1 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: It's time for x's and o's with Minnesota Vikings head 2 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: coach Kevin O'Connell on the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network now 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: from the TCO studios at Egan. Here is the voice 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: of the Vikings, Paul Allen. 5 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 2: Welcome into x's and o's with Kevin O'Connell, presented by 6 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 2: Ken Moore. It's Border Battle week. Here's the head coach 7 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 2: the PA. 8 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 3: Kevin O'Connell, head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, joins us 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 3: weekly for x'es and o's nine to noon. Is fortunate 10 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 3: enough to uh to be able to start that on 11 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 3: a Tuesdays at eleven o'clock or eleven ish. 12 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 4: And here's the head coach. Now. Lambeau is next in line. 13 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 3: Do do you have a favorite road stadium or are 14 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,160 Speaker 3: they all the same because you're just so laser focused 15 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 3: on the task. 16 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 5: No, I think, uh, I think there's some some different ones. 17 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 5: I do. 18 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 4: I do appreciate you know the history. 19 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 5: Of lambeau Field and we've we've had some success there, 20 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 5: so hopefully we can have a good week and go 21 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 5: go replicate what I believe this has happened in the last two 22 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 5: times we went there. 23 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 3: When when's the last time, Kevin O'Connell, you coach on 24 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 3: the Vikings, attended or watched a football game as a fan. 25 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 5: I would probably have to say Cayden absolutely Caden's games. 26 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 3: But I I was hoping you wouldn't go right to 27 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 3: the kid guard, so I brought it up just to no. 28 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 5: I think I went to a San Diego State game 29 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 5: during the during the bye week when I was coaching 30 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 5: with the Rams. 31 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 4: I think I might have. 32 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 5: And they were playing at that that I don't I 33 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 5: don't remember the year, but they were playing at the 34 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:45,040 Speaker 5: soccer stadium that the Chargers used to play that before. 35 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 4: They moved to Sofi, So it might have been. I 36 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 4: don't know what it was. You did you paint your 37 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 4: face black and what it'd be? Black and red, black 38 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 4: and red, black and red. I did not. 39 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 3: And Aztec's right, yep, yeah, so did you go full Garb? 40 00:01:57,640 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 4: No? 41 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 5: No, I Caen Kyden wanted to go. He was just 42 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 5: getting into football at the time, and yeah, he wanted 43 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 5: to go, So I took him down there. 44 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 3: We have a we have a talkback for you each 45 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 3: and every week. Yeah, we're going to play that Tuesday 46 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 3: talkback right now for the head coach of the Minnesota 47 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 3: Vikings and move on from there. 48 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 4: So three two, Hey, coach. 49 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 6: And pa, here's my question on social media. Everyone overreacts 50 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 6: to every play, good or bad from our own quarterback. 51 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 6: As a Vikings fan watching on TV, not with the 52 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 6: all twenty two, just as we watch the game, what 53 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 6: is something we should look for to see progress from 54 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 6: our quarterback versus the overreaction of social media. 55 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 4: Oh? Thanks, brother, that was cool. 56 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 5: Yeah, that was a great question because I think, you know, 57 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 5: in this coming up on coming up on his sixth start. Now, 58 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 5: I think we're all, you know, we're all just looking 59 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 5: for continued, you know, evidence of the growth that he 60 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 5: can take some of the things he's working very hard 61 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 5: on the practice field to make. 62 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:05,119 Speaker 4: You know, as the phrase. 63 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 5: I've been using with him, we got to we gotta 64 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 5: start seeing this cement dry on some of the things 65 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 5: that we've really worked hard to make football. 66 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 4: Habits for him. 67 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 5: From a fundamentals and technique standpoint, I think something Vikings 68 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 5: fans can can look for is, you know what, when 69 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 5: he gets to the top of his drops, we're really 70 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 5: trying to, uh see if we can get him to 71 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 5: be a little bit more in a repeatable body position. 