1 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: Hey, it's your announcer, Paul Allen from US Bank Stadium 2 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: where the Minnesota Vikings lost to the New York Giants 3 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,159 Speaker 1: Round one of the playoffs thirty one, twenty four. The 4 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: New York Giants are heading to Philadelphia to take on 5 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: the one seed in a very emotional game today and 6 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: a game where Daniel Jones, Sequon Barkley, Isaiah Hodges and 7 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: the New York Giants were just a little too much 8 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: for our Minnesota Vikings and they finished the season thirteen 9 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: and five. They split with the New York Giants, and 10 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: there's plenty of work to be done in the off season. 11 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,959 Speaker 1: And don't forget to follow FM one hundred point three 12 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: kfa N for all of your offseason coverage. That's your 13 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: home for the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Vikings football. Let's 14 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: run through the postgame report with the thoughts from Kevin O'Connell, 15 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, coming up shortly. Likewise, 16 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: for quarterback Kirk Cousins, Ron Johnson offers three takes and 17 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 1: those are coming up very shortly, but we begin with 18 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: winning formula and former Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ben Lieber and 19 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: from Vikings dot Com and the Vikings Entertainment Network. Gabe 20 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: Henderson all right, welcome to Between the Lines fuel by Gatorade. 21 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: My name is Gabe Henderson. That has been Lieber and 22 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings season ends today January fifteenth with a 23 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: loss to the New York Giants. And been we both 24 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: just left the locker room. You could hear a pin 25 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: drop in that locker room. You've been in locker rooms 26 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: where your season ended. And before we talk about, you know, 27 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: what just transpired out there on the field, which you know, 28 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: it's not really much to talk about. How does a 29 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: player feel right now in that locker room? Just understanding 30 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: that you've been in situations like this in your NFL career, 31 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 1: you know, you just feel I think the best way 32 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: to describe it as your numb You know, you you 33 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: have so much hype and excitement and that's not just 34 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: from the week of prep, which you know, this playoff 35 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: week is just it's it's at a whole other level 36 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: when it comes to preparation and focus and you know, 37 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: feeling the intensity of the of the moment. But you're 38 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: coming off seventeen games where you just poured everything out 39 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,799 Speaker 1: and you've been redlining your life. You know, you're you're 40 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: going one hundred miles an hour at at work, at practice, 41 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: on game day, you know, with your families and all 42 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 1: that other stuff. And then to have that realization and 43 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,399 Speaker 1: in locker room that it's over. Yeah, you know, like 44 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: tomorrow you're gonna wake up and you're gonna have an 45 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: exit meeting. You're probably not going to break down the film. 46 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: You're gonna say goodbye, probably to you know, a bunch 47 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: of guys that you know, at the end of the day, 48 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: at the end of the offseason, you may never see again. 49 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: You know, you may never be teammates again. And so 50 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: there's there's a numbness to the moment, and then tomorrow 51 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: there's a heaviness to the moment of that the season 52 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:11,359 Speaker 1: really is over. And when everybody comes back in April, 53 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: it's the team's gonna look different and it's gonna feel different. Yeah, 54 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: that's something that Kevin O'Connell said in the locker room 55 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: when he was addressing the team. He said, you know, 56 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: after I break this team down, guys, look everybody in 57 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: their eyes and make sure you tell him you love them, 58 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: because this maybe the last time you play with these guys, 59 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: or see the guy next to you, and just understanding that. 60 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: I remember vividly. I'll never forget this picture, Adam Feeling 61 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: just standing with his pads own in the locker room 62 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: by himself, just looking around. I'm like, he did everything 63 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: he could. This offense did everything they could today. And 64 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: when you look at their performance, you say, okay, you 65 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: put up twenty four points, you got over three hundred 66 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: yards of total offense. What else could offense have done today? 67 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: From your perspective, I mean, I guess now that the 68 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: game's over, you know, score another touchdown and hopefully too. 69 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: I conversed. I mean, we were hoping that it wouldn't. 70 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: It wasn't gonna come down to the defense having a 71 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: step up. Um, the offense has been stepping up all 72 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: season long. Um, you know, look, the offensiveligned a great job. 73 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: We knew that this is a blitzing defense. That they 74 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: gave us problems in the first game on Christmas Eve, 75 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: and not that Kirk was cleaned the whole game. I 76 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: mean he got he got hit a couple of times, 77 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: had to scramble for his life a little bit, but 78 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: zero sacks given up. You know who, I would not 79 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: have put that bet on the table before the game 80 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: starts if we were gonna walk away from this game 81 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: and we were gonna have zero or they're gonna have 82 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: zero sacks against US. So, um, you know, I thought 83 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: that was a positive. I thought the way that we 84 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 1: used justin Jefferson after we saw some of the bracket 85 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: coverage and the double coverage on the second and third 86 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: layer of the defense, getting t J. Hawkinson involved, like 87 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: all those little coaching nuances, you know, the adjustments, they're 88 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: way the way we were able to use Hawkinson for 89 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: three receptions in the first half and then come back 90 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: with seven huge receptions in the second half. Although that 91 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: that last one, the last one, yeah, the three yard 92 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: gain on four an eight um. But I just thought 93 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: that there was a really smart play calling by head 94 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: coach Kevin O'Connell throughout the whole game, especially in the 95 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: second a half. But again it just the offense had 96 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 1: to carry this team again and it was just you know, 97 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: one drive too short and the game ends on a 98 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: checkdown on fourth and eight. Defensively, where do you go 99 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 1: from here? I mean, I I very well, I just 100 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: I hate to like put this this vibe out there, 101 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: but this defense almost needs a whole a whole revamp, 102 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: a total evaluation of is this the scheme for us? 103 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: You know, is a three four scheme, three four base scheme? 