Sunday Will Be Kevin O’Connell’s Defining Moment
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
There are moments during the NFL season that rise above others and are tattooed in the memory banks even amongst the most casual of Minnesota Vikings fans. Their 33-0 comeback against the Colts, Justin Jefferson’s ridiculous one-handed catch against the Bills, and the Minneapolis Miracle are more contemporary examples.
Third-year head coach Kevin O’Connell has bestowed enthusiasm, optimism, and hope into a team and fan base that feels like it’s been wandering the desert for 63 years in search of the Fountain of Youth, the euphoric cleansing all the heartaches that have plagued us that will only come from holding the Lombardi Trophy.
KOC is setting the stage by rising as the ultimate leader, one who is constructing a culture predicated on process and details, and most importantly, the people and players that are directly or indirectly involved. He understands how his actions impact others, and feels the burden when adversity strikes, and is always ready to take ownership whenever he leaves something on the table.
The coach’s belief in taking ownership is driven by using intrinsic action as a guiding principle, which unlocks how impactful his influence with his surroundings can be. The best leaders “wear multiple hats” that tailor their behaviors in a way that accounts for the individual personalities he must manage. It’s this dedicated understanding that enables him to “read the room” so effectively and coordinate constructive outcomes.
Recently-acquired Cam Akers from the Texans (who the Vikings also traded for from the Rams last season), offers insight into the structure KOC has built. “I know the scheme, I know the people and how they operate here, I know how they treat people, I know how they go about business. It’s a winning organization.”
Just like Harvey Dent in Batman, Kevin O’Connell is the Vikings’ “White Knight.”
It is this matrix of ideologies that steered the Vikings to a 25-14 record under the O’Connell regime and their future looks brighter than ever after a surprising 5-0 start. It feels paradoxical. They started the season with a journeyman quarterback and some good, not elite free agents, which resulted in this season being commonly viewed more as a developmental, transitional year.
But this is the importance that a leader can bring. While other coaches manage systems and processes, KOC influences the people beneath him. Leadership aside, O’Connell has seen the growing pains most coaches face in their first run: overseeing 53 -layers, juggling multiple (and sometimes conflicting) priorities, and feeling his way through the first time assuming play-calling duties for an NFL offense.
His play-calling has understandably had its ups and downs given how fresh his newest responsibilities were. Even in his third season, most Vikings enthusiasts would agree there is more meat on the bone to chew, even if it has improved.
Last season, his late-game management was a byproduct of being in close games or losing games. Against the Broncos and Bears in consecutive weeks last season, each scenario came down to six minutes or less where his play-calling got conservative, favoring runs or predictable screen plays, which ended in stalled drives, followed by their opponents down the next possession to win the game.
This season, the Vikings have only trailed for 3 minutes, 26 seconds (all in Week 1 against the New York Giants), thanks to a defense that has been exceptional at holding some of the best offenses at bay and limiting damage when the offense has turned the ball over (Minnesota was first with nine turnovers before the bye).
Therefore, KOC and the offense have not been tested much in times when game-management and play-calling go under the microscope. Nevertheless, O’Connell has been choosing a lot of deep dropback and long-developing plays so far, which is a double-edged sword resulting in big plays, but also more sacks and recklessness from Sam Darnold at times.
The last six quarters have seen Darnold’s completion percentage fall dramatically (53.3%) with four turnovers and zero touchdowns as both the Packers and Jets adjusted to apply more pressure without much of a counterpunch from KOC. It will be interesting to watch if KOC continues to rely on a conservative approach with big leads or as games get tighter. Will he be aggressive with big-play hunting or will there be a more balanced, methodical approach to his play-calling?
So far it feels a little reminiscent of last season, when KOC relied on the hot hand with a quarterback carousel, hoping to catch fire as he has with Darnold this year. But when adversity truly strikes the Vikings, how will he adjust?
O’Connell has dialed up some terrific play designs that are unique in nature. The play below has Trent Sherfield going in motion pre-snap. As the ball is snapped, he does a crossing pattern behind the line of scrimmage into open space in the flat for a wide-open catch-and-run.
Wonderful design on this play to Sherfield with him coming across as a blocker and then slipping between the RG and RT to go out to the flat.
Defense completely forgets about him and it's a chunk gain. Kevin O'Connell continues to cook. pic.twitter.com/lo6NsKOLTn
— Matt Fries (@FriesFootball) September 17, 2024
Another distinctive play design is the “Sark Screen” (created by Texas college coach Steve Sarkisian) where the quarterback does a half-bootleg and passes to the running back in the short-flat with the center and left guard pulling as a blocking convoy in front.
Kevin O'Connell running the "Sark Screen" pic.twitter.com/LdWKKHOGug
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) September 15, 2024
The Lions’ defensive weakness is their pass defense, which ranks 27th and figures to have more trouble with the loss of Aiden Hutchinson. O’Connell and the Vikings’ offense have a prime opportunity to continue their deep passing attack while sprinkling in more jet motions and quick slants to act as “running plays,” with Aaron Jones coming off a hamstring tweak and facing the Lions third-ranked rush defense.
There is no denying that O’Connell has tricks up his sleeve, but he will need to be cognizant of how and when to deploy them to maximize effectiveness within the flow and momentum of the game. Lions head coach Dan Campbell likes to throw wrinkles within the game flow by promoting untraditional fourth-down go-for-it plays that most likely will be a factor this upcoming Sunday in the field position battle.
KOC has all the tools in his toolbox and will need to leverage them all in a heavyweight bout with two of the NFL’s elite teams. Fans have been wanting more with the way he manages games and has a sample size of learning experiences to show he has become better for them.
This Sunday will be Kevin O’Connell’s defining moment to show Vikings fans and the NFL world that he is truly the Purple and Gold’s “White Knight.”
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