12-08-2024, 08:46 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-09-2024, 05:59 PM by purplefaithful.)
O’Connell used his temporary quarterback, Sam Darnold, to embarrass his former quarterback, Kirk Cousins, further justifying the Vikings’ willingness to let Cousins leave.
Darnold threw five touchdowns and zero interceptions. Cousins threw two interceptions and no touchdowns, and has thrown eight interceptions with no touchdowns over his past four games.
KO’s KO began with an effective running game, as Aaron Jones returned to his reliable form and Cam Akers powered forward at 7.4 yards per carry, and in between O’Connell’s two wideouts torched a confused secondary.
Addison and Justin Jefferson combined for 15 catches, 265 yards and five scores, with Jefferson catching all seven of his targets. Twice, the wideouts caught touchdown passes as Falcons defenders turned the wrong way and fell down.
I asked O’Connell if that was the product of his scheme or his receivers’ moves.
O’Connell grinned, which is what he does when he knows he outmaneuvered an opponent but won’t say so publicly.
“There were a few plays there where, you know, how they handled the motions kind of gave us some information that we were able to maybe make some adjustments on some things,” O’Connell said.
He noted that putting Jefferson in motion left him matched up with a “nickel” — or lesser — cornerback, which is the first step in a play on which a professional defensive back winds up looking like he needs an on-field sobriety test.
The Vikings are 11-2 with a journeyman quarterback. The Falcons are 6-7 with a $180 million quarterback they need to bench quickly.
Vikings followers know to never project regular-season successes into the postseason. The Vikings and O’Connell will always have much to prove, until this franchise finally wins a Super Bowl.
But there is no reason to wait to give O’Connell a contract extension. He’s 31-16 as an NFL head coach, and he got the best out of Cousins, and now is getting the best out of Darnold, and he even won three games with Josh Dobbs as his starter.
This is some form of wizardry.
By the end of the game, fans who began the game booing Cousins were chanting “M-V-P” to Darnold, who, in a rare show of emotion, grabbed a towel and waved it while storming around the sideline, as his team improved to 11-2.
Imagine someone describing that scene to you last spring, without laughing.
What this season’s success means is that the Vikings are one of the rare NFL teams that don’t require a savior under center, because they have a quarterback-saver on the sideline.
Maybe the Vikings can bring Darnold back next season. Maybe they turn Daniel Jones into the next Darnold. Maybe J.J. McCarthy, whenever he does play, is set up to become a superstar because of O’Connell, offensive coordinator Wade Phillips and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown.
O’Connell didn’t take any victory laps Sunday afternoon, but he rarely hides his emotions. His expressions tell the story even when his words obfuscate.
At the end of his news conference, he was asked if Sunday’s result was a validation of the Vikings’ quarterback decisions.
O’Connell smiled and said, “No.”
I don’t believe him. Nor do I believe that he wanted to be believed.
Source: Startribune.
Darnold threw five touchdowns and zero interceptions. Cousins threw two interceptions and no touchdowns, and has thrown eight interceptions with no touchdowns over his past four games.
KO’s KO began with an effective running game, as Aaron Jones returned to his reliable form and Cam Akers powered forward at 7.4 yards per carry, and in between O’Connell’s two wideouts torched a confused secondary.
Addison and Justin Jefferson combined for 15 catches, 265 yards and five scores, with Jefferson catching all seven of his targets. Twice, the wideouts caught touchdown passes as Falcons defenders turned the wrong way and fell down.
I asked O’Connell if that was the product of his scheme or his receivers’ moves.
O’Connell grinned, which is what he does when he knows he outmaneuvered an opponent but won’t say so publicly.
“There were a few plays there where, you know, how they handled the motions kind of gave us some information that we were able to maybe make some adjustments on some things,” O’Connell said.
He noted that putting Jefferson in motion left him matched up with a “nickel” — or lesser — cornerback, which is the first step in a play on which a professional defensive back winds up looking like he needs an on-field sobriety test.
The Vikings are 11-2 with a journeyman quarterback. The Falcons are 6-7 with a $180 million quarterback they need to bench quickly.
Vikings followers know to never project regular-season successes into the postseason. The Vikings and O’Connell will always have much to prove, until this franchise finally wins a Super Bowl.
But there is no reason to wait to give O’Connell a contract extension. He’s 31-16 as an NFL head coach, and he got the best out of Cousins, and now is getting the best out of Darnold, and he even won three games with Josh Dobbs as his starter.
This is some form of wizardry.
By the end of the game, fans who began the game booing Cousins were chanting “M-V-P” to Darnold, who, in a rare show of emotion, grabbed a towel and waved it while storming around the sideline, as his team improved to 11-2.
Imagine someone describing that scene to you last spring, without laughing.
What this season’s success means is that the Vikings are one of the rare NFL teams that don’t require a savior under center, because they have a quarterback-saver on the sideline.
Maybe the Vikings can bring Darnold back next season. Maybe they turn Daniel Jones into the next Darnold. Maybe J.J. McCarthy, whenever he does play, is set up to become a superstar because of O’Connell, offensive coordinator Wade Phillips and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown.
O’Connell didn’t take any victory laps Sunday afternoon, but he rarely hides his emotions. His expressions tell the story even when his words obfuscate.
At the end of his news conference, he was asked if Sunday’s result was a validation of the Vikings’ quarterback decisions.
O’Connell smiled and said, “No.”
I don’t believe him. Nor do I believe that he wanted to be believed.
Source: Startribune.
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