104 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: Is this the scheme for us? If it is, do 105 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: we need to really evaluate who fits best in the 106 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: three four scheme and what we're trying to do with 107 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: our with our defensive philosophy. Now that goes from the 108 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: defensive line, to the linebackers, to the guys in the secondary, 109 00:05:57,480 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: and it goes to the play caller as well. You know, 110 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: we can't shy away from the fact that it is 111 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: unacceptable to have this bat of a defense. It is 112 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,599 Speaker 1: absolutely unacceptable. If you think that you're going to cross 113 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: your fingers and hope your way to winning games and 114 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: winning playoff games and eventually winning a Super Bowl, you're 115 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 1: lying to yourself and you're being delusional. So the reality 116 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: is this defense. I believe in the next couple of 117 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: days there will be probably some some sort of announcement 118 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 1: being made, whether it's changes at the top, changes within, 119 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: or eventually you know, when it comes to players. You 120 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: know we're gonna hear about player changes and player acquisitions 121 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 1: when free agency starts. Well, they're speaking of players. Um, 122 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: there's still players in this locker room that you can 123 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 1: build this franchise on. Justin Jefferson is one. Absolutely, cam 124 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: buying him, who we just talked to in the locker 125 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: room is another. That's just my opinion, just the adversity 126 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,359 Speaker 1: he had to deal with coming in as a cornerback, 127 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: moving to safety. Then Louis Sane gets drafted. I think 128 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: Louis Seane is going to have a phenomenal career here 129 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: as a Minnesota Viking. But understanding that, you know, he 130 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: would have to compete, I felt like he's a guy 131 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: that you can honestly build on on the defensive side 132 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: of the ball. What else does his Minnesota Vikings team 133 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: I guess what other positives does his Minnesota Biking team 134 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: have to build on for the future. We mentioned JJ. 135 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: I mean, Kirk's gonna be around and there's no reason why. 136 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: I mean we should never think about a quarterback change. 137 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: I mean, Kirk played amazing this year. He had what 138 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: an NFL record eight eight game winning drives in the 139 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: fourth quarter. I mean, he was unbelievable. I know, statistically 140 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: people are gonna look at, you know, where he was 141 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: in the last couple of years, but when it comes 142 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: to gameplay and winning games for this team, he was 143 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: he was phenomenal. Christian Derisov. You know, we we think 144 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: we all found, you know, a true cornerstone of this 145 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: offensive line. And you know, we know that when Brian 146 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: O'Neill gets back and healthy, which he will be next season, 147 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: you know, we get two really really good stud pro 148 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: guys on the outside. And then you know, what are 149 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: we gonna do with with kJ Osborne, What are we 150 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: gonna do with Adam Feeling? T J. Hawkinson? You know, 151 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: he's he's a guy. I think he's got one year 152 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: left in this contract. You know he'll be around. He 153 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: was a huge addition to this offense. Um. You know, 154 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: and we've and we've got you know, some guys on defense. 155 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: Zadarius I mean played well. Denil at times, he had 156 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 1: kind of a roller coaster year, but at the end 157 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: of the year he was double digit sacks. You know, 158 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: he was he was a difference maker. He was you know, 159 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: he was disruptive. Um. So, you know, we have some 160 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: guys on defense, but like I said earlier, we're gonna 161 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: have to really evaluate every position on this defense is 162 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: in considering the scheme that they're gonna use. Yeah, I 163 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: mean that there is. That's the bad thing I had 164 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: about the all seasons is that is so long. There's 165 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: so many so much speculation, so many rumors. So I mean, 166 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: you have so much time to think. It's like all 167 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: of us are in our room just coming up with 168 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: all of these different scenarios. But the next thing is 169 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: the combined and the next thing is the NFL draft. Um, 170 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: when you look at positions of need, I don't want 171 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,319 Speaker 1: to talk too far ahead, but positions of need. Um, 172 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 1: do you think the Vikings will be aggressive this off 173 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: season or do we still have a lot of players 174 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: that we can just build on and hopefully make that 175 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: next up in their career. You know, I hope that 176 00:08:57,440 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: we're aggressive. I think every every fan base once they're 177 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: team to be aggressive and free agency. You know, I 178 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: think that we need to. You know, this team has 179 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: always needed extra corners, whether it's because of injury or whatnot. 180 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: But I still think that we should we should look 181 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: at adding some corners. I still think that we need 182 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 1: to look at adding some defensive line help, whether it's 183 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 1: depth or you know, maybe some guys that can really 184 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: be an intimidating factor on the inside part of this 185 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: defensive line. You know you'd mentioned the safety situation. I 186 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: think we're pretty solid there. And then obviously we're gonna 187 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: take a look at, you know, our offensive line. You know, 188 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: every team is going to have areas of need to upgrade, 189 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: and we're no different than them. I want to end 190 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: this thing on a positive note, simply because this was 191 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: a thirteen win team. Kevin O'Connell, quasia dopo mensa. They 192 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: came here in February and they had this grand vision 193 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: for what this Minnesota Biking, this team could be. I 194 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: know it did not end the way they wanted that 195 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 