72 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 4: And what I mean by that is the. 73 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 5: Posture of you know, a firm but athletic kind of 74 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 5: lower half. We don't really like when his feet get 75 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 5: too far outside the framework of his body, and that 76 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 5: happened a couple times the other day. That contributed to 77 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 5: maybe some of the accuracy. His feet got a little 78 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 5: bit wide, his base got really wide. The other thing 79 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 5: to to really look for is when he looks decisive 80 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 5: and and kind of in the ground compact, where he's 81 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 5: not taking up a lot of space with his movements 82 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:02,839 Speaker 5: as he kind of goes from one A to one 83 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 5: B or one to two before finding his checkdowns. You know, 84 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 5: when he's done it consistently, you know, well it's normally 85 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 5: tied to it's got to look to it of firmness 86 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 5: but yet not tight and not rigid, and it kind 87 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 5: of has a fluidity to it where you know he's 88 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 5: you know, then able to activate the arm talent from 89 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 5: a standpoint of taking out a lot of variables. And 90 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 5: I've talked to JJ a lot of a lot of 91 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 5: the movement and a lot of the lack of stability 92 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 5: to his lower half adds to a lot of variables 93 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 5: to the play where you're trying to make this thing 94 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 5: right with the ball leaving your fingertips. But you know, 95 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 5: I would equate it to swinging a golf club, and 96 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 5: sometimes you swing it with your left foot all on 97 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 5: the ground, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you, you know, widen 98 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 5: your stance. Really, you're never going to hit that golf 99 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 5: ball the same way, And playing quarterback is about the 100 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 5: variables that you can control. You've got to try to 101 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,480 Speaker 5: make it the same and repeat heatable every single time, 102 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 5: because the difference between golf and any other sport is 103 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 5: these guys are trying to rush one thousand miles an 104 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 5: hour and rip your face off, and you've got to 105 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 5: stand in there and make some throws, sometimes take some hits, 106 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 5: but all of the things before those scenarios start to 107 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 5: take place throughout the rhythm of a play where we 108 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 5: don't know what defense they're in always, and we don't 109 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 5: know exactly where the completion's going to be. So you've 110 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 5: got to control what you can control by doing your 111 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 5: fundamentals and techniques repeatable the same way and take out 112 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 5: some of those variables that really are making JJ's harder 113 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 5: his job harder than it has to be. When we 114 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 5: lose some of that focus throughout games. 115 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 3: I'd like to play a game called Coach's Choice. You 116 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 3: select the topic and here are the categories. Okay, sure, 117 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 3: here we go. Your categories are the long play, full throttle, feel, 118 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 3: the other kid, cash money, and getting the edge. 119 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 4: Which one would you like, Coach O'Connell. Let's let's start backwards. 120 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 4: Let's go getting the edge, getting the edge. 121 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 3: Packers linebacker Edgering Cooper is who you get this this weekend. 122 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 3: He had some part time to him last year and 123 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 3: this year has started all ten for them. Edgering Cooper. 124 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 3: I know you were a fan last year, probably still 125 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 3: are this year. Has his role changed much with Michael 126 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 3: Parsons in the mix. 127 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 5: I don't know if it's changed much, but you're just 128 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 5: seeing him. You're seeing him on the on the field 129 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 5: more on all downs, all three downs, first, second, third down. 130 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 5: He's a very, very athletic, running hit linebacker that seems 131 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 5: to be getting better and better with the more snaps 132 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 5: he gets. And I think with you know, Eric Wilson 133 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 5: came here and he will was kind of a foundational piece, 134 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 5: kind of filling in in some different spots, but then 135 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 5: ended up getting a lot of playing time just because 136 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 5: of his consistency and doing his job within that defense 137 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 5: last year. But I think edge is kind of you 138 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 5: really look at it and you see Cooper being a 139 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 5: guy that you know. They You're seeing more trust put 140 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 5: into him, You're seeing more playmaking, and he's just being 141 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 5: on the field more. Is allowing him to gain some 142 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 5: experience at a pretty rapid pace, and he's starting to 143 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:09,679 Speaker 5: become a really, really good player. 144 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 4: But I've always been a fan of his, even going 145 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 4: back to the. 146 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 3: Draft, full throttle feel the other kid, cash Money, or 147 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 3: the long play cash Money. 148 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 4: Cash Money. 