahan Dotson (hamstring) missed a fifth consecutive game and LB Cole Holcomb (foot) a second in a row.
UP NEXT
Vikings: Visit the Buffalo Bills next Sunday.
Commanders: Travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles on Monday, Nov. 14.
Kirk Cousins iced out after win
Official runs into Vikings defender, wacky touchdown follows
LANDOVER, Md. - Taylor Heinicke lofted the ball into triple coverage like it was a Hail Mary throw.
On the sideline, coach Ron Rivera thought to himself, "Are you kidding me?"
That was just the beginning of one of the most bizarre plays of the NFL season. What should have been an easy interception turned into a catch by Curtis Samuel for a 49-yard Washington Commanders touchdown Sunday when an official ran into Minnesota Vikings defender Camryn Bynum.
Talk about the nutty play buzzed in the visiting locker room afterward, and the Vikings could laugh and joke about it because they came back to win 20-17 for their sixth consecutive victory to improve to 7-1. But that didn't make it any less weird to those on either side who were a part of it.
"It was pretty wacky," safety Harrison Smith said. "I was kind of surprised the ball was coming that way. Kind of knew Cam was kind of waiting on it."
Bynum, Smith and cornerback Patrick Peterson were all there, and that throw turns into an interception probably 99 times out of a 100.
"I saw a punt return interception coming," Bynum said. "I almost had to fair catch it because it was in the air that long."
Problem is, back judge Steve Patrick stumbled and effectively set a pick for Samuel.
"He ran right into you!" Peterson said to Bynum afterward. "We just had a little bump in the road - a speed bump."
Across the bowels of FedEx Field, Heinicke joked: "Definitely need to give a game ball to that ref for knocking down that safety."
Bynum was steaming but accepted Patrick's apology for getting in the way. From the sideline, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell wasn't too happy, either, but he understood sometimes these things happen.
"As the coach of the team it happens to, it's very hard to react to in the moment, especially when I felt like that had a good chance to be an interception going back the other way," O'Connell said. "And then for not only it to happen that way but then also go from an interception to a touchdown was unfortunate."
The play was reviewed to see if Samuel was touched down at the 1-yard line or got into the end zone. There was no question about the collision between the back judge and a player.
"I want to assure you that all officials are working to not be contacted by the players," NFL senior vice president of officiating Walt Anderson said. "There are times where they can make adjustments, and they normally do. They are all working and trying to avoid contact as best they can. It's just one of those unfortunate things out on the football field, occasionally officials do contact players."
Heinicke, who threw a jump ball to Terry McLaurin last week in a win at Indianapolis, had plenty of praise for Samuel making the catch through traffic - both in purple and white and in stripes.
"When you get the coverage like that, you want to give him a shot," Heinicke said. "I know he had a pretty good shot at catching it and the ref made a pretty good play for us."
The play from start to finish rendered Peterson, a 12-year veteran, "speechless."
"We've never seen that happen before," Peterson said. "Hat off to the receiver keeping his focus on the ball to get a touchdown. Unfortunately they did not win the game. Fortunately, we won the game."
The Vikings won thanks in part to Harrison intercepting Heinicke midway through the fourth quarter, setting up Kirk Cousin's 12-yard touchdown pass to Dalvin Cook that tied the score. That was one of Minnesota's highlights, but O'Connell is glad the strangest play of the game didn't come back to bite his team after all.
"A couple times a year in this league, stuff like that happens," he said. "I'm just proud of our team for overcoming it."
Vikings win 20-17 as clock runs out on Commanders
The Commanders ran just one play after getting the ball back. Running back Antonio Gibson was tackled in bounds, and with no timeouts, the clock hit double zeroes on the Commanders.
The Vikings win 20-17 and move to 7-1 on the season.
The Commanders fall to 4-5.
Greg Joseph nails go-ahead field goal
The Vikings lead 20-17 after Greg Joseph nailed a short field goal with 12 seconds remaining.
The Commanders will get the ball back, albeit with no timeouts.
Commanders penalty gives Vikings fresh set of downs on goal line
The Vikings were set to settle for a field goal to take a 20-17 lead over the Commanders, but a defensive penalty on the kick gives them a fresh set of downs.
A personal foul on defensive tackle John Ridgeway on the kick gave the Vikings a first down.
Dalvin Cook's one-handed TD catch ties it 17-17
Kirk Cousins lofted a pass to Dalvin Cook in the corner of the end zone, and the running back secured it with one hand for the touchdown.
The score is now tied 17-17 with about 8 minutes left.