1: we wanted it too, But the fact that we can 196 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: hang our heads high understanding that this is a team 197 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: that has been battle tested. Yeah, and we've been to 198 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: the playoffs and you know what it feels like to 199 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: get here. I think that's that that gives Vikings fans 200 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: a lot to look forward to to the future. Would 201 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: you agree, oh, one hundred percent. I mean it's it's 202 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: it's tough right now because the wound is so raw, 203 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: and you know, we're all hurting right now, expecting to 204 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: win this game and play the San Francisco forty nine 205 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: ers next week. But there's a lot of hope, and 206 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: you know this from being a former player. M really, 207 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: at any level, at any sport, the coach wants a 208 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: buy in. They want a sense of buy in that 209 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: the players are gonna like look at what they're implementing 210 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: and say, like, I believe in that guy. This team 211 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: absolutely believes in what head coach Kevin O'Connell is building. 212 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: So I think if there's hope right there, that's it. 213 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: Like this team has bought in there, They're bought into 214 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: this new change, They're bought into all this stuff. So um, 215 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 1: that's what I'm most excited about. Again. Just add some 216 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: pieces here and there and look forward to twenty twenty three, 217 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,719 Speaker 1: looking forward to it. A phenomenal job to share. Man, 218 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: this was a lot of fun between the lines every 219 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: week when loser draw well we didn't have any draws. 220 00:10:57,840 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: This was a lot of fun just being able to 221 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:03,440 Speaker 1: talk Viking being on a couple of podcasts. Thoroughly appreciate you. 222 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: Vikings fans appreciate you also, and Vikings fans we appreciate 223 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: you for tuning in every single game, screaming to the 224 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:11,960 Speaker 1: top of your lungs. Every single whole man away game, 225 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: win or lose. We just want to thank you and 226 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: stay tuned to Vikings dot com because the team and 227 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: the season may be over, but the content does not stop. 228 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: So for Ryan O'Neill, who does a phenomenal job behind 229 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: the camera, Ben Lieber, my name is Gabe Henderson, thank 230 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: you again for tuning into another edition the final edition 231 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty two season of Between the Lines 232 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 1: fuel by Gator eight winning Formula. Then Labor and Gabe 233 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: Henderson excellent work with winning Formula all season and they 234 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:43,239 Speaker 1: were discussing some of the nuance, specifically some defensive situations 235 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: with the Minnesota Vikings against the New York Giants. Today, 236 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty two season comes to a conclusion for 237 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,079 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings. They lose to the New York Giants 238 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: thirty one twenty four, a Giants team that was poised 239 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: every step of the way, never any freak out from 240 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 1: fourth year quarterback Daniel Jones. Is running ability is terrific 241 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 1: and um finding receivers in the middle of the field 242 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: and wide open was a season long problem for the 243 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: Minnesota Vikings and it reared its ugly head today. Let's 244 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: hear from first year coach Kevin O'Connell, who guided the 245 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: Minnesota Vikings to a thirteen and five record. Here's what 246 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: KOC had to say following the game. Tough to come 247 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: in and you know, talk to your team when we 248 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: didn't get it done tonight, and I just I told 249 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 1: them how proud I have them of the way they battled, 250 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: the way they responded all year long to what we 251 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 1: asked to them as coaches. It's one of the closest 252 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: connected groups in the entire NFL. These guys are there's 253 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: real tiers in there. There's real guys that expected to 254 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:52,079 Speaker 1: really have a chance to win a world championship. And 255 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: and you got to give the Giants a lot of credit. 256 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: Just didn't do enough in the end to win the 257 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:00,319 Speaker 1: football game. And uh, you know, well, well to take 258 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: a long hard look at at, uh, you know, every 259 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: aspect of what we do to make sure we give 260 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: ourselves the ability to continue to strive to compete at 261 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:11,559 Speaker 1: a championship level. And um, that's what we'll begin working 262 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: on immediately. Defensively, Did you think this is more of 263 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: a problem of scheme war talent? You know, I I 264 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: think there was there were some issues with explosive big 265 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: plays again, um tonight. Um they they schematically did some 266 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: things to to maybe take advantage of some things we 267 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,319 Speaker 1: were doing. But across the board, UM, you know, we're 268 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 1: going to take a look at everything. It's my job. 269 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:40,319 Speaker 1: I'm responsible to for all three phases of our football team, 270 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, we'll we'll definitely take a deep 271 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 1: dive into it and find a way because I do 272 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: think all three phases of our team can improve, um 273 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: and and individually do their part to try to give 274 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 1: ourselves a chance to compete at the highest levels in 275 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: this league. And um, you know, I think we're I 276 00:13:58,320 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: think we'll take a look at a lot of things 277 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 1: just to see where we can improve and be the 278 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:05,079 Speaker 1: best version of ourselves. What sort of problems to Daniel 279 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: Jones using his legs in the first half, Yeah, we 280 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: you know, we talked about it throughout the week. I 281 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: know I even mentioned it to you guys. We wanted 282 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: to try to keep him in the pocket. We wanted 283 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: to try to you know, get a rush, you know, 284 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: change the game with some of our playmakers up there, 285 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: but not let him get out and have an impact. 