Coaches are Confident in the Vikings’ iOL, but Fans May Need More Convincing
K. Joudry
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While many fans would like to insist they could do better than those patrolling the sidelines on Sundays, the prevailing theory is basically true: coaches know a pile more than the fan, even the most intelligent ones. Vikings OC Wes Phillips thinks the iOL is going to do well, but do fans agree?
Even if the Vikings’ coaching staff is hopeful, the confidence in the Vikings’ iOL will ring hollow for a lot of fans in The Gopher State.
After all, we’re talking about an o-line that allowed Kirk Cousins to get sacked a career-worst 46 times last year. Positive plays during training camp and normal practices can only go so far. What everyone is looking to see is an upright Cousins who has zero grass-color blemishes on his jersey once the final whistle sounds.
Can the o-line rise to such lofty heights?
The Coaches, The Fans, & The Vikings’ iOL
The plan is for the defense is to be good, not great. A surprise ascent into excellence would be a welcome development and yet the reality is that climbing into “good” would qualify as a major success. Brian Flores has his work cut out for him.
The rebuilding defense puts a lot of pressure on Kevin O’Connell and the offense. Essentially, O’Connell needs to find a way of pushing his group into elite territory if the Vikings are actually serious about winning a Super Bowl.
Adding some more weapons in the passing game helps the protection in an indirect manner. Presumably, Jordan Addison will demonstrate better quickness in 2023 than Adam Thielen did in 2022. If the rookie is capable of getting open in a hurry Cousins won’t need to hold onto the ball for as long, meaning the pass rush has less time to get home. Continued growth from K.J. Osborn and Jalen Nailor could provide a similar benefit just as Josh Oliver may also function as a promising option in the passing game.
Regardless, the onus will still fall on the front five, a group that’s being touted due to the continuity.
One thinks of the oft-criticized Ed Ingram. During this week’s press conference, Wes Phillips spoke about the sophomore guard (as relayed by Andrew Krammer of The Star Tribune): “Really, really good through camp. I just think he’s going to continue to develop. You just see how powerful he can be in the run game, how he can anchor in the pass game. He’s just been a real positive for us”
In fact, Phillips goes on to discuss Ezra Cleveland and Garrett Bradbury, noting that they’ve similarly shown off “some really good things” before noting that the iOL has “improved in the protection game.” To conclude, Phillips explains that “we’re happy with where they’re at and we just have to see how it plays out.”
Hearing the OC express confidence is certainly a good thing — how bad would it be if he publicly expressed his concern? — but most fans will want to see firm results in a game that matters. Indeed, it’s his final thought about seeing “how it plays out” that will matter the most.
There aren’t too many people around the NFL who are expecting the Buccaneers to be a good football team. In all likelihood, they’re closer to the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft than they are the Lombardi Trophy. Nevertheless, they do possess high-end talent on that defense, with Vita Vea standing out as perhaps their most formidable defender (though Devin White, Antoine Winfield Jr., and Jamel Dean are all strong players).
The point, folks, is that fans will soon learn if the ongoing confidence in the Vikings’ iOL is justified. A single game isn’t sufficient evidence to firmly prove whether the protection will be a strength in 2023 but it will function as an initial impression that’s going to be of interest to a ton of Vikings fans.
Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. CDT on Sunday, September 10th.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.