149 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 3: Here we go Blake Cashman as he's been a tackling 150 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 3: machine of late. How Blake Cashman other than fifteen tackles 151 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 3: in a game or whatever, Where does he most help 152 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 3: your defense? 153 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 4: Well, he calls it. I mean he's the green dot. 154 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 4: He's the communication. 155 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:37,559 Speaker 5: When when Cash is in there, we have far less 156 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 5: snaps where there's any sort of chaotic feel and and 157 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 5: Harrison Smith has a lot to do with that too. 158 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 5: He's playing a lot more snaps, probably played his most 159 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 5: snaps of the season last week. So the combination of 160 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 5: Cash as the green dot calling calling the defense in 161 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 5: from flow and then Harrison and Cash working in conjunction 162 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 5: with kind of our check defense we run. We're just 163 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 5: getting more snaps where we get all left guys on 164 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 5: the same page doing their jobs. 165 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 3: And you're talking about snaps, and you also mentioned Eric Wilson. 166 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 3: I'm probably going to get those number wrong, but one, 167 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 3: two or five? Did he play? 168 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 4: Did he play? Eighty three? Snaps? Last game? Including special teams? 169 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 4: Laid a lot of su was it a sixty nine 170 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 4: and fourteen? 171 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 5: He's been so impactful for us. I actually just walk 172 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 5: walking down the hall he was. He was heading into. 173 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 5: We have some massage therapists here on Tuesdays for our guys, 174 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 5: and he was heading in for his massage, and I said, 175 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 5: you know. 176 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 4: What, I'll take care of this one and. 177 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:32,839 Speaker 5: Then want you to get yourself another one right after, 178 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 5: because no, he played the. 179 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 4: Better bring a sledgehammer for those arms? Yeah, oh, have 180 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 4: your arms ever looked like that? We are you kidding me? 181 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,680 Speaker 4: I haven't felt my ribs in thirty years. I have 182 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 4: a right to ask that question. Yeah. No, he's he is. 183 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 5: I mean as much of a physical specimen as I've seen, 184 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 5: but he is. 185 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:53,079 Speaker 4: He's been phenomenal for us. 186 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 5: I mean, you think about kind of the CASHMN injury, 187 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 5: you think about some of the things we've had to 188 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 5: work through with Gink Gink's time out, and now that 189 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,439 Speaker 5: we're getting kind of the healthiest version of this team, 190 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 5: it feels like right now coming back together. Hopefully you know, 191 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 5: JG can work through it this week and find some 192 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 5: snaps for us this weekend. But e Will has kind 193 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,079 Speaker 5: of been a glue guy that's held it all together. 194 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 5: And when he's been doing that, he's been playing football 195 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:18,839 Speaker 5: at a really high level. But he's also a very 196 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 5: very good special teams player, right, So you always want to, 197 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 5: you always want to, you know, make sure you're not 198 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 5: taking him totally off that phase. But we also need 199 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 5: to be smart and not overdo it with e Will 200 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 5: here the rest of the way. 201 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 3: And not to turn this completely into your male or 202 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 3: female body type leader. But Aaron Donald, like what was 203 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 3: he built like was similar? Really he was cut, so 204 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 3: he was big, fast and cut. 205 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 5: Oh yeah, he was a d lineman that had a 206 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 5: twelve pack and you know, twenty five inch arms and 207 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,199 Speaker 5: just thank goodness, he was such an Aaron Donald such 208 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 5: a nice person off the field, because if he wasn't 209 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 5: it would have made for different circumstances working in LA. 210 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 3: Well, you mentioned Andrew Van Ginkle, So coach's choice is 211 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 3: going to take us to full throttle field. And okay, 212 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 3: you mentioned Grenard you know, could be practicing this week. 213 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 3: Hopefully you get him up for the game. Ryan Kelly's 214 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 3: practice window open last week. Who knows, maybe Ryan plays, 215 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 3: But nevertheless, that could be a full throttle feel for 216 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 3: our Minnesota Vikings. But the direction I was taking off 217 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 3: this was with Aaron Jones, Andrew Van Ginkle and say 218 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 3: two three, four games after missing a month and change. 219 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:34,680 Speaker 3: And here's the point. When players return from say a 220 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 3: month five weeks away, does it still take time for 221 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 3: them to be fully up to speed even though they're playing. 