286 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: He had some impacts on some design runs as well, 287 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 1: all of which you know, it does not you know, 288 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: break any news to uh, you know, us in that 289 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: in that locker room, our coaching staff. They just happen 290 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: to make those plays. And when you play a mobile 291 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: quarterback like that, that that can make plays with his 292 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: arm and his leg and his legs. You you know, 293 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: you just have to have a plan um to to 294 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: maximize your chances of limiting those explosive plays. In addition 295 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: to some of those crossing routes and things they do 296 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: um to to you know, generate some of that stuff. Kevin, 297 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: what they do different with Jefferson. Yeah, I didn't bring 298 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 1: as much pressure tonight. It was more so a story 299 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: of cover verge double teams. I think, you know, when 300 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: you look at you know, his stats, I don't think 301 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: it's a coincidence TJ. You know, having a big day 302 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 1: Adam feeling with three big catches for fifty yards, kJ 303 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: had some opportunities in addition to the two for twenty. 304 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: You know, ended up with about fifty I think fifty 305 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: six fifty eight snaps. So you would have loved to 306 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: have the ball a little bit more to be able 307 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 1: to run it and marry the run in the past. 308 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: And you know, just when we didn't have that success. 309 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 1: We we opened the game with a really nice drive 310 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: and then you know, end up being stopped a couple 311 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: of times there and despite finishing the half of the 312 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: touchdown drive. You just look at the volume of snaps 313 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: that you end up getting as an offense and and 314 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: really that's where I could help us, you know, try 315 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 1: to be better in those short yardage situations. Try to 316 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: be better across the board, so you know we can 317 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: go ahead and maximize our opportunities when they could be 318 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: a little bit more limited because of their ability to 319 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: control the football. You have said, you said in some 320 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: many post game speeches, play until they had tis we 321 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 1: had to stop. Yeah, did you feel like throughout this 322 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: you were going to come back? And you did so? 323 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: Did this wasn't abrupt to how it didn't field very 324 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: very even to that very last drive. You know, you 325 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: think you have a chance there on that third and 326 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: um eight, third and ten call, whatever it was, you 327 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 1: think you have a chance and unfortunately just you know, didn't. 328 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: It didn't end up coming down with that one for 329 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: whatever reason. And on that fourth down, just trying to 330 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: get some eligibles vertical and and ball ended up, you know, 331 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: going underneath him, and we didn't like we had you know, 332 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: like we had done multiple times TJ underneath the coverage 333 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 1: for catch conversions. Uh, they just were able to make 334 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: a play. But the intent was to try to continue 335 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: winning the football having a chance to win the football 336 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: game with pushing the ball downfield and just didn't open 337 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: up for Kirk. And that's on me. It was at 338 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: the conversation ever that bought down there on the sideline 339 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 1: when the ball goes underneath just yeah, I just you know, 340 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 1: I just wanted to have some dialogue with them, and 341 00:16:57,880 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: you know, I could have done a better job in 342 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 1: the moment. You know, he knew it was fourth down 343 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 1: and he just didn't want to He wanted to make 344 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 1: sure he put the ball in play. Um, I gotta 345 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: go back. I was watching some of the routes down 346 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 1: the field to kind of materialize and the pocket may 347 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: or may not have been collapsing on him, and he 348 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: just wanted to make sure he gave somebody a chance 349 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: and they made a play. Um had some double coverage 350 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 1: to justin on that drive and trying to have kJ 351 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 1: come to life, trying to have Adam come to life, 352 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, we'll take a we'll take a long, 353 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: hard look at it. Our two minute offense has been 354 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: pretty darn good all season, helping us, and in the 355 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:32,919 Speaker 1: end we didn't get it done on that drive, and 356 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: it did feel rather abrupt kind of the way it 357 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: happened in a situation like that interceptions, as there's a 358 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: new completion, would you liked a risk your throw there, 359 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: just so that there was an opportunity? Yeah, the intent 360 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,439 Speaker 1: where as a play callers, you're not gonna, you know, 361 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 1: call a primary concept where somebody's short of the sticks 362 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: to gain, especially on fourth down. If it's third down 363 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: and you can catch convert and make it a fourth 364 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: and two or three, Um, that's okay. But yeah, I uh, 365 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: you know, looking back on it, you know, maybe could 366 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,719 Speaker 1: have just been a little bit more. Hey, this is 367 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: kind of where you want the ball to go. But 368 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:10,880 Speaker 1: I want Kirk to be able to play. I want 369 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: him to be free out there to make good decisions. 370 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: He did all night long, moved our team stood in there, 371 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:17,439 Speaker 1: you know, getting the ball out of his hand and rhythm. 372 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: It just so happens at that down. You know, we 373 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 1: just didn't get enough on the play regardless, And in 374 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,440 Speaker 1: the end, I look at that as it's as much, 375 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: if anything, it's on me in that play call, Um, 376 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: even though we had eligibles with a with a chance 377 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,640 Speaker 1: down the field, maybe there's always a play that could 378 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:34,719 Speaker 1: be better for your guys out there, and that one 379 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: will stick with me. Going back, going back to the 380 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: first half of the third and one the Jeffers, Yeah, 381 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 1: back to Cousins, what was a thinking on that point. Yeah, 382 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: we thought we had converted U officials marked it past 383 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 1: the line to gain and then uh, and then they 384 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:50,400 Speaker 1: ended up making it a third and one. We had 385 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 1: had that play up for, you know, a chance verse 386 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: man coverage to try to see if we can generate 387 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: an explosive and and they ended up leaving the cornerback 388 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 1: side and didn't get the look that ultimately we were hunting, 389 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:04,879 Speaker 1: and that's part of taking risks, no different than a 390 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:08,120 Speaker 1: fake punt, no different than um some things. In that situation. 