WEBVTT - Vikings Postgame Report: Vikings Score The Final 13 Points, Outlast The Commanders 20-17 | WASH | Week 9 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:21.720 Welcome to the postgame report. Pete Versus is the analyst 0:00:21.720 --> 0:00:24.400 for the Vikings radio network, and I'm Paul Allen. We 0:00:24.560 --> 0:00:28.319 just got done calling a thrilling Minnesota Vikings twenty to 0:00:28.440 --> 0:00:31.639 seventeen victory. Pete and I have called games together since 0:00:31.680 --> 0:00:34.760 two thousand and seven. Peach verst game on the microphone 0:00:35.120 --> 0:00:39.159 was Atlanta at the Metrodome when Adrian Peterson caught a 0:00:39.240 --> 0:00:43.120 pass for a rare receiving touchdown. From that moment, through 0:00:43.120 --> 0:00:46.560 the Minneapolis miracle and through so many different things we've 0:00:46.600 --> 0:00:50.519 seen in regular season or postseason games, this thing today 0:00:50.720 --> 0:00:54.560 was unbelievable. This is as emotional as I have been 0:00:54.640 --> 0:00:57.880 for a football game, Paul, and since I can remember, 0:00:57.920 --> 0:01:01.640 and it's and for I mean just for so many reasons, 0:01:01.720 --> 0:01:05.640 so many reasons, and to see I guess the bottom 0:01:05.680 --> 0:01:09.640 line is this. This team today had every excuse, I think, 0:01:09.880 --> 0:01:12.640 to just say, you know what, not in the cards 0:01:12.640 --> 0:01:14.560 today and we're just not gonna we know, we're just 0:01:14.560 --> 0:01:17.040 not gonna get there. We're on the road, we're playing 0:01:17.120 --> 0:01:19.160 one of the best defenses I think in the league, 0:01:19.640 --> 0:01:23.840 best defensive fronts for sure. But they found a way 0:01:23.920 --> 0:01:26.280 to win. And it was the big players. It was 0:01:26.319 --> 0:01:29.560 the justin Jefferson's at the big times that come up, 0:01:29.600 --> 0:01:32.679 the sacks. You know, Daniel Hunter gets a couple today. 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:37.360 I mean, those are the things you gotta have, you like, 0:01:37.480 --> 0:01:39.560 you know, like Coach Burns would say. We talked about 0:01:39.560 --> 0:01:42.679 Coach Burns last night. Yeah, big players gotta make big 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:44.760 plays at the big time, big knockers that used to 0:01:44.760 --> 0:01:49.560 call them. And that happened time after time after time today. 0:01:50.160 --> 0:01:54.000 And I'll tell you what, I'm exhausted. I mean, all 0:01:54.040 --> 0:01:55.760 I do is talk. I get that I'm not running 0:01:55.760 --> 0:01:58.440 on the field any I got it. But emotionally, the 0:01:58.480 --> 0:02:04.920 whole thing I it is, I I've never this team 0:02:05.120 --> 0:02:07.440 is this is a team to get behind. Yeah, this 0:02:07.560 --> 0:02:10.240 is a team that you just can't say, you'll like. 0:02:10.360 --> 0:02:14.800 This is a team that you know, mentally, emotionally get behind. 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:17.960 To see them come back like they did today. Oh 0:02:18.040 --> 0:02:20.360 my gosh, what a a what an amazing day, What 0:02:20.480 --> 0:02:23.520 a fun Sunday. It's one to remember that the Vikings 0:02:23.520 --> 0:02:26.840 beat Washington twenty to seventeen. Minnesota's won six in a row. 0:02:27.120 --> 0:02:31.280 Minnesota is seven and one takes on Buffalo next Sunday. 0:02:31.320 --> 0:02:34.440 The Bills lost at the Jets today twenty to seventeen. 0:02:34.800 --> 0:02:38.720 Kirk Cousins played six years with Washington. His first time 0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:41.480 back to FedEx Field two sixty five, two tds and 0:02:41.600 --> 0:02:45.280 an interception. We will hear from Kirk shortly. Likewise, for 0:02:45.360 --> 0:02:49.720 Kevin O'Connell, the Minnesota Vikings coach KOC coach with Washington 0:02:49.800 --> 0:02:52.679 for three years, two was a quarterbacks coach who won 0:02:52.760 --> 0:02:56.560 his offensive coordinator. The Vikings are six and oh this 0:02:56.639 --> 0:02:59.919 year in one score games, and when they were down 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:03.160 seventeen seven in the fourth quarter, what Pete just said, 0:03:03.320 --> 0:03:06.679 I can't stress enough the level of importance the Vikings 0:03:06.680 --> 0:03:11.080 and winning all these games have not panicked well that 0:03:11.200 --> 0:03:13.800 there was some panic where there was some frustration. It 0:03:13.919 --> 0:03:16.799 was discombobulated. It did not look like the squad we've 0:03:16.840 --> 0:03:18.959 seen the last month and a half. Then all of 0:03:19.000 --> 0:03:21.640 a sudden, there was a hit on Kirk Cousins that 0:03:21.760 --> 