19-11 (Who's really under the mask?)
Nov 28, 2023 19:22:42 GMT -6
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Funkytown, PurpleKoolaid, and 6 more like this
Post by FSUVike on Nov 28, 2023 19:22:42 GMT -6
30 games in that sounds like an impressive effort for 1st Time Head Coach Kevin O'Connell.
But over the last 18 games he's 9-9. So .500 since the miracle in Buffalo. With so many flat performances by an Offense that has, wait for it, 8 Players that were 1st or 2nd Round Draft Picks.
8. Like, the 9ers don't have that many on their Elite Defense. I don't know that a single Offense or Defense has that much. Granted, Hock and Risner were not actual Vikings picks, but they were high Round picks and Hock cost a 2nd to acquire.
I'm not seeing it with O'Connell. Jordan Addison is one of the smallest WRs in the League and his ceiling is WR2. Not DaVonte Smith. Not Jaylen Waddle. Those are guys that can step into WR1 as needed. Now that the tape is out Teams know they can mug him at the LOS and shut him down.
That is worth a 1st Round Pick? An RG that was supposed to be good at Pass Blocking but has been mediocre on his best days and the absolute worst the rest of the time was worth a 2nd Round Pick?
We all saw him talk Kwesi into picking Addison. Why was Kwesi hesitant? Because taking the last guy left when there is a run on a position is a bad idea. That's exactly how they ended up overdrafting Ingram. If Kwesi had learned that lesson, and it appeared he might have the way he was working the phones, he allowed his HC to talk him into making the same mistake again.
A luxury pick on a WR2. Guys drafted much later than him are producing at the same level or better. You can get WR2s later in the Draft every single freaking year. But Kevin's got to have all the assets for his Offense.
An Offense that has yet to crack the Top 5 in scoring at all during his tenure despite all that investment. Despite having a Top 10 QB who had Top 3 stats across the board when he went down.
Meanwhile, the Lions have a meat head HC, a lesser QB and a WR1 picked in the 4th and are consistently better.
Kevin O'Connell the OC has been given everything and he can't produce. Bad Redzone Playcalling. Too many Turnovers. Playing for Field Goals with one of the worst Kickers in the game. Too many 3 & Outs. Entire Quarters, and Halves, and even Games where the Offense is completely overmatched.
Now look at the Defense. God awful last year. Loses their second best pass rusher. By far their best DT. Rolls with an undrafted ILB and a geezer who looked washed last year. A 2nd year kid and a Rookie along with a meh Tier 2 FA at CB. None of whom can be trusted to play Man. And they have consistently outperformed O'Connell's Rolls Royce Offense with the equivalent of a Yugo worth of spare and aftermarket parts.
Brian Flores is literally 5 times the Coordinator Kevin is. He's got a 74 year old former 1st Round Pick at Safety. Literally every single other consistent contributor was drafted in the 3rd Round or later. He's got zero lock down Corners. 1 Elite Pass Rusher and a bunch of duct tape holding the motor in place. A journeyman DT stuffing the run next to a Tier 2/3 FA acquisition in Phillips.
How can they be performing so well with so little talent that any other Team would covet? And how can O'Connell be doing so poorly with so much talent that other Teams are drooling over?
But it's not just the stubbornness. The inability to mold his schemes to the actual strengths of his players. His inability to devise and implement any semblance of an effective running game or screen game.
Kevin O'Connell is also a sh*t Game Day Head Coach. Going for it on 4th and Short on his side of the field. Playing conservatively to not lose when he has the lead. Managing his Challenges. Managing the Clock. It's all bad.
And what's worse than the 95 paragraphs above is that he's showing zero signs of improvement at anything. Still the wrong running scheme. Cons Kwesi into overpaying for a blocking TE and keeping a Fullback only to keep them on the bench more often than not. Running Mattison up the gut ad infinitum. Throwing the ball 10 yards down the field on 3rd/4th and short and calling plays short of the sticks on 4th and Long.
Nothing is improving. Scoring was down before Kirk got hurt. The rushing attack is worse than last year.
What O'Connell does well, exceptionally well, is lead young men. He's built a fantastic culture. Created an environment where all the players, regardless of age, draft position, contract status or anything else that could divide have truly come together and play for each other and for him and his Staff.
But all that camaraderie and good will eventually starts to fade when you aren't winning. And the Minnesota Vikings are a .500 Club in the last season plus worth of games.
The bloom will come off the rose and we have zero evidence whatsoever that the Head Coach will make the changes necessary to right the Longship. Indeed, we've got ample evidence to the contrary.
Kevin O'Connell has shown himself to be the Nepo Baby child of Brad Childress and Mike Zimmer. The only hope is that Andrew Miller recognizes the problem and convinces the Wilfs to empower Kwesi to move on. And frankly, given how he's ignored the Trenches so far, I'd prefer to clean house again when both of their Contracts are up.