391 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: They defended the play well, and you got to give 392 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:13,199 Speaker 1: them credit. Not a play call that I particularly loved, Um, 393 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 1: but it's easy to say that when it does not work, 394 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: you're saying you're looking for an explosive there's the idea 395 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 1: that the explosive comes from justin hang out of the 396 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: ball or is it throwing it back to current No, 397 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: it's it's it was a design throwback kind of trick 398 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: trick style play game. You said you would look at 399 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:31,640 Speaker 1: everything defensively short of I think overhauling the scheme. Yeah, 400 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: Now that you're hitting the offseason, like, is that and 401 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: played you are you confident you have the right scheme defensively? Well, Kevin, 402 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: it's one of those things. It's you know, when speaking 403 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,879 Speaker 1: of the abrupt ending of tonight, it's it's a little 404 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: it's a little kind of fresh to be in that 405 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: mode right now. But offensively, defensively and special teams. We're 406 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 1: going to take a look at our entire football team, 407 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 1: personnel schematics, how we coached, what things we could do 408 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,160 Speaker 1: better to help put our players in positions to have success, 409 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,159 Speaker 1: help put the personnel that we have in positions to 410 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 1: have success, and it'll be an entire uh, you know, 411 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: in an entire part of what this job's all about 412 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 1: is being critical, having the ability to evaluate your football 413 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 1: team and what the intent was, and then being able 414 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,239 Speaker 1: to make adjustments to try to better what you are 415 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 1: as a team. So that's what I'll do starting really 416 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: starting tomorrow. You listed a bunch of ways to evaluate 417 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: the defense. Is one of the things is potentially on 418 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 1: the table who's coaching the defense? I like, like we 419 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: talked about man I just I think Ed tried to 420 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: do the best he could in this year cross the board, 421 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:40,640 Speaker 1: installing the defense and the scheme that we had kind 422 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 1: of manifested together and and hope that it would come 423 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: to life. And he worked his absolute tailoff, and and 424 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 1: his commitment to try and to make some adjustments and 425 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:54,640 Speaker 1: improve was there each and every week all season long. So, um, 426 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: I'm gonna look at every aspect special teams, offense, defense, 427 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: personnel with way so all across the board. How we 428 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: can improve schematically? Uh, you know, all those things are 429 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 1: for a really a different time and different conversations once 430 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: we've had a chance to kind of collect ourselves and 431 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: evaluate what took place this year. Kevin, I know you've 432 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 1: worked with Kurt before, but being here coaching him as 433 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 1: a head coach, was there anything that you learned about 434 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: him throughout the season and going forward that maybe you 435 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,879 Speaker 1: build on. Yeah, he's grown tremendously from previously when I 436 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,959 Speaker 1: when I worked with him in seventeen um. He is 437 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: a competitor, He's tough, he's incredibly durable through the ball 438 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 1: at a very high level all season long, made team 439 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 1: winning plays for us all season long. When we had 440 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,119 Speaker 1: to have him, I thought, he, you know, competed each 441 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 1: and every week to put our offense in a position 442 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: to have success. And he was always the you know, 443 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: our our our leader each and every week. When things 444 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: even didn't go our way, that guy was out in 445 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 1: front ready to go back to work. And he was 446 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: one of the reasons why I do believe we didn't 447 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 1: lose two games in a row. We responded to adversity 448 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:00,639 Speaker 1: and and he's a heck of a leader for us 449 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 1: much beyond just being our quarterback and our leader on 450 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 1: the offensive side, really for our whole football team. The 451 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: first year TIS head coach who win thirteen games season 452 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: ancel the home playoff loss, is that I feel like 453 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 1: a success to you. You know, I don't really, It's 454 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: it's a little too soon to kind of go into 455 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: true evaluation mode. I just know our team wanted very 456 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: very badly way a great week of prep and wanted 457 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 1: very badly to win this game. And for it to 458 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:26,959 Speaker 1: be a one score game with a chance to go 459 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: try to tie that game up. It's going to sting 460 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 1: us for a long time. And this team was as 461 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: competitive as any group as I've been around from a 462 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 1: standpoint of each and every time they took the field 463 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 1: with the expectation to win. It did not always go 464 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 1: our way, But these guys battled for, like you said, 465 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 1: thirteen wins. And I think that there's a lot of 466 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,160 Speaker 1: things that I'm very, very fortunate and excited about moving 467 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 1: forward with this team currently and where we can take 468 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: it from here. You talked a lot even after victories 469 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: about needing to improve on a lot of things, even 470 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: after wins. Do you still feel like you were chasing 471 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:04,400 Speaker 1: like that quarter performance and never got it? Um? Yeah. 472 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: I think we're always going to be trying to improve 473 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 1: and doing and And the biggest thing is just understanding 474 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: what I mean by that is all three phases at 475 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: the same time playing well. It's not directly you know, 476 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,360 Speaker 1: an offensive or a defensive or a special teams thing. 