Home Late field goal sinks Washington Commanders in tight 20-17 loss to Minnesota Vikings
Sports

Late field goal sinks Washington Commanders in tight 20-17 loss to Minnesota Vikings

Roger Gonzalez
washington commanders alt
(© Jeff Bukowski – Shutterstock)

The Washington Commanders blew a golden chance to have their first winning record since Week 1, losing 20-17 at home to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Washington (4-5) allowed 13 of the 20 points in the fourth quarter as former Commanders quarterback Kirk Cousins got the best of his former team. Washington had a 17-7 lead in the fourth quarter on Taylor Heinicke’s second touchdown throw of the game, but 13 straight points in 10 minutes was enough to complete the comeback. Vikings kicker Greg Joseph hit a 28-yarder with 12 seconds to go to secure the win.

Washington had won three games in a row to build a ton of momentum, but the red-hot Vikings produced another narrow victory in what has been an impressive two months. Minnesota is on a six-game winning streak where they won each game by no more than a touchdown.

Washington went just 3-for-10 on third down, and they also had just three penalties, but Minnesota delivered when it mattered most.

The Vikings converted 7 of 16 third downs.

Heinicke finished the game 15-for-28 for 149 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Cousins was 22-for-40 for 265 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. Superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson had seven catches for 115 yards and a score for the visitors.

Washington scored early in the third on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Heinicke to Curtis Samuel to take a 10-7 lead, and then a quarter later it was Dax Milne catching a six-yard touchdown from Heinicke. But then the Vikings took over with two field goals and a clutch 12-yard pass from Cousins to Dalvin Cook to tie the game at 17.

The Commanders have a chance to get back to .500 when they go to the Philadelphia Eagles next Monday night.

Roger Gonzalez

Roger Gonzalez

Roger Gonzalez is freelancer for Augusta Free Press. A native of Connecticut that grew up in Charlottesville, he is a graduate of Virginia Tech. He currently is a sportswriter with CBS Sports and has written for The Daily Progress, The Roanoke Times and other newspapers before getting into the digital sports journalism world.