Washington Commanders Opponent Preview: Minnesota Vikings

After taking a look at matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons, we dive into the Washington Commanders' week 16 opponent when they travel north to face the Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium for the second straight season.

2025 Record: 9-8, tied-Third in NFC North, Missed Playoffs

Key Players: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones, Christian Darrisaw, TJ Hockenson, Dallas Turner, Andrew Van Grinkel, Byron Murphy, Harrison Smith

Key Losses: Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Jalen Nailor, Ryan Wright, Fabian Moreau

Key Additions: James Pierre, Jauan Jennings, Tavierre Thomas, Kyler Murray

How They Fared:

The Vikings were let down by an offense that struggled to score points, despite a great defense. Quarterback JJ McCarthy’s first on-field season in the league didn’t go as planned, to say the least, as he only played in 10 games, completed less than 60% of his passes, and had more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (11). Carson Wentz and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer suited up in the seven games that he missed. Yet despite the struggles, McCarthy won 6 of his 10 starts and the Vikings won their last five games to finish with a winning record at 9-8. However, in a strong NFC North, they finished tied for third in the division with Detroit and missed the playoffs after a 14-3 season in 2024. Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson recorded the lowest receiving yards and second-lowest receptions of his career in 2025 and is looking for a rebound in 2026. Running back Aaron Jones rushed for the fewest yards in his career since his rookie year in 2017.

The Vikings turned the ball over more than any other team, and the quarterback trio of McCarthy, Wentz, and Brosmer threw the most interceptions with 21. While the offense struggled all year, the defense kept the team together, finishing third in yards, seventh in points given up, second in receiving yards, and tenth in takeaways. Dallas Turner made a huge jump in year two, leading the team with eight sacks and 15 quarterback hits. Andrew Van Ginkel finished second in sacks with seven, while tied for the team lead in pass defended with safety Harrison Smith. At 36, Smith proved that he still had stuff left in the tank, recording at least one interception, forced fumble, fumble recovery, pass defended, tackle for loss, and quarterback hit. His return was made official this past weekend, adding experience to the Vikings' backline. Cornerback Byron Murphy has continued his strong play since coming to the Vikings in 2023 from Arizona. Overall, Minnesota’s defense was a major reason why they finished with a winning record and is hoping to be as strong in 2026.

2026 Expectations:

DraftKings has the Vikings as the lowest odds to win a tough NFC North at +510. They have the 19th-best odds to win the Super Bowl at +5000. They have a talented roster that can compete in 2026, but what their ceiling is depends on the play at the quarterback position with either McCarthy or Murray. 

Key Matchup: Justin Jefferson vs Washington CBs

The only reason Jefferson wasn’t among the league leaders in catches last year was because of uneven quarterback play. Despite the career low in receiving yards, he is still one of the hardest receivers to guard and will provide a challenge to Washington corners Trey Amos and Mike Sainristil. The key to slowing down Minnesota’s offense is making things difficult for their All-Pro target, and this will be the biggest test for the two young corners. If they can limit the damage Jefferson does during the game, it will show the whole league how much they have grown as corners since coming into the league.