The biggest mistake Minnesota made....

[StickierBuns]

I don't get too worked up over things that we did the right thing, but they turned out not the best.  I think you're still looking at trying to hope a failed QB can go all the way vs a young QB developing into their potential, and I think the young guy is the right long term choice if you can develop them.

For me, the biggest mistake is just KOCs scheme in relation to the QBs he had and it should be a preventable mistake.  You've got to know who your players are and mold your scheme around them.  For whatever reason KOCs scheme didn't work for Howell, JJM or Brosmer.  It doesn't really work for when the OLine needs extra help.  Sometimes a defense can just take it away, and there's no counter punch.  I don't think its a bad scheme and needs to be wholesale replaced, but I think its the one thing that we can control that would make the most impact.

For me, plays are plays are plays. But how well are they being executed? Its not rocket science. Are players making plays? Moving players they are supposed to move? Block them? When you have a decimated O-line, how do you exactly 'help them'? The short answer is you don't, you suffer as an offense. Why does an offensive line coach like Chris Kuper get let go by Minnesota (with all the blame from fans) and then get hired by an organization like Philadelphia? Why do so many coordinators get recycled around the NFL with various degrees of success? Why does a guy like Andy Reid get let go by Philly and then has great success in KC?

The answer is simple: its the players. Always has been. Scheme is so damn overrated...its always the execution of ANY scheme that is way more important. And as good as BFlo's D is, it aint much without turnovers. Because the turnover ratio is where teams lose and win games no matter what statistically. JJ looked very bad sometimes because he played poorly at times AND his offensive line was hot dogshit with injuries. It wasn't a coincidence that he played better when the line played better.

[purplefaithful]

Murray is certainly not a perfect candidate, what with the injuries and the reputation of loving gaming more than the game. Still, if we're talking raw talent, none of the potential QB names being thrown around even come close to what Murray offers: Top-level arm strength, top-level accuracy, better mobility and escapability than anyone. 2X Pro Bowler with poor surrounds. I've read some say he may not be a fit schematically. I don't know what to think about that, but I have to imagine KOC is at least intrigued by the thought of such a raw talent dishing to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. 

Sometimes I think what the hell are we even doing? There's one obvious candidate here that likely won't cost a draft pick, and whose 2026 salary will be mostly paid by another team. Sure, it's a gamble, but the stake isn't very high and it could pay off huge.

I think Id be gob-smacked at that, but stranger things have happened in our Viking lifetimes....

[MaroonBells]

For me, plays are plays are plays. But how well are they being executed? Its not rocket science. Are players making plays? Moving players they are supposed to move? Block them? When you have a decimated O-line, how do you exactly 'help them'? The short answer is you don't, you suffer as an offense. Why does an offensive line coach like Chris Kuper get let go by Minnesota (with all the blame from fans) and then get hired by an organization like Philadelphia? Why do so many coordinators get recycled around the NFL with various degrees of success? Why does a guy like Andy Reid get let go by Philly and then has great success in KC?

The answer is simple: its the players. Always has been. Scheme is so damn overrated...its always the execution of ANY scheme that is way more important. And as good as BFlo's D is, it aint much without turnovers. Because the turnover ratio is where teams lose and win games no matter what statistically. JJ looked very bad sometimes because he played poorly at times AND his offensive line was hot dogshit with injuries. It wasn't a coincidence that he played better when the line played better.

The NFL coaching carousel is just ridiculous. Look no further than Klint Kubiak. Really didn't do much for us. Didn't do much for the Saints in 2024. He goes to Seattle as OC, wins the Super Bowl on the back of Sam Darnold and a good defense, and he immediately gets a head coaching job. 

John Harbaugh is going to win coach of the year next season. Why? I'm not going to say he's not a good coach; he's proven that he is. But he's going to a team with many pieces already in place. A good OL, the best front seven in football, Skattebo, Nabers...now imagine adding Carnell Lake to that. If Dart can hold his own, that team is going to flip its 4-13 record. Write it down.

[comet52]

NFL coach movements and hires are marbled with deep layers of nepotism.  In particular, head coaches hiring immediate family members.  Why?  Well aside from familiarity, the pay has become insane and coach's otherwise average son is never getting a 6-7 figure job anywhere else in this world.

But all of that aside, football is also the sport where coaching can really make or break success.  Way more than say, a baseball manager, most of whom have been reduced to a guy who pats the players on the ass after everyone does what the spreadsheet tells them to do.  

So a great head coach can make a difference.  Andy Reid had success in Philly until he didn't, but it took getting Pat Mahomes to finally get Andy a ring.  Or look at Belichick without Brady--pedestrian.  You need the great HC/QB combo to really succeed.  What did Bud Grant say?  To succeed, a football coach needs a great QB, a loyal dog and a patient wife, not necessarily in that order.

[Greylock]

Don't get the fascination some have over Daniel Jones. He was less than average in NY and the Vikings pathetic defense got him a big payday. There is absolutely no reason to think he would have taken the Vikings to a playoff win or two, yet some think he is the one that got away. Had he stayed with the Vikings and done nothing many would be pissed they kept the guy.

[StickierBuns]

Don't get the fascination some have over Daniel Jones.  He was less than average in NY and the Vikings pathetic defense got him a big payday.  There is absolutely no reason to think he would have taken the Vikings to a playoff win or two, yet some think he is the one that got away.  Had he stayed with the Vikings and done nothing many would be pissed they kept the guy.

My point was no doubt the Vikings would have won a few more games with Jones either starting or coming in for an injured JJ McCarthy. KOC's plan was for a really solid QB2 in either Jones or McCarthy...a better QB room most assuredly than what they ended up having.

[MaroonBells]

Don't get the fascination some have over Daniel Jones.  He was less than average in NY and the Vikings pathetic defense got him a big payday.  There is absolutely no reason to think he would have taken the Vikings to a playoff win or two, yet some think he is the one that got away.  Had he stayed with the Vikings and done nothing many would be pissed they kept the guy.

I think Daniel Jones was underrated and he proved that in Indy. I also think KOC felt the same way, and that he was one of the QBs KOC had in mind when he talked about teams failing QBs.