0:03:24.560 knocked him out for a play. The Vikings defense got 0:03:24.560 --> 0:03:28.680 pissed off and Zadarius Smith channeled his inner Lawrence Taylor 0:03:28.919 --> 0:03:32.600 and was unblockable. He was I mean, and we knew 0:03:32.760 --> 0:03:34.560 that they were going to pay a lot of attention 0:03:35.000 --> 0:03:37.200 to Zadarius Smith in the game plan. We knew that 0:03:37.240 --> 0:03:39.360 coming in. Scott Turner talked about it during the week 0:03:39.680 --> 0:03:42.000 that allowed one on ones with Daniel Hunter, and Daniel 0:03:42.080 --> 0:03:45.880 Hunter absolutely answered the bell, Paul. I mean, I know 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:47.760 he would love to get that jet sweep by the 0:03:47.800 --> 0:03:50.520 tight end back, Yeah, but he can't. You know, he 0:03:50.560 --> 0:03:53.760 comes up with two huge sacks today. He you know 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:55.600 those guys, none of those guys up front, ever, he 0:03:55.600 --> 0:03:58.960 gave up. Losing Tomlinson and not having Tomlinson, yeah, is 0:03:59.000 --> 0:04:02.000 a big deal. Tomson is a great football player, and 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:03.760 I you know, I've got to give a tip of 0:04:03.800 --> 0:04:06.440 the cap to all those guys like James Lynch, yeah, 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:12.280 and Ross Blacklock and Bullard and Kyrie Tonga who stepped 0:04:12.320 --> 0:04:14.480 up about that and did a great job today because 0:04:14.520 --> 0:04:17.599 this is a very good running football team, very good 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:20.400 with the running game, and they stick with it, they 0:04:20.440 --> 0:04:22.680 hang with it, and we were able to slow him down. Now, 0:04:22.720 --> 0:04:25.240 coming up on the postgame report at Vikings dot com, 0:04:25.560 --> 0:04:28.880 you'll hear press conferences from Kevin O'Connell and Kirk Cousins. 0:04:28.920 --> 0:04:32.400 Also three takes from Ron Johnson. Then at the end, 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:35.880 Kevin O'Connell's post game speech in the locker room. I 0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:39.320 love that every single week. Why wouldn't we because every 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:42.800 single week it's a celebratory press conference from the head 0:04:42.839 --> 0:04:45.760 coach of the Vikings, whose team is seven and one. 0:04:46.240 --> 0:04:50.080 Let's begin with winning formula, Ben Lieber and Gabe Henderson. 0:04:50.240 --> 0:04:52.680 Welcome to a winning edition of Between the Lines fueled 0:04:52.720 --> 0:04:55.360 by Gatorade of My name is Gabe Henderson. Ben Lieber 0:04:55.440 --> 0:04:57.919 is alongside me and Ben. The Minnesota Vikings win in 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:01.680 thrilling fashion today, twenty to seventeen over the Washington Commanders. 0:05:01.720 --> 0:05:04.839 And I really I haven't processed this game just yet. 0:05:05.480 --> 0:05:08.960 With all the back and forth, the momentum swings, everything 0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:11.640 that went into this game, this Minnesota Vikings team still 0:05:11.720 --> 0:05:13.800 found a way to get a win. You're talking to 0:05:13.880 --> 0:05:15.760 Kevin O'Connor in the locker room right after the game. 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:18.680 What were his thoughts on today's win. I mean, it's 0:05:18.680 --> 0:05:20.320 really the same thing that we've seen from this team 0:05:20.320 --> 0:05:23.279 all season long. He's like, we're a Resilian football team, 0:05:23.320 --> 0:05:25.719 you know, we're never out of it. He's like, you know, 0:05:25.839 --> 0:05:28.880 I said, it always seems like from a fan perspective 0:05:28.920 --> 0:05:31.280 that you know, you hit these lulls in the game 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:33.800 and then when you have to make these critical plays. 0:05:33.839 --> 0:05:36.559 All of a sudden, they just can make their critical plays. 0:05:36.600 --> 0:05:38.440 Like what is to that? He's like, you know, it's 0:05:38.480 --> 0:05:40.680 just obviously just a belief in what we're doing. And 0:05:40.720 --> 0:05:42.880 you know, guy's not given up, and we're just trying 0:05:42.880 --> 0:05:45.080 to out execute on every play. And it just so 0:05:45.240 --> 0:05:48.640 happens that they're making more critical plays than their opponents. 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:51.200 And this and this was the same thing again. I mean, 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:54.360 you never saw a true quit. Now you saw some disappointment. 