222 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 3: And the reason I ask is because watching it back 223 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 3: with Van Ginkle, it just seemed like something in the 224 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 3: second half, Oh wow, hey twenty twenty four just broke out. 225 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 3: You know, it just seems like he's kind of completely back. 226 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 227 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 5: I think it's you know, especially veteran players like you're 228 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 5: talking about. Those guys normally don't need a ton of 229 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 5: runway coming back. But the game is fast, it's you know, 230 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 5: it's a very physical game, and and what ends up 231 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 5: happening is I think veteran players know when you know what, 232 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 5: know exactly where they're at from a physical standpoint. They 233 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 5: know where to, you know, push the gas pedal down 234 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 5: and go. They know when they've got to, you know, 235 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 5: make sure they're out there for their team. But maybe 236 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 5: I'm not all the way there yet, and I know 237 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 5: I'll be able to work through that early on here. 238 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 5: And I think we've seen that with Aaron over the 239 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 5: past couple of weeks. And now Aaron feels like he's 240 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 5: really starting to kind of come around and have those 241 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 5: those game legs underneath him again. And I think with Gink, 242 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 5: it's just you know, mentally, you know, he's always going 243 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 5: to be so sharp, he's always going to be where 244 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 5: he's supposed to be. But the playmaking ability seems to 245 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 5: be really coming on. And I saw the same thing 246 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 5: you did there in the second half and and just 247 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 5: some of the rush moves and some of the ways 248 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 5: he was kind of putting. 249 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 4: It all together when he ran down Kale. 250 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,440 Speaker 5: Yeah, I just can't wait to keep seeing, you know, 251 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 5: his impact on what we do. And you know you 252 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 5: mentioned it with to get your Nard back as well. 253 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:03,839 Speaker 2: Minnesota needed to go to a source for everything in 254 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 2: high school sports. That's why the Minnesota Starts Tribune created 255 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 2: shrib Varsity and sign up now at start tribune dot com. 256 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 2: Slash strib Varsity. More X's and o's around the corner 257 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 2: on the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network. Welcome back to X's 258 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 2: and o's. Kevin O'Connell. Here's the head coach with PA. 259 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 3: God gives the clutch gene, or the ability to not 260 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 3: freak out when it's as hot as hot can be. Conversely, 261 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 3: on the other side, there are things that clearly you 262 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:33,439 Speaker 3: know need to be refined and simplified and or worked 263 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,680 Speaker 3: on and honed, but you can't teach the other one. 264 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 4: Yep, you know what I'm saying. So you can search 265 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 4: long and it's not. 266 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 5: You can search long and far and try to find 267 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 5: the guy that has that end of game. 268 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 4: Right clutch gen and he doesn't freak out. 269 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 5: No, But what I think his superpower needs to be 270 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,719 Speaker 5: is applying that to a second and five in the 271 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 5: middle of the second quarter. I tend to look at 272 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 5: it like, let's bring that end of game focus and 273 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 5: rhythm and determination. And there are a lot of the 274 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 5: snaps that I would pull to show you right now 275 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 5: of what it should look like. 276 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 4: Came on that drive. 277 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 5: Wow, let's see it in the first, second, third quarter, 278 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 5: because what would the game be like for you if 279 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 5: you are able to do that? 280 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 4: And that's start number six. 281 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 5: That's what we'll be looking for to continue to see 282 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 5: more and more evidence of it, because when we see 283 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 5: the evidence of it, we're also going to it's going 284 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 5: to be tied to the offense. 285 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 4: Moving the football and scoring points. 286 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 5: That's what that position does, not only in our offense, 287 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 5: but in all thirty two offenses in the National Football League. 288 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 3: Kevin O'Connell x's and knows last game the first time 289 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,679 Speaker 3: JJ McCarthy didn't run in a game. Are you a 290 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 3: proponent of your quarterback running or is fine tuning the 291 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 3: pocket game first and foremost with what you desire? 292 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 5: No, I think there's I think it all goes back 293 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,439 Speaker 5: to the starting point of what his job. If it's 294 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 5: a pass play and he can exhaust the progression and 295 00:13:57,800 --> 00:13:59,839 Speaker 5: there's not a lot there for him, and he works 296 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 5: within the rhythm of the play and takes off and 297 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 5: steals us a first down. He's done that multiple times 298 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 5: this year. That's a huge bonus. Now when he does that, 299 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 5: that happens to coincide with, you know, both instances where 300 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 5: he has caused him to miss twenty four odd games 301 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 5: or so. So we have to be smart about the 302 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 5: decision making late in those downs. Once you've done the work, 303 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 5: you've gotten the yardage, we've got a new set of downs. 