Overview
- McCarthy posted his best outing of the year, going 16-of-23 for 163 yards with a season-high three touchdowns and no turnovers.
- Kevin O’Connell leaned into a pared-down, run-first approach that emphasized quicker reads, with Minnesota rushing 34 times for 164 yards.
- The Vikings controlled the game with a 19-play, 98-yard touchdown drive, a 34:52 time-of-possession edge, and a plus-3 turnover margin in a 313–206 yardage win.
- Washington’s Jayden Daniels aggravated his left elbow on a hit after an interception and exited, and coach Dan Quinn said TE Zach Ertz may have a torn ACL pending an MRI.
- Justin Jefferson had two catches for 11 yards and said he prefers winning over targets, while coaches and analysts urged patience on McCarthy’s trajectory, citing roughly 30 starts to judge a QB.