0:05:54.720 --> 0:05:56.719 There were some guys on the sideline that we're obviously 0:05:56.800 --> 0:06:00.760 very depressed. I think that the Commander's defensive front they really, 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:03.120 you know, took it out on us offensively. I don't 0:06:03.120 --> 0:06:04.720 think they gave us a lot of life. They're kind 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:07.480 of sucking it away. But then, you know, one successful 0:06:07.520 --> 0:06:09.200 play after another, all of a sudden, you see the 0:06:09.279 --> 0:06:11.880 life kind of pop back into this team. And obviously 0:06:11.920 --> 0:06:13.960 a bunch of big plays down the stretch put it 0:06:13.960 --> 0:06:15.840 over the top. You definitely needed a big play down 0:06:15.920 --> 0:06:17.840 the stretch following the end of the first well, I 0:06:17.839 --> 0:06:20.800 guess the first player of the second half, I can't 0:06:20.800 --> 0:06:22.760 think of his name, Cameron Binder runs into the back 0:06:22.839 --> 0:06:25.919 judge the Washington the Commanders score a touchdown and everyone 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:27.960 is thinking, Okay, is this how the Vikings are going 0:06:28.000 --> 0:06:31.120 to lose? By the back judge literally running into a 0:06:31.160 --> 0:06:33.000 play where we should have had an interception, and then 0:06:33.040 --> 0:06:35.520 we started chirping away, started getting some moment of back. 0:06:35.560 --> 0:06:38.159 Harrison Smith gets an interception. What would you say about 0:06:38.160 --> 0:06:41.040 this resilient Vikings team being able to fight back when 0:06:41.040 --> 0:06:43.920 we're down seventeen to seven in the fourth quarter. Well, 0:06:44.120 --> 0:06:46.880 I think there's one play that that really, to me 0:06:46.960 --> 0:06:48.760 was kind of the turning point. There's always like turning 0:06:48.800 --> 0:06:51.159 points in a lot of these games, especially these games 0:06:51.200 --> 0:06:52.720 that are so close and comes down to us to 0:06:52.760 --> 0:06:56.200 possession or two. It was third down and Kirk makes 0:06:56.240 --> 0:06:58.440 that throw to Justin Jefferson, I believe for forty seven 0:06:58.520 --> 0:07:01.640 yards down down the left Kings hash he takes a 0:07:01.680 --> 0:07:04.839 shot by darn Payne and lays there literally in pain. 0:07:04.920 --> 0:07:07.039 It has to sit out. A play that to me 0:07:07.320 --> 0:07:10.960 was the injection of confidence I think that this team needed. 0:07:11.240 --> 0:07:12.760 We only got three points out of it, but we 0:07:12.800 --> 0:07:15.520 are down by ten points at that time. You get three, 0:07:15.600 --> 0:07:17.960 you now take a two possession game down to one possession, 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:21.480 and you give this team some life, some confidence, like 0:07:21.520 --> 0:07:24.280 oh Man, even though they got a guy that was 0:07:24.440 --> 0:07:25.960 you end up being a free rusher to get a 0:07:26.000 --> 0:07:28.800 quarterback hit. We're able to execute down the field. We 0:07:28.880 --> 0:07:32.120 really hadn't done that much throughout the game up until 0:07:32.160 --> 0:07:34.800 that point. So I think it gave our offense some life, 0:07:35.320 --> 0:07:37.480 gave our defense some life. In the very next possession 0:07:37.720 --> 0:07:40.880 you get to Harrison Harrison Smith interception. The Harrison Smith 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:44.440 interception was due to this Vikings team just being able 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:46.800 to play really good on first down. Our run defense 0:07:46.840 --> 0:07:49.640 was phenomenal today. Dalvin Tomlinson, we knew he was out. 0:07:49.680 --> 0:07:51.960 He was out with the calf injury. So Ross Blacklock, 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:55.360 Terrence Ross, Jonathan Buller, James Lynch, all those guys had 0:07:55.400 --> 0:07:57.840 to step up. We held those guys to less than 0:07:57.840 --> 0:08:00.440 four yards per carry. What did you see from our 0:08:00.480 --> 0:08:03.560 backups filling in for David Thomlinson that was able to 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:06.280 get us that edge over their offensive line. Well, I 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:08.720 think as the game went on, we were able to 0:08:08.760 --> 0:08:12.120 stop sort of reading some of the zone reads stuff. 