Sep 25, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings won an ugly football game on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The only important part there is that they won. There are no style points in the NFL, and Kevin O’Connell doesn’t need to be concerned with trying to generate them. What has to stop are the odd late-game decisions from a coach trying to be too cute by half.
Even while Sam Darnold was turning the ball over at a breakneck pace, it never truly felt like the Minnesota Vikings were in danger of losing the game. Jacksonville is terrible, and Mac Jones looks inept. That didn’t stop O’Connell from making two costly mistakes at the end of the game that were entirely self-inflicted.
With less than nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Vikings faced a 4th and 1 situation on the Jacksonville 15-yard line. O’Connell opted to go for it and got a first down with Sam Darnold pushing forward on a quarterback sneak. It was an aggressive but great call and set Minnesota up for a touchdown. The very next play, he called a reverse to Jalen Nailor. It looked doomed from the start and finished as a seven-yard loss. The 2nd and 17 pass went incomplete, and the Vikings had to settle for a field goal.
After showing aggressiveness on fourth down and putting yourself in a positive situation, O’Connell immediately flipped the script with a boneheaded play call. It wasn’t the first time something like that had occurred, and it wouldn’t even be the last time during this game.
Byron Murphy Jr. picked off Mac Jones at the 49-yard line, and the Vikings had an opportunity to put the opposition away. Aaron Jones returned to the game after a chest injury and was determined to make an impact. A pair of runs set up a 3rd and 1 situation before the Jaguars took their first timeout. Instead of running the ball to convert for a first down, O’Connell called a pass, and Darnold took an eight-yard sack.
Not only did that thwart the possibility of running out the clock or adding points, but it made zero sense to throw after the run had already generated nine yards in the first two plays. It was a miscue by O’Connell, and it forced the Vikings’ defense to bail the offense out again if they were going to win.
Fortunately, neither of O’Connell’s mistakes bit the Vikings on Sunday. A better team will definitely make them pay, though. O’Connell’s late-game play-calling and decision-making have left something to be desired over the years. He’s a great leader and knows what he’s doing on the sidelines, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t check himself every once in a while.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.