477 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: It's can we be as a football team truly in 478 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: phase with each other and playing off of the success 479 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 1: of the other group, capitalizing momentum and being able to, 480 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: you know, expand on that as a football team and 481 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,160 Speaker 1: understand what that feels like for us moving forward. So 482 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: any team in this league that doesn't finish in Arizona 483 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,640 Speaker 1: holding the trophy is going to feel like they've got 484 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 1: to improve. And I sure know that that's going to 485 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: be the main goal regardless of tonight's outcome. It's going 486 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: to be about improving our football team, me personally, getting 487 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,880 Speaker 1: better for our guys and our coaches. And I feel 488 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:53,680 Speaker 1: like I've learned a lot this year and I feel 489 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: like I'm I'm ready for what's out in front of 490 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: us because of the type of leadership I get to 491 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: work with, the leadership on our team and what we 492 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 1: have here to build upon the thirteen wins that we 493 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 1: were able to get this year. Thanks guys. Quarterback Kirk 494 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: Cousins kept the Vikings in the game with touchdown passes, 495 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: including just a beautiful one to kJ Osborne. IRV Smith Junior. 496 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,719 Speaker 1: Good moment for him, Mister a fair amount of the season, 497 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: re emerged in the Bears game and caught a touchdown 498 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 1: today from Kirk Cousins. So good for Irv and m. 499 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 1: Kirk had the best season of his career, he had 500 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:37,679 Speaker 1: the most attempts in the history Minnesota Vikings football. His 501 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 1: yards per attempt about a month and a half ago 502 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: was six and a half, near the bottom of the league, 503 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: and in the final handful of games, Kirk raised that 504 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 1: to seven point one, thanks obviously a lot to Justin 505 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: Jefferson having nearly two thousand receiving yards. T J. Hockenson 506 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: went for like two hundred thirty eight yards in two 507 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: games lane for the Minnesota Vikings against the New York Giants. 508 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:06,919 Speaker 1: Skull TJ great having him around, kJ Osborne jumped up, 509 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 1: Adam Feeling had some jews to him today, and so on, 510 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: and of course Dalvin Cook, Alexander Madison, Johnny Mutton, so on. 511 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:16,679 Speaker 1: Kirk had an arsenal of talent. His head was on 512 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: a swivel, and he distributed the ball to many during 513 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:22,680 Speaker 1: the course of a season where the Minnesota Vikings had 514 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: four pass catchers who had sixty receptions or more. Here's 515 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 1: what Kirk had to say following the season ending loss 516 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 1: to the New York Giants. Extremely disappointing to not win 517 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: the night. Didn't see the season ending the way it did, 518 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:46,120 Speaker 1: and it hurts. So you know, we didn't make enough 519 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 1: place to win. Every play matters so much, and there 520 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: were many that that we'd love to have back, and 521 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 1: uh and didn't make you know, proud of the way 522 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:59,399 Speaker 1: everybody fought, proud of the way our fans showed up, 523 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:01,480 Speaker 1: the energy day brought. It was a great atmosphere to 524 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 1: play in. It was playoff atmosphere and always difficult because 525 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:08,199 Speaker 1: we had such a great group and you know that 526 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: when the season ends at this group, you know doesn't 527 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 1: stay the same moving forward, and that's hard to accept, 528 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 1: especially with how many great players are in there. But um, 529 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 1: you know we uh yeah, just came up short taking 530 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:25,159 Speaker 1: a questions yet just take us through the fourth and 531 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 1: eighth call there at the end. And then he threw 532 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:29,920 Speaker 1: the three art past at Hawkins. Yeah, just a shell 533 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: read there saw a single high try to work Justin. 534 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 1: Didn't feel good about putting up to Justin. And then 535 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 1: when I went to progress, I just felt like I 536 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 1: was about to get sacked, and I felt like I 537 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 1: gotta put the ball in play and if I take 538 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 1: you know, I can't go down with the sacks. So 539 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:43,639 Speaker 1: I just thought I'd kick it out to uh TJ. 540 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 1: And I had thrown short of the sticks and a 541 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: few occasions in the game, and even going back a 542 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: few weeks and just felt like, you know, just throwing 543 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:51,680 Speaker 1: a short of the sticks isn't the end of the world. 544 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 1: It's just you know, it's obviously tight coverage, so didn't 545 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: have the chance to pull away. But I just feel 546 00:26:57,280 --> 00:26:58,360 Speaker 1: like I was gonna go down and take a sack 547 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: if I didn't put it out shade toward Justin and 548 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: that looked like he'd kind of be in the corner 549 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 1: of the inside. Where did you see the safety on that? Yeah, 550 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 1: it went to single high, but he did. He did 551 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,199 Speaker 1: most of the day. Most of the day they were 552 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: moving over Justin. Yet, Kurt, you guys have been so 553 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 1: good one score games coming back in fourth quarters. What 554 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 1: do you think ultimately just prevented you from me able 555 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 1: to get over that hume today? I mean any number 556 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 1: of things. It's hard. I go back and look at myself. 557 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:25,359 Speaker 1: The third and eight is the one that I want back. 558 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:27,719 Speaker 1: I felt like get man covers ball. He's building more 559 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: out front of kJ. You know, it's right on him 560 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:31,400 Speaker 1: in the sense that the dB was able to break 561 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 1: it up. I feel like the balls out front dB 562 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:34,720 Speaker 1: can't do that man covers. That's really the play that 563 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: I want back as a third and eight. You've mentioned 564 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 1: a few times that the idea that this group is 565 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:43,119 Speaker 1: not going to stay together, and it's curious, is that 566 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 1: just your annual kind of thought? Yeah, every season, do 567 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 1: you think there's anything bigger than with his normal coming 568 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 1: for this gip? No, it's every season. Every season has 569 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,679 Speaker 1: turned over and it's just you know, players who are 570 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: free agents like Alex Madison you've played a lot of 571 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 1: football with, you know, Garrett Bradbury, played a lot of 572 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 1: football with um. You know, it's it's tough to know 573 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: that there's no guarantee that they're back. With how great, 574 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 1: great players they are and what they've done, what I've 575 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 1: been able to you know, watch them do, it's it's 576 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:18,480 Speaker 1: difficult to you know, know that the possibilities there that 577 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:21,880 Speaker 1: you don't get to play with them moving forward. Kirk, 578 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: in this moment is display Do you allow yourself a 579 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 1: minute to reflect on what this team did this year? 580 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: Thirteen wins and and kind of a lot of the 581 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: