Telling stat

[MaroonBells]

Dustin Baker@DustBaker

The Vikings have rushed the ball 258 times in 13 games, the fewest in franchise history at this point in a given season. When they do run it, they're averaging 4.6 yards per attempt, which ranks 11th-best in franchise history.

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I think KOC is a good coach, one of the best in the NFL. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have weaknesses and things to work on. I few weeks ago, a few of us agreed that he might be better off shelving JJ's mechanics issues until the offseason and just let 9 go play instinctive football, for better or worse. It sounds like that's exactly what he's decided to do going forward. 

A few weeks ago many of us agreed that KOC should ditch the long game and some of the complexities of his offense in favor of a simpler game, one better-catered to a younger QB. Sounds like that's exactly what he's decided to do. Running the ball more is a big part of that "dumbing down." 

If it works on Sunday, the question on everyone's mind will be why did it take until week 14 to figure that out?

[Greylock]

Could he be starting to feel some heat and decided to dumb down his offense? Just wondering.

[purplefaithful]

Dustin Baker@DustBaker

The Vikings have rushed the ball 258 times in 13 games, the fewest in franchise history at this point in a given season. When they do run it, they're averaging 4.6 yards per attempt, which ranks 11th-best in franchise history.

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I think KOC is a good coach, one of the best in the NFL. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have weaknesses and things to work on. I few weeks ago, a few of us agreed that he might be better off shelving JJ's mechanics issues until the offseason and just let 9 go play instinctive football, for better or worse. It sounds like that's exactly what he's decided to do going forward. 

A few weeks ago many of us agreed that KOC should ditch the long game and some of the complexities of his offense in favor of a simpler game, one better-catered to a younger QB. Sounds like that's exactly what he's decided to do. Running the ball more is a big part of that "dumbing down." 

If it works on Sunday, the question on everyone's mind will be why did it take until week 14 to figure that out?

The reigning COTY's warts came out this year. The guy is used to excelling at 3d chess and his qb was barely ready for checkers. That was a big miss. 

I dont think his job is in jeopardy, but he has stuff to work on. 

If JJ looks better this week? We'll never know if its because of more seasoning, a week off, simplified offense or all of the above.

[greediron]

The reigning COTY's warts came out this year. The guy is used to excelling at 3d chess and his qb was barely ready for checkers. That was a big miss. 

I dont think his job is in jeopardy, but he has stuff to work on. 

If JJ looks better this week? We'll never know if its because of more seasoning, a week off, simplified offense or all of the above.

Well, seeing Max struggle hopefully opened his eyes that it wasn't just a JJ issue.  It was an issue with his offense.  Hell, Cousins and Darnold struggled with his deep drops in games where the offensive line wasn't able to hold up to the pressure.  

To be an elite offense, it helps to have a genius OC.  But it doesn't take a genius to see that the young guys would function a bit better with something simpler.

[medaille]

I think part of it is just the sheer lack of number of plays, but going into the season/Week3, you have to be imagining that with a JJM/Wentz offense you probably want to lean on the run to take some of the burden off the QB. Kind of a basic normal strategy everyone uses when they have lesser functioning QBs, either due to youth or quality.

This is the kind of becoming a pattern, where in the offseason, we make attempts "to get better at running the ball" and then once it comes time to call plays, either he or the QB chooses not to run the ball.

I'm not saying he can't change, but at this point in time, he hasn't really shown the will to run the ball. I think it would be a great idea for him to bring in an OC that can help diversify the scheme and has play calling history in their background.

[greediron]

I think part of it is just the sheer lack of number of plays, but going into the season/Week3, you have to be imagining that with a JJM/Wentz offense you probably want to lean on the run to take some of the burden off the QB.  Kind of a basic normal strategy everyone uses when they have lesser functioning QBs, either due to youth or quality.

This is the kind of becoming a pattern, where in the offseason, we make attempts "to get better at running the ball" and then once it comes time to call plays, either he or the QB chooses not to run the ball.

I'm not saying he can't change, but at this point in time, he hasn't really shown the will to run the ball.  I think it would be a great idea for him to bring in an OC that can help diversify the scheme and has play calling history in their background.

Well, we have gotten better at running the ball.  Our ypc have been better.  But yeah, actually sticking with it, that is still an issue.

[supafreak84]

KOC has given the illusion that he wants to run the ball more for a couple years now from signing Oliver, to remaking the offensive line, and it's just not who he is in his DNA. Since he's been here the Vikings rank 31st rushing attempts..31st! In the first 23 plays of the game he called for Brosmer on the road in Seattle, 17 called passes. You can't win in the postseason unless you can effectively run the football and I just don't know if this guy is ever going to get the memo and theres been a lot of questionable other things around OConnell from his decision to hire Ed Donnatell, to his misevaluations at the backup quarterback position, Sam Howell, how involved was he in the McCarthy pick, etc. Four years in, and I honestly think the guy is a fraud and I'm off the KOC train. We'll see if he actually does anything these last five games to get me back on board, but won't hold my breathe.

[MaroonBells]

The reigning COTY's warts came out this year. The guy is used to excelling at 3d chess and his qb was barely ready for checkers. That was a big miss. 

I dont think his job is in jeopardy, but he has stuff to work on. 

If JJ looks better this week? We'll never know if its because of more seasoning, a week off, simplified offense or all of the above.

No, of course his job isn't in jeopardy, but his reputation has certainly taken a hit this year due to all the misjudgments. I think they started with Howell and continued with the failure to quickly recognize that his young QBs might be better off with a Cliff Notes version of his War and Peace offense. 

Mike Zimmer was a disaster near the end, but one of the things he did well IMO was adjust to the reality of the game. His game-planning seemed to be weak, but if an offense was moving the ball at will early on, you just knew Mike would find a way to shut it down later. There's a quote from Aaron Rodgers that sticks with me: "What happened after the 1st quarter?" "Mike Zimmer happened." 

KOC seems to be the opposite: the game plans are good, but he doesn't seem to adjust well to the reality of what's happening on the field.

[supafreak84]

You want to know how we fix this mess of an offense? The answer is you fire O'Connell at seasons end and hire Bill's offensive coordinator Joe Brady as head coach;

- The guy calls his own plays

- The Bills have the second overall ranked offense in the league and the number one ranked rushing offense in the league with the most rushing attempts. Tenth ranked passing offense, so it's a balanced attack with 13 different Bill's having scored touchdowns on offense. He utilizes the tight ends well and James Cook has become a star under Brady.

- He was Jeffersons receivers coach and the passing game coordinator when he was at LSU. Brady loves him some Jefferson and if you want to fix the Jefferson issue going forward, Brady is the guy.

- His last name is Brady. How could you go wrong?

[NorseFeathers]

I think part of it is just the sheer lack of number of plays, but going into the season/Week3, you have to be imagining that with a JJM/Wentz offense you probably want to lean on the run to take some of the burden off the QB.  Kind of a basic normal strategy everyone uses when they have lesser functioning QBs, either due to youth or quality.

This is the kind of becoming a pattern, where in the offseason, we make attempts "to get better at running the ball" and then once it comes time to call plays, either he or the QB chooses not to run the ball.

I'm not saying he can't change, but at this point in time, he hasn't really shown the will to run the ball.  I think it would be a great idea for him to bring in an OC that can help diversify the scheme and has play calling history in their background.

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I think bringing in an experienced OC that is very run oriented is the only thing that will save KOC from himself.