Ted Schwerzler: Time to Pull Kevin O’Connell’s Playcalling
Kevin O’Connell may very well be one of the best coaches in Minnesota Vikings history. He is young and intuitive, and he has generated multiple case studies that prove his prowess. He has been a breath of fresh air after the curmudgeon that was Mike Zimmer.
Kevin O’Connell is struggling to hold down playcalling responsibility for the Minnesota Vikings, and the results are showing it.
There are plenty of things to celebrate him for. It’s time heย stopped calling plays, though.
Ted Schwerzler Has Seen Enough of Kevin O’Connell
The three most prominent positions on an NFL coaching staff include the head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator. O’Connell is well known, and Brian Flores is a former head coach who may be among the best at his current position. Unfortunately, the most notable thing Wes Phillips is tied to has been his DUI arrest.
Minnesota employs Phillips as its offensive coordinator, but with O’Connell calling plays, the prominent coach is largely kneecapped as an offensive leader. He can set the group up for success during the week, but positional coaches also have influence. Phillips can be in the ear of O’Connell, but so too are his coworkers, and the ultimate power for his position rests out of his hands.
Kevin O’Connell struggled on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. It isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last time. Being an NFL head coach is a difficult gig. There’s a lot of responsibility that comes with the plate, and delegating to those around you is a must. While head coaches always come from an unbalanced offensive or defensive background, the inability to let go of previous responsibility can be problematic.
O’Connell wasn’t given ultimate responsibility with the Los Angeles Rams because Sean McVay operated similarly to the way the Vikings leader does now. It’s clear, though, that someone else needs to speak about the offense. O’Connell has not set up young quarterback J.J. McCarthy for success with his game plan, and execution continues to be off.
If the Vikings are going to improve going forward, and if McCarthy is going to develop at a rate faster than just twisting in the wind, then O’Connell needs to act from a high-level view. The Vikings have someone who empowers people around him. It’s time for him to lean into that reality with the staff, and the team can benefit from the change, too.
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