304 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, protect yourself. 305 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 5: And it doesn't always have to be diving head first 306 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 5: on that right shoulder yours either, Like there's there's the 307 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 5: competitive side and then there's the NFL quarterback play for 308 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 5: a really long time with you know, being that competitor side, 309 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 5: and where those are all things where you know, we 310 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 5: talk about a lot and we're trying to kind of 311 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 5: mesh together. But I do think there's an element to 312 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 5: circumstantial and there were some opportunities that the way the 313 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 5: Bears were playing the other day, you know, I know 314 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 5: a lot of folks want more runs on some of 315 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 5: those third and two to threes, and they had seven 316 00:14:57,720 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 5: players on the line of scrimmage. You know, we got 317 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 5: six to lock them. Unless you're gonna magically I get it. 318 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 5: Unless you're going to magically create another player or ask 319 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 5: Justin Jefferson to go down there and you know block, 320 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 5: you know, block one. 321 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 4: Of those guys, Kevin Byer the third, Kevin Bayer the third. 322 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 5: Then you've the only way to equalize those numbers out 323 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 5: is to run your quarterback. Many many teams in this 324 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 5: league do week in and week out, and I think 325 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 5: there's times for that, but you also don't want to 326 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 5: make a living doing that when you're trying to continue 327 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 5: to see this quarterback grow by playing the position. But 328 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 5: there's a time and a place for it, for sure. 329 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 5: I'm not against it. 330 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 3: But there's running responsibly too. So like I was so 331 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 3: excited for that Bears game. Man, I got up before 332 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 3: fifty five in the morning and and so I start 333 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 3: watching the Bears and the Giants to memorize some Bears 334 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 3: defensive numbers, just who the nickel, the whole thing. But 335 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 3: so I'm watching Jackson Dart on some of these designed 336 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 3: runs and I'm like, Wow, holy cow, he's a violent runner. 337 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 3: You know, some stuff was working, but he's gonna take 338 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 3: everybody on. Well then he gets a concussion for the 339 00:15:57,960 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 3: fourth time this year and he's out. 340 00:15:59,320 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 4: Yep. 341 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,239 Speaker 3: So I'm thinking to myself, Wow, you know, I mean McCarthy, 342 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 3: you know he could do a lot of this too. 343 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 3: But then I'm you know, I'm wondering, you would have 344 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 3: to do it more responsibly, be more cognizant of sliding 345 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 3: or getting out of bounds as opposed to the other 346 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 3: kid who's super gifted. You see what I'm saying here, Yeah, 347 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 3: running responsibly. 348 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 5: And the the NFL hash marks are you can do 349 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 5: the math on how much further they are from the sideline. 350 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 5: So this old metric of just running the ball and 351 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 5: get to the sideline. Yeah, they got guys over there too, 352 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 5: So there's a I was very, very familiar with that 353 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 5: Giants Bears film watching it. Watched it a few times obviously, 354 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 5: and yeah, some of those hits, oh you know, you're 355 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 5: gaining yards and all those things. 356 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 4: But and they're not all built like Lamar No, you know, 357 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 4: like ask Kyler. 358 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 3: I mean early in Kyler Murray's career, you know, he 359 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 3: has like ten rushing touchdowns or something, but then it 360 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 3: was one too many took the wrong kind of hit. 361 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 3: Was like, not ten rushing touchdowns, but he missed like 362 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 3: ten games because of the way he was running and 363 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 3: the hits he was taking being slider, Frank. 364 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 5: There's just not that many examples of guys you know 365 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 5: having a very long sustained career playing where that style 366 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 5: is the style that's you know, even everybody talks about Lamar. 367 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 5: Lamar has become a phenomenal pocket passer, great rhythm, base, 368 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 5: makes great decisions, He's accurate throws in rhythm. Those plays 369 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 5: where he ends up impacting the game, you can watch. 