Harrison Smith intercepts Taylor Heinicke
The Vikings have a chance to tie the game after Harrison Smith intercepted an errant Taylor Heinicke throw over the middle of the field.
The Vikings have the ball in the red zone trailing 17-10.
Greg Joseph hits 25-yard FG to make it 17-10
The Vikings now trail by just a touchdown after Greg Joseph hit a 25-yard field goal to make it 17-10.
There are nearly 11 minutes left in the game.
Kirk Cousins leaves game for one play
It appeared as if Kirk Cousins' 3rd and 7 heave to Justin Jefferson was a costly one, as the quarterback stayed down on the field before being replaced by backup Nick Mullens.
But Cousins missed only one play before coming back in. The Vikings are deep in Commanders territory.
Cousins' pick-six negated by pass interference
Kirk Cousins threw an interception that the Commanders returned for a touchdown, but a pass interference penalty negated the play.
The Vikings catch a break.
Commanders take 17-7 lead early in 4th quarter
The Vikings offense has been anemic in the second half, and the defense looks like it's starting to wear down.
A long Commanders drive, spurred in part by an inopportune facemask penalty on Za'Darius Smith, ends in a Dax Milne touchdown from Taylor Heinicke.
The Vikings trail 17-7. They have plenty of time left, but the offense needs to get out of its funk if there's to be any hope.
Vikings get 4th down stop
With a 4th and 1 in Vikings territory, the Commanders decided to go for it.
Taylor Heinicke had a man open, but rookie cornerback Akaylab Evans broke it up. The Vikings till take over trailing 10-7 in the third quarter.
Commanders take 10-7 lead on long Curtis Samuel TD
Commanders quarterback heaved up a prayer, and thanks to some interference from a referee, Curtis Samuel snagged it for a long touchdown that gave Washington a 10-7 lead.
Three Vikings defenders were around, and safety Cam Bynum looked like he was poised to pick off the pass. But a ref ran right into him, and Samuel was able to complete the catch. He rolled into the end zone for a TD.
Cam Dantzler ruled out with ankle injury
Vikings cornerback Cam Dantzler will miss the rest of Sunday's game with an ankle injury, the team announced.
Commanders pick off Cousins' end zone shot
Kirk Cousins took a shot to Justin Jefferson in the end zone late in the first half, but the Commanders were all over it. Cornerback Danny Johnson snagged it off a tip, and the Commanders took over.
Taylor Heinicke kneeled out the remaining few seconds of the half. The Vikings lead 7-3, and Washington will start the second half with the ball.
Commanders make it 7-3 with field goal late in 1st half
The Vikings defense has been fairly stout all day, and they held the Commanders to a field goal on a 12-play drive late in the first half.
The Vikings will have just over 30 seconds to try and score before halftime. It's 7-3 Minnesota after the field goal.
Adam Thielen hits 500 career receptions
Wide receiver Adam Thielen has joined a couple of Vikings greats in the record books.
During Sunday's game, Thielen notched his 500th career reception. Cris Carter and Randy Moss are the only other receivers to do that in team history.
Thielen has one catch for 22 yards so far on Sunday. So far this year, he has 36 catches for 373 yards.
The Vikings lead the Commanders 7-0 late in the first half.
Jefferson's big 1st drive ends in TD
Justin Jefferson had three catches on the Vikings' opening drive, and the third was a touchdown in the corner of the end zone.
Jefferson had 42 total yards on the drive. His 9-yard TD catch came over former Minnesota Gopher Benjamin St-Juste.
It was Jefferson's first TD catch since week one.
New Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson also had a big catch, grabbing a 19-yard third down conversion over the middle of the field.
DT Dalvin Tomlinson, 6 others inactive vs. Commanders
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is officially inactive for Sunday's game against the Commanders.
The Vikings' other inactive players are Luiji Vilain, Benton Whitley, Chris Reed, Vederian Lowe, Jalen Nailor and Esezi Otomewo.
On the Commanders' side, Jahan Dotson, J.D. McKissic, David Mayo, Cole Holcomb, Shaka Toney, Chris Paul and Cole Turner are inactive.
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell welcomes 4th child
The Vikings are hoping for a win on Sunday to move to 7-1, but head coach Kevin O'Connell already had a big win earlier this week.
The team said O'Connell's wife, Leah, gave birth to their fourth child on Friday night. Mom and the baby girl are both doing well, the Vikings said.
The Vikings play the Commanders at noon on Sunday. O'Connell spent three years coaching in Washington, first as quarterbacks coach and then as offensive coordinator.