Sep 29, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings saw their perfect record come to an end when they fell to the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The loss not only ended Minnesota’s early season reign atop the NFC North, but it also brought an impressive Kevin O’Connell streak to an end in his 38th regular season game as the head coach of the Vikings.
Heading into Sunday, the Vikings were undefeated with Kevin O’Connell as their head coach when they do not lose the turnover battle.
The record was 22-0 coming into the weekend: 22 wins, 0 losses.
However, that streak is now over with Minnesota’s 31-29 loss against the Lions with each team turning the ball over once during the game.
Vikings QB Sam Darnold had Minnesota’s only turnover on Sunday when he threw an interception during the second quarter to safety Brian Branch.
Branch had a spectacular day for Detroit, totaling four tackles, a couple pass breakups, and the interception, helping propel the Lions to a 28-17 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Minnesota then evened up the turnover battle when Ivan Pace scooped up a David Montgomery fumble and took it all the way back to the end zone with a 36-yard touchdown return. The fumble would temporarily put the Vikings on top in the final minutes of the fourth quarter before new Lions kicker Jake Bates nailed a 44-yard field goal to win the game.
Throughout the 2023 season, the story of the year for Minnesota was untimely turnovers that took them out of games.
So far in 2024, that has not been the case, and the Vikings have found themselves at 5-1 and fully entrenched in the NFC playoff race. Sunday proved that the Vikings will need to play flawless football in order to top their NFC North rivals when they meet again at Ford Field in Week 18, though.
Still, the streak was a very impressive one from O’Connell and is just further proof that he is a stellar head coach.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via ESPN and Pro Football Reference.