successes that you guys had. That too difficult? Right now? Yeah, 582 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: not right now, not right now. Just focused on the 583 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: game and it'll be time for that later, Quantaine tonight 584 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:46,720 Speaker 1: to go over the plays in your mind? You yeah, yeah, 585 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: you don't sleep, Um yeah, overplays in your mind, over 586 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: and over and over and over. Yep. Did you think 587 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: this was going to be a shootout type of game 588 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: that it materialized? Do you ever know? You never know, 589 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: and every game is different. Um, you just go play 590 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 1: in one play at a time and you never really 591 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 1: know what the next place is gonna bring. Despite it all, 592 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: still nun once four games, right, you guys, it was 593 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: just under two to go. What what was the thought 594 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:15,120 Speaker 1: process and what were you guys saying? We've been in 595 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:18,479 Speaker 1: the huddle, We've been here before. There was always belief, um, 596 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 1: you know, a halftime or even when we were down 597 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: seventeen seven and then clawed our way back. I think 598 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: there was always belief. And um, um, I guess why 599 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: it hurts because you expect, you expect to find a way, 600 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 1: you know, especially the way this team has gone all year. 601 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: You know, expect to find a way. RK about third 602 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,680 Speaker 1: down that Justin takes the pass and throws back to 603 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: you there, did you guys down to get the look 604 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 1: you're looking? Yeah? I didn't get the look. Yeah, I 605 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: didn't get the look we wanted. I didn't get the 606 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 1: one since I'm not sure when will next talk to you? 607 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 1: Just moving forward, do you want to sign another extension? 608 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 1: Is this where you want to be long term? Vikings? 609 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: I really have a hard time focusing on beyond right now. Um, 610 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 1: But it's an easy question to answer in the sense 611 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: that I love being in Minnesota, Viking, and it's a 612 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 1: privilege to play here, and it's a privilege to play 613 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: with that group, these coaches and and so you know 614 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 1: that's that's the way it'll always be for me. But 615 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: you know those are harder to get beyond. Just right now. 616 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: In the playoff game right now, a lot of guys 617 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 1: in the lotomer saying, because of the ball and all 618 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,040 Speaker 1: the circumstances that you guys have been through, the crazy games, 619 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: the last minute wins, that it's maybe the tightest group 620 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,640 Speaker 1: they've ever been a part of. So, like Jordan Hicks 621 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: or some emotion, Yeah, yeah, yeah, it hurts. It hurts. Um. 622 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 1: I'm probably missing one, but this is probably the toughest 623 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:43,680 Speaker 1: loss I've had in my career. So it hurts. Why 624 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: is it? I mean, all the obvious reasons, all the 625 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: obvious reasons, Kirk. When they're paying as much attention to 626 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:52,640 Speaker 1: Justin as they are, and you guys saw so much 627 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 1: of that towards the end of the season. What's the 628 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 1: counter to that, when Justin's gonna get that much attention 629 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,240 Speaker 1: to probably for the next stretch of his career. Yeah, 630 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: it's Adam kJ, TJ, Dalvin Alex. Um, you know, just 631 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: getting those guys opportunities to, you know, to impact the game. 632 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:15,240 Speaker 1: And um, you know that's that's important. So the way 633 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 1: that TJ did come through for you guys, yeah, is 634 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 1: that something to build on. Yes, yes, liability, Yes, he's 635 00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 1: a really good football player. Um, in this offense, in 636 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 1: this system. The why the tight end will always especially 637 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: someone of TJ's ability, will always have a big role. 638 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: And um, we're grateful to have a guy who's that capable, 639 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: and UM, you know we're gonna give him a lot 640 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 1: of opportunities. Kurt's had the toughest loss in your career. 641 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 1: Is that kind of indicate do you feel this maybe 642 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 1: why did you pass chance to make a run? It's 643 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 1: not part of it. Thirteen wins is really you know, 644 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:54,720 Speaker 1: the you haven't really sniffed that before, so um, um, 645 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 1: and then just the just the fact that the group 646 00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: you know, the Garrets and the alex Is that you know, 647 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:01,800 Speaker 1: are free agents that you know no guarantee they're gonna 648 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 1: be back. I think it's hard to walk off the 649 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 1: field and you know you want them all back, you 650 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,000 Speaker 1: just don't know, and I think that unknown is always tough. 651 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: Thank you and thank you for your hard work all season. 652 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: It was obviously fun win in thirteen games. It was 653 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 1: fun to um, you know, have the weekly pressors and 654 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 1: talk and uh, hopefully we can do more of that, 655 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: you know, more winning up ahead. It continued to be 656 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 1: fun and hum appreciate the way, especially our local media, 657 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 1: the local media, the way you guys really get it right, 658 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 1: study it, cover it, dig in and get the facts. UM, 659 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 1: really appreciate you guys and the way you go about 660 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: it's very classy. It's a great media market and uh, 661 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:43,800 Speaker 1: it's a real privilege for me to be able to 662 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 1: play in a media market like this. And thanks to 663 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 1: you guys, and you know, we'll keep working and I 664 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 1: will continue to have the goal that someday i'm standing 665 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: here talking to you all and it's a much much 666 00:32:55,600 --> 00:33:01,120 Speaker 1: bigger stage. So thank you. A great Kirk around this season. 667 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 1: The rushing touchdown today his third this season, and Kirk 668 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 1: was delivering dimes left and right all season. You know 669 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 1: that final play is to It's going to cause some 670 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 1: scrutiny and people are going to want to discuss it 671 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 1: on KFA, N and Twitter and stuff like that. A 672 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 1: very short pass to TJ. Hockinson on fourth down and 673 00:33:20,840 --> 00:33:23,520 Speaker 1: that end of the season. And congratulations to the New 674 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:26,640 Speaker 1: York Giants ten to seven and one, third place in 675 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 1: the NFC East and they have a division matchup in 676 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:33,360 Speaker 1: the Divisional Round at Lincoln Financial coming up next week. 677 00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: We thank Kirk Cousins for everything he not only gave 678 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 1: the postgame report, but yours truly during the course of 679 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 1: the season, he assaulted the earth. He's a he's the 680 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 1: genuine article. Ron Johnson also with a great work with 681 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:50,640 Speaker 1: the postgame report all year. R J of Fox nine 682 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 1: and the Vikings Entertainment Network. Ron Johnson offers three takes. 