Post by Purple Pain on Apr 12, 2023 12:16:50 GMT -6
oldbeagle: Can Kevin O’Connell Avoid the Mike Zimmer Curse?
The Vikings haven’t made the postseason in back-to-back seasons since 2008-09. Those years bridged the gap between a team overachieving with Gus Frerotte as the primary QB1 (with a sprinkling of Tarvaris Jackson) and then the magical run with Brett Favre under center.
In 2023, Kevin O’Connell will get the chance do something Mike Zimmer was never able to do: make the postseason in back-to-back seasons.
Standing in his way are persistent fears about a regression. Can clutch Cousins continue being a thing? Can the offense successfully transition to more 12 personnel? Can Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first draft class make more of an impact on the field?
Perhaps most importantly, can Brian Flores rejuvenate a once-proud Vikings defense? The last time that group was respectable was during the 2019 season when Zim was still in town.
During a recent episode of Notes from the North, Sam and I had the good fortune of speaking to Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit. One of the fascinating points was that the Detroit Lions are navigating legitimate expectations for the first time in a long time. A lot of people think they’re the favorites for the NFC North. Can they actually fulfill people’s expectations?
Meanwhile, the Vikings are trending in the opposite direction (as least in the minds of many). One of Zim’s redeeming qualities is that he thrived on doubt, using the outside perspective as fuel to motivate a relentless work ethic. Certainly, there have been fair criticisms about how things went down in Minnesota, but the former HC’s willingness to embrace the skepticism before repackaging it into the reason to keep grinding is a message that resonated with a lot of Vikings fans.
Kevin O’Connell has already overcome some long odds. Turning in a 13-4 record was sensational. Replicating the regular season success while obtaining playoff success would break the Mike Zimmer curse while further entrenching the new HC as the right choice for right now and the years to come.
In 2023, Kevin O’Connell will get the chance do something Mike Zimmer was never able to do: make the postseason in back-to-back seasons.
Standing in his way are persistent fears about a regression. Can clutch Cousins continue being a thing? Can the offense successfully transition to more 12 personnel? Can Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first draft class make more of an impact on the field?
Perhaps most importantly, can Brian Flores rejuvenate a once-proud Vikings defense? The last time that group was respectable was during the 2019 season when Zim was still in town.
During a recent episode of Notes from the North, Sam and I had the good fortune of speaking to Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit. One of the fascinating points was that the Detroit Lions are navigating legitimate expectations for the first time in a long time. A lot of people think they’re the favorites for the NFC North. Can they actually fulfill people’s expectations?
Meanwhile, the Vikings are trending in the opposite direction (as least in the minds of many). One of Zim’s redeeming qualities is that he thrived on doubt, using the outside perspective as fuel to motivate a relentless work ethic. Certainly, there have been fair criticisms about how things went down in Minnesota, but the former HC’s willingness to embrace the skepticism before repackaging it into the reason to keep grinding is a message that resonated with a lot of Vikings fans.
Kevin O’Connell has already overcome some long odds. Turning in a 13-4 record was sensational. Replicating the regular season success while obtaining playoff success would break the Mike Zimmer curse while further entrenching the new HC as the right choice for right now and the years to come.
... and neither is this Chris guy.