Commanders keys vs. Vikings: Punish mistakes, disrupt Kirk Cousins

In the facility, Rivera reminded players that Washington (4-4) has an opportunity Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings (6-1). Washington can extend its winning streak to four. It can break .500 for the first time since Week 1. It can take down one of the few NFC teams to separate from the pack, and it can keep pace in the wild-card hunt.

“This game obviously is a measuring stick,” Rivera said, pointing out the Vikings are on a five-game winning streak. “This is a very good football team that’s coming in here. They’re riding high.”

Minnesota is led by familiar faces. This will be quarterback Kirk Cousins’s first game at FedEx Field since he left after the 2017 season, and Coach Kevin O’Connell’s second since the former offensive coordinator departed in early 2020 following Rivera’s hiring. And while the Vikings are talented and streaking, they are also beatable.

Punish mistakes

Despite its record, Minnesota is not a juggernaut. The team mostly has won close, ugly games, and in the locker room afterward, players often harp on all the things they must improve. Data supports the self-criticism — advanced statistics suggest the Vikings are about league average on offense and defense. They just have a remarkable knack for hitting crucial plays at perfect times.

Washington must not forgive Minnesota’s mistakes. If the Vikings go three-and-out on ⅔ of their drives, as they did in a win against Miami, the Commanders must wear down the defense and build a lead. If the Vikings defense struggles to get stops on third down, as it did in a win against New Orleans, the Commanders must avoid bailing them out with turnovers and sacks.

Disrupt a talented offense

Perhaps the biggest change in Kirk Cousins from his time in Washington: He’s slightly more willing to throw to covered receivers. One big part of that shift seems to be having Justin Jefferson, one of the league’s top wideouts. That combination could pose a problem for Washington, which has struggled to cover elite athletic wide receivers this year, such as Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.

In a new offense with Kevin O’Connell, who was the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator in between Washington and Minnesota, Jefferson moves around. He lines up outside and in the slot to find difficult matchups. Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio attributed the new scheme to maximizing Cousins’s reliable skill set.

“The right head coach at the right time for Kirk and his career,” Del Rio said, adding, “They’re putting a good product out. They’re putting points on the board. They’re moving the ball, they’re getting explosives. They can run it, they can throw it, the boot game and the play action game — it’s legit. They look for chunks, and I just think they’re doing a nice job.”

Overcome lack of linebacker depth

For the second week in a row, the Commanders will be without middle linebacker Cole Holcomb (foot), and this week, they will also lose his backup David Mayo (hamstring). Last week against Indianapolis, Washington overcame Holcomb’s absence by entrusting safety Kam Curl with play-calling responsibilities and using more formations with five defensive linemen and three safeties.

While Del Rio could deploy a similar blueprint Sunday — five linemen in run-likely situations, three safeties in pass-likely — he could still have to use a linebacker in addition to starter Jamin Davis for stretches. Last week Mayo played 19 snaps. His replacement would probably be Jon Bostic, with Khaleke Hudson and De’Jon “Scoota” Harris as backups.

If just Davis, the 2021 first-round pick, is on the field, Rivera said the team is gaining confidence in him despite a rocky start to the season.

“In our eyes, he’s on the rise,” Rivera said. “We like what we’ve seen from him, especially as of late; he’s really kind of taken a couple of steps.”

Slow down Smith

Last week against Arizona, Minnesota edge rusher Za’Darius Smith continued his run of dominance by racking up three sacks and generating another pressure to help force an interception. Smith gets help from his teammates — including Danielle Hunter and Dalvin Tomlinson, who’s out this week — but he’s the most dangerous defender.

This season, according to TruMedia, 99 defensive players have rushed the quarterback at least 150 times. Smith’s pressure rate (18.1 percent) ranks fifth. Smith usually lines up over the left tackle, but last week in Arizona the Vikings often used him as a mismatch inside against the center.

Offensive coordinator Scott Turner said Smith is “the No. 1 guy you circle” when preparing for the Vikings.

“We’re going to do some stuff to help as much as we can where we don’t have him singled really on anybody, but definitely [not] on the center,” Turner said. “We’re going to have our eyes on him and make sure that he doesn’t wreck the game.”

Injury report

Washington ruled out Holcomb, Mayo, wide receiver Jahan Dotson (hamstring), and running back J.D. McKissic (neck). It listed defensive end Shaka Toney (calf) as questionable.

Minnesota ruled out Tomlinson (calf) and listed cornerback Cam Dantzler Sr. (neck) and reserve wide receiver Jalen Nailor (illness) as questionable.

Tomlinson, a 6-foot-3, 325-pound force on the inside, is a big loss. If Dantzler can’t play, the Vikings would lose their starting corner opposite star Patrick Peterson.