It started to feel like the Vikings might not win another game this season. That’s how overmatched they looked in consecutive blowout losses to the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks.

That makes the response on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium that much more impressive as the Vikings rolled to a 31-0 win over the Washington Commanders.

The biggest storyline was young quarterback J.J. McCarthy showing improvement amid a simplified game plan. That said, the Vikings had a bunch of key contributors that played a role in the win over the Commanders.

Here are some takeaways from the game:

J.J. McCarthy built some confidence

The main talking point for the Vikings heading into the matchup was how head coach Kevin O’Connell was going to pare down the playbook to help McCarthy function in the confines of the offense.

The result was McCarthy playing his best game in recent memory, completing 16 of 23 passes for 163 yards for a trio of touchdowns. He got into a rhythm from the onset with some easy completions on the opening drive. That helped him play with conviction throughout the game en route to leading the Vikings to a convincing win over the Commanders.

If anything is clear about McCarthy by now, it’s that confidence is extremely important to his success. He’s put both sides of the spectrum on display amid the roster coaster that has been this season.

The good news for the Vikings? It appears that McCarthy has built some confidence heading into the home stretch.

Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason balled out

It helped that McCarthy got to hand the ball off to running back Aaron Jones and fellow running back Jordan Mason. The dynamic duo in the backfield shouldered the load for the Vikings against the Commanders.

The production spoke for itself, as Jones finished with 14 carries for 76 yards and Mason finished with 11 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. That took some pressure off of McCarthy while also opening up the playbook for O’Connell.

It would behoove the Vikings to continue to lean on Jones and Mason. That’s going to be a recipe for success, even if the Vikings are bound to face opposing units more stout than the Commanders.

Justin Jefferson had another quiet game

After struggling through the worst game of his career last weekend, star receiver Justin Jefferson wasn’t much better this weekend. He was basically nonexistent for the Vikings, finishing with a pair of receptions for a 11 yards while consistently navigating double coverage from the Commanders.

The stat line for Jefferson could’ve looked much better had he been able to haul in a jump ball in the end zone. It went down as a harmless incompletion instead of a 36-yard touchdown that would’ve served as an exclamation point.

To his credit, Jefferson was all smiles after the game, noting that he cares more about the win than putting up big numbers. Nonetheless, the Vikings need to find a way to get Jefferson going moving forward.

Andrew Van Ginkel struck again

It’s become commonplace for edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel to intercept screen passes. He has an innate feel at the line of scrimmage that allows him to snuff out those types of plays as they’re happening in real time.

That’s exactly what Van Ginkel did for the Vikings against the Commanders. He read the eyes of quarterback Jayden Daniels shortly halftime, tipped the ball into the air, and hauled it in for an interception.

That helped the Vikings keep the Commanders off the scoreboard before they added to their lead on the other end.

Harrison Smith turned back the clock

It’s fitting that veteran safety Harrison Smith hauled in an interception in the same game that former linebacker Anthony Barr led the Skol Chant before kickoff. They were teammates for the better part of a decade and always brought out the best in each other.

Asked about having his good friend in attendance, Smith joked that Barr’s presence motivated him turn back the clock. It was an impressive effort from Smith as he hauled in an interception for the Vikings while constantly toying with the Commanders before the snap.

It’s still unclear what Smith plans to do after this season. If he ends up deciding to hang up the cleats for good, this is a performance that won’t soon be forgotten.

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