Doom & Gloom are still with us, folks. Just with Barney-styled fluffy clouds instead of thunderheads.
But over the last 18 games he's 9-9. So .500 since the miracle in Buffalo. With so many flat performances by an Offense that has, wait for it, 8 Players that were 1st or 2nd Round Draft Picks.
8. Like, the 9ers don't have that many on their Elite Defense. I don't know that a single Offense or Defense has that much. Granted, Hock and Risner were not actual Vikings picks, but they were high Round picks and Hock cost a 2nd to acquire.
I'm not seeing it with O'Connell. Jordan Addison is one of the smallest WRs in the League and his ceiling is WR2. Not DaVonte Smith. Not Jaylen Waddle. Those are guys that can step into WR1 as needed. Now that the tape is out Teams know they can mug him at the LOS and shut him down.
That is worth a 1st Round Pick? An RG that was supposed to be good at Pass Blocking but has been mediocre on his best days and the absolute worst the rest of the time was worth a 2nd Round Pick?
We all saw him talk Kwesi into picking Addison. Why was Kwesi hesitant? Because taking the last guy left when there is a run on a position is a bad idea. That's exactly how they ended up overdrafting Ingram. If Kwesi had learned that lesson, and it appeared he might have the way he was working the phones, he allowed his HC to talk him into making the same mistake again.
A luxury pick on a WR2. Guys drafted much later than him are producing at the same level or better. You can get WR2s later in the Draft every single freaking year. But Kevin's got to have all the assets for his Offense.
An Offense that has yet to crack the Top 5 in scoring at all during his tenure despite all that investment. Despite having a Top 10 QB who had Top 3 stats across the board when he went down.
Meanwhile, the Lions have a meat head HC, a lesser QB and a WR1 picked in the 4th and are consistently better.
Kevin O'Connell the OC has been given everything and he can't produce. Bad Redzone Playcalling. Too many Turnovers. Playing for Field Goals with one of the worst Kickers in the game. Too many 3 & Outs. Entire Quarters, and Halves, and even Games where the Offense is completely overmatched.
Now look at the Defense. God awful last year. Loses their second best pass rusher. By far their best DT. Rolls with an undrafted ILB and a geezer who looked washed last year. A 2nd year kid and a Rookie along with a meh Tier 2 FA at CB. None of whom can be trusted to play Man. And they have consistently outperformed O'Connell's Rolls Royce Offense with the equivalent of a Yugo worth of spare and aftermarket parts.
Brian Flores is literally 5 times the Coordinator Kevin is. He's got a 74 year old former 1st Round Pick at Safety. Literally every single other consistent contributor was drafted in the 3rd Round or later. He's got zero lock down Corners. 1 Elite Pass Rusher and a bunch of duct tape holding the motor in place. A journeyman DT stuffing the run next to a Tier 2/3 FA acquisition in Phillips.
How can they be performing so well with so little talent that any other Team would covet? And how can O'Connell be doing so poorly with so much talent that other Teams are drooling over?
But it's not just the stubbornness. The inability to mold his schemes to the actual strengths of his players. His inability to devise and implement any semblance of an effective running game or screen game.
Kevin O'Connell is also a sh*t Game Day Head Coach. Going for it on 4th and Short on his side of the field. Playing conservatively to not lose when he has the lead. Managing his Challenges. Managing the Clock. It's all bad.
And what's worse than the 95 paragraphs above is that he's showing zero signs of improvement at anything. Still the wrong running scheme. Cons Kwesi into overpaying for a blocking TE and keeping a Fullback only to keep them on the bench more often than not. Running Mattison up the gut ad infinitum. Throwing the ball 10 yards down the field on 3rd/4th and short and calling plays short of the sticks on 4th and Long.
Nothing is improving. Scoring was down before Kirk got hurt. The rushing attack is worse than last year.
What O'Connell does well, exceptionally well, is lead young men. He's built a fantastic culture. Created an environment where all the players, regardless of age, draft position, contract status or anything else that could divide have truly come together and play for each other and for him and his Staff.
But all that camaraderie and good will eventually starts to fade when you aren't winning. And the Minnesota Vikings are a .500 Club in the last season plus worth of games.
The bloom will come off the rose and we have zero evidence whatsoever that the Head Coach will make the changes necessary to right the Longship. Indeed, we've got ample evidence to the contrary.
Kevin O'Connell has shown himself to be the Nepo Baby child of Brad Childress and Mike Zimmer. The only hope is that Andrew Miller recognizes the problem and convinces the Wilfs to empower Kwesi to move on. And frankly, given how he's ignored the Trenches so far, I'd prefer to clean house again when both of their Contracts are up.
Doom & Gloom are still with us, folks. Just with Barney-styled fluffy clouds instead of thunderheads.
... and neither is this Chris guy.