Most Minnesota Vikings fans were hoping to face Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota as the team tries to stay in the distant conversation for the playoffs. That just got a lot harder.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed with the media on Friday that Jayden Daniels will be starting at quarterback against the Vikings. Daniels has missed the last three games with a dislocated left elbow that he suffered in their loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Injuries have plagued Daniels all season for Washington, as he has only played in six games. In those starts, he has completed just 62.5 percent of his passes for 1,184 yards and eight touchdowns to two interceptions. He's added 262 rushing yards and two more scores as well.
Minnesota Vikings have their work cut out for them against Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders
The original game plan for Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores just went out the window. Now it's all about making sure they can contain Daniels in the pocket and force them to throw it from there.
A significant benefit of this Vikings' defense is that it is one of the best in the NFL at pressuring the quarterback. They have gotten great production from Dallas Turner and Jonathan Greenard off the edges as they combine for 21 quarterback hits and 7.5 sacks on the season.
This will put more pressure on the linebackers and edge rushers to be more patient and cautious about their angles. Turner and Greenard have great speed off the edge, but they must make sure that Daniels never gets behind them, or he will take off and run.
After Quinn and the Commanders' offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, took criticism for all the quarterback runs with Daniels in the meaningless loss to the Seahawks last month, Washington will be more cautious with their play-calling. Expect more of the running game from the backs and using Daniels as a decoy.
In a must-win game for Minnesota, this Commanders game is no longer a gimme. They will have to earn their place in the playoff hunt.