683 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:58,760 Speaker 1: This is Ron Johnson coming to you from US Bank Stadium. 684 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:02,240 Speaker 1: This is the last game of the year. Unfortunately it 685 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 1: didn't go to Vikings way. The Vikings lose to the 686 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: New York Giants and it was such a close game, 687 00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:11,840 Speaker 1: came down to one last play, and so my takeaways 688 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:14,080 Speaker 1: from today. First off, I got to get my hats 689 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 1: off to both quarterbacks. Daniel Jones sixty eight percent completions 690 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 1: three hundred yards, two touchdowns, one hundred and fourteen passer raiding. 691 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:25,720 Speaker 1: Kirk Cousins eighty percent seventy nine point five but basically 692 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: eighty percent completions two hundred and seventy three yards, two touchdowns, 693 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 1: one twelve point nine pass ring. These were two quarterbacks 694 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:36,080 Speaker 1: that put on a show for the crowd at home, 695 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:38,839 Speaker 1: for the crowd at US Bank Stadium, you cannot take 696 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 1: anything away from either quarterback. It was nobody's fault. Both 697 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:46,279 Speaker 1: guys played their hard out. If you wanted to see 698 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 1: quarterback play from both sides, this was the game. There 699 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:53,239 Speaker 1: were no interceptions. There was one almost but it hit 700 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:56,080 Speaker 1: the ground, Thank goodness, the reps overturned that. But it 701 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:58,080 Speaker 1: was just one of those days. Quarterback play was great. 702 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:01,319 Speaker 1: My takeaway number two is teaching. Hockinson is the guy now. 703 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:03,640 Speaker 1: I don't know if the Vikings can keep him long term, 704 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:05,920 Speaker 1: but they have to find a way. Ten catches. There 705 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,800 Speaker 1: was eleven targets, ten catches, one hundred and twenty nine yards. TJ. 706 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 1: Hockinson is a force to be reckoned with. The Giants 707 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:15,400 Speaker 1: had no answer for him in the second half. Early on, 708 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 1: Justin Jefferson's six receptions were key, but then down the 709 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:21,480 Speaker 1: stretch there was no way to really get him the ball. 710 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:23,399 Speaker 1: There's only three targets to him in the second half. 711 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:25,759 Speaker 1: It was a tough way to go out. The very 712 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:28,720 Speaker 1: last play was supposedly supposed to go to Justin Jefferson 713 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:32,080 Speaker 1: to kJ Osborne, but TJ. Hockinson was the dump off 714 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:33,799 Speaker 1: and that leads me in to take away number three 715 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 1: fourth and eight. That's a play that's gonna be in 716 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:40,000 Speaker 1: Vikings fans minds all offseason. This is what I'll say 717 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:43,879 Speaker 1: for you to go home, sleep and forget about it. One. 718 00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:46,520 Speaker 1: T J. Hockinson should have ran an eight yard route. 719 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 1: There was no reason to kind of sit and then 720 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 1: release and be the outlet in that. You don't need 721 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 1: an outlet in fourth and eight unless you're completely wide 722 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 1: open and you're dumping off to a running back like 723 00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:57,600 Speaker 1: Dalvin Cook who can run and maybe get you a 724 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 1: first down. But not blame Kirk. That's the second part 725 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:03,759 Speaker 1: of that. You can't blame Kirk for dumping it off one. 726 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 1: He had no time to throw. Ninety seven was in 727 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:07,800 Speaker 1: his lap before. He can't even figure it out. He 728 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:10,760 Speaker 1: probably didn't realize TJ. Hokinson only ran a three yard route. 729 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: He didn't have enough time to think the cipher and 730 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: figure out where to go with the ball. Fourth and eight, 731 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 1: who cares to get throw in the interception? So maybe 732 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:19,759 Speaker 1: give kJ Osborne. He was the one on one match 733 00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:21,279 Speaker 1: up there. Y also had the feeling on the deep 734 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: out as well, because they were in the bunch set 735 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 1: to his left. That's the only other look because Dalvin 736 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:28,280 Speaker 1: Cook on the bubble to his left, he was covered 737 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,239 Speaker 1: as well. There was a guy sitting there waiting. So 738 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 1: the way to go would have been to the two 739 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:35,520 Speaker 1: on two side, which is kJ Osborne and just Adam feeling. 740 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:37,759 Speaker 1: Give one of them a chance. If it's knocked down, 741 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: who cares. If he's intercepted, who cares? Just put it 742 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 1: up high enough for one of them to make a play. 743 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 1: My money would have been on a nice little floater 744 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 1: to kJ Osborne on the over route because he's the 745 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:48,880 Speaker 1: guy to get the play done. But you know what, 746 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 1: you have to move on from there. In fourth and eight. 747 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:53,760 Speaker 1: It was a catch for no first down to TJ. Hokinson. 748 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:56,200 Speaker 1: That's the way the season ends. Those are my three takeaways. 749 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:58,080 Speaker 1: Has been a great season. I want to thank everybody 750 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:01,960 Speaker 1: for listening all season. Back to you at the stadium 751 00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:05,080 Speaker 1: and have a great one. Thank you Ron, thank you Kirk, 752 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: Kevin O'Connell, Ben Liebergabe Henderson for the winning formula, Curly 753 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 1: Harris for his production all season, Pete Pursage for co 754 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:15,960 Speaker 1: hosting this piece a majority of the season, and I'm 755 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:19,480 Speaker 1: Paul Allen thanking all of you not only for listening 756 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:23,840 Speaker 1: to the postgame report, but just being wonderful, wonderful fans 757 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:27,879 Speaker 1: no matter if the team wins or loses all season long. 758 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,520 Speaker 1: It's a pleasure calling Minnesota Vikings games and a meeting 759 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 1: a lot of you during the course of the season. 760 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to the games on the flagship for 761 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:40,960 Speaker 1: Vikings Football FM one hundred point three KFAM. The New 762 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 1: York Giants bounce the Minnesota Vikings thirty one twenty four. 763 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:49,480 Speaker 1: The season concludes at US Bank Stadium with a playoff 764 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:52,480 Speaker 1: loss in the wild Card round to the New York Giants, 765 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:56,200 Speaker 1: who take on the Philadelphia Eagles next week. Thank you 766 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:59,879 Speaker 1: very much for listening, God Bless and Skullvikes