After Running in Quicksand, The Vikings See A New Trap Materialize
Football is a sport that can be infinitely complex. A coach has the task of simplifying things for his own side, doing so in an effort to allow the players to operate with speed, physicality, and confidence.
On Sunday Night Football, the Vikings were running through quicksand, largely due to failing to execute the simple parts of football. Being unable to keep up with the Atlanta Falcons — an average team — qualifies as a splash of ice-cold water, a wake up call for a team feeling too confident after mostly struggling against the Bears. Moving into the next game means avoiding the new trap that’s sitting in front of Minnesota.
The Vikings See a New Trap Ahead of W3
Sometimes, the simple solution is the best solution. Such is often the case when a sports team is struggling.
Minnesota’s task in Week 3 is to get back to basics, refusing to succumb to the temptation of making things complicated when they need to become straightforward. Yes, Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores lean on sophisticated schemes, but there nevertheless needs to be an emphasis on whatever is simple. Block well/tackle well, run the ball/stop the run, hit the quarterback/protect the quarterback, and so on. Nothing wild, just the building blocks of the sport itself.
A lot of the basic numbers point toward the need to simplify the game:
- MIN Possessed the Football for 23:28
- MIN Converted 4/11 3rd Downs (36.4%)
- MIN Allowed 6 Sacks for 38 Yards
- MIN Ran the Ball 19 Times for 78 Yards
- MIN Surrendered 218 Rushing Yards on 39 Carries
- MIN Ran 46 Plays; ATL Ran 63 Plays
- MIN Lost a Pair of Fumbles
- MIN Tossed a Pair of Interceptions
- MIN Had Sixteen Missed Tackles (per PFF)
The list could go on. At 22-6, the Vikings found themselves in a reasonably fortunate situation. Looking under the hood suggests that the score could have easily been 42-6. Not a great performance, especially since the game was taking place at U.S. Bank Stadium and because the brutal beginning to Week 1 should have arrived as a bit of a scare to everyone inside of TCO Performance Center.
Worst of all, perhaps, is that Kevin O’Connell has announced that Mr. McCarthy isn’t going to play in Week 3. The Vikings will thus be turning to Carson Wentz — signed just before the season began — alongside UDFA rookie Max Brosmer to get the job done.
The response needs to involve addressing multiple facets of football while nevertheless adhering to a central theme: simplifying the game. How can O’Connell, Flores, and the rest of the coaching staff bring football to the point where it’s easier for the roster to execute?
The Vikings haven’t been good enough at running the ball, a statement that has been true since 2022. Start by doing it more often. There’s then the need to emphasize Justin Jefferson in the passing game, leaning on the historically-great receiver in a manner that treats him as such. Run the ball and throw to Jefferson: Kevin O’Connell should have that on a sticky note that’s then placed on his mirror so he sees it every morning.
As for the big guys up front, one can only assume that the running game is the key. No defensive tackle wants to get run over. No offensive lineman wants to be unable to clear a running lane. The Vikings should be responding by ensuring that the large lads who live in the trenches can start turning a weakness into a strength. Beginning in Week 3 would be as good of a time as any.
Crucially, the Vikings can’t pursue these objectives without a concerted effort to keep the game simple. Not dumb football, but football that masters the basics before building out from there.
Kickoff in Week 3 is at 12 p.m. on Sunday, September 21st. There’s a ton to correct before that time arrives.