370 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 5: They played against the Brian Flores defense two weeks ago, 371 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 5: and the Lamar designed runs or reading variations of runs 372 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 5: didn't come until the fourth quarter when they needed those. 373 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 5: The call sheet had been exhausted and they needed those 374 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 5: to secure some final first downs there to not let 375 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 5: us have a chance to try to win that football 376 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 5: game late. But it was not part of the early 377 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 5: down menu early in that game. 378 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 4: Right. 379 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 5: He's too important to their team and brilliant, and I 380 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 5: think people understand that. 381 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 3: You ever take off on a successful read option at SDSU, 382 00:17:57,520 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 3: maybe against kal poly Pomona or something. 383 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:00,400 Speaker 4: They did I did. 384 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 5: I was actually in four minute one time and we 385 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 5: ran kind of a statue liberty version of the play 386 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 5: I got the first down, should have went down well, 387 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 5: I kept trying to strain for some more yards, punch 388 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 5: out all out New Mexico takes the ball and beats 389 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:15,120 Speaker 5: us on the last play of the game. 390 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 4: So you didn't give your best when your best was required. 391 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 4: Was not a situational master in the moment? Low red, 392 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:23,440 Speaker 4: high red, last one. 393 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 3: I promise Justin Jefferson's work on Jordan Mason's touchdown was perfection. 394 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 3: He blocked their leading tackler, Kevin Byer third so tenaciously 395 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,199 Speaker 3: he knocked the Roman numeral right off the back of 396 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 3: his jersey. When when the top identity related player on 397 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 3: your team works hard like that, does it make it 398 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:47,199 Speaker 3: easier to show others what needs to be done to 399 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 3: win at the highest level. 400 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 5: Well, you don't need to show anybody in this building 401 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 5: because they see it every day. 402 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 4: They see it. 403 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,880 Speaker 5: But I do think it's a good thing for anybody 404 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 5: out there, football players or not, or just fans to understand. 405 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,160 Speaker 5: You can you see the competitor in Justin when he's 406 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 5: open on a third down and we don't pitch and 407 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 5: catch the level that he's become accustomed to, or he's 408 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 5: frustrated that we're not winning a game. This guy is 409 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,679 Speaker 5: one of the greatest competitors I've ever been around, and 410 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 5: that can come out sometimes but that doesn't mean he's 411 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 5: showing up anybody or his frustrations are boiling over to 412 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 5: the point where you know, Justin is one of the 413 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 5: greatest competitors I've ever been around. He's a phenomenal teammate. 414 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 5: But if you ever have any question of what he's 415 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 5: all about, go watch that play. Just put it on repeat, 416 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:33,639 Speaker 5: over and over. And not even not even the block 417 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 5: pa the first block, the second block where he finished 418 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 5: you know, the block and secured the space required for 419 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:40,880 Speaker 5: JP to score that touchdown. 420 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 4: Yep, watch the reaction of number eighteen. We discussed it earlier. 421 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 4: I mean, you know what he was saying. 422 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 3: It's almost like he was looking at the crowd and 423 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,360 Speaker 3: just like who says receivers don't block what? 424 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 4: What? Who says I can't block? What? 425 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 5: What? 426 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 4: But it was, yeah, no, it was. 427 00:19:57,119 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 5: That was as one of my Adjustin's had a lot 428 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 5: of them, you think of the last you know, however 429 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 5: many games here that I've gotten the joy of coaching him, 430 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 5: He's had, whether it's Buffalo, where it's you know, some 431 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 5: of the plays he's made, you know, in triple team 432 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 5: coverages going that that was one of my favorites. That 433 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 5: was awesome favorites as far as just a selfless captain 434 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,000 Speaker 5: of your team showing up in a big moment and 435 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 5: doing something different than you know, ending up with the 436 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,120 Speaker 5: ball in his hands, doing the gritty in the end zone. 437 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:25,439 Speaker 4: It was. 438 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 5: It was total team football right there, and great example 439 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:30,640 Speaker 5: for not just the Vikings, but a lot of folks 440 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 5: out there. 441 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 4: You're awesome, Thank you very much, appreciate it, Thanks for listening. 442 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 2: This week's episode of X's and L's with Kevin O'Connell. 443 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 2: It's presented by Ken Moore in his official production of 444 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 2: the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network.