0:08:12.160 --> 0:08:14.160 You know, when you when you're trying to guess right, 0:08:14.640 --> 0:08:18.200 and sometimes that's that becomes a problem because you're not 0:08:18.280 --> 0:08:20.760 making things declared for your linebackers. And your safeties and 0:08:20.760 --> 0:08:22.840 the run fits. As the game went on, I think 0:08:22.880 --> 0:08:25.400 we declared a little bit more. We're stouter at the 0:08:25.400 --> 0:08:27.680 point of attack. We weren't getting washed down, you know, 0:08:27.680 --> 0:08:30.360 we weren't getting pushed horizontally across the line of scrimmage, 0:08:30.400 --> 0:08:32.600 and so we clogged up the a's and b gaps, 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:34.600 the inside gaps. And then we saw late in the 0:08:34.640 --> 0:08:36.920 game at Caleb Evans coming up and run support on 0:08:36.960 --> 0:08:39.560 the outside as a cornerback, which is what you have 0:08:39.640 --> 0:08:41.920 to do once you declare you see it's run now, 0:08:41.920 --> 0:08:44.560 you shift your focus from past defense to run defense. 0:08:44.679 --> 0:08:46.920 And he did a phenomenal job. So a couple good 0:08:46.920 --> 0:08:50.000 examples there of just how everybody worked really, really well 0:08:50.040 --> 0:08:52.199 and tandem across that defensive front. That's a really good 0:08:52.200 --> 0:08:55.319 point you made about Caleb Evans coming up and tackle tackling. 0:08:55.480 --> 0:08:57.599 Later in the game camera camera dancer are starting in 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:00.720 cornerback got injured. I believe in the first early part 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:03.200 of the second half, Caleb Evans comes in get some 0:09:03.320 --> 0:09:06.440 really game defining plays. You can tell the Watchington Commander's 0:09:06.480 --> 0:09:08.840 team we're saying, okay, let's block everybody on the Minnesota 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:11.080 Vikers defense and let's put our running back one on 0:09:11.080 --> 0:09:13.040 one with a cornerback. The quarterback is usually the worst 0:09:13.040 --> 0:09:15.040 tackler on the team, and the fact that he stopped 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:17.400 up today, you had to be excited about what you 0:09:17.400 --> 0:09:19.439 saw with him, right, Oh, it was super excited. You know. 0:09:19.600 --> 0:09:21.480 You always kind of wonder, like, are these guys we 0:09:21.640 --> 0:09:24.040 love to say, like whoa next man up? That's the mentality, 0:09:24.080 --> 0:09:26.480 and like it's a lot easier said than done sometimes, 0:09:26.480 --> 0:09:28.640 But you know, he's one of those guys that is 0:09:28.679 --> 0:09:31.559 truly becoming a gamer. He seems to be always ready 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:33.800 for the big moments. And and you know, with I 0:09:33.800 --> 0:09:36.120 think the thing that helped was with Danceler being kind 0:09:36.120 --> 0:09:38.800 of questionable going into the game, I'm assuming that a 0:09:38.840 --> 0:09:40.920 Caleb got a lot of reps in practice too, so 0:09:41.360 --> 0:09:43.520 he was prepared and you could tell that he was 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:45.680 prepared for this moment when he gets in there and 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:48.080 ends up playing for most of the game. So, like 0:09:48.160 --> 0:09:50.680 you said, the way that he's able to come up 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:53.120 and run fits was great. He played, you know, great 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:56.680 on pass defense, fourth and one, the boot across across 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:58.600 the field, he's there to knock the ball down. So 0:09:58.840 --> 0:10:01.200 he had a huge impact in this game. Another person 0:10:01.240 --> 0:10:03.079 who had a huge impact in this game was t 0:10:03.200 --> 0:10:05.640 J Hockinson. We didn't know how much he was going 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:08.640 to learn going He's going to know going into this game. 0:10:08.679 --> 0:10:10.960 I remember being at practice on Wednesday and he had 0:10:11.000 --> 0:10:13.480 a paper in his hand with tight ends coach and 0:10:13.559 --> 0:10:16.040 Brian Angelico, and Brian Angelico was like one A, he 0:10:16.120 --> 0:10:18.960 stepped right, one stepped left. Okay, good good good. So 0:10:19.160 --> 0:10:21.760 literally it was like he was literally learning the basics 0:10:21.800 --> 0:10:23.439 of the game. And the fact that he played almost 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:27.360 ninety percent of plays today. Nine catches seventy yards, three 0:10:27.440 --> 0:10:29.640 catches on fourth down that converted, I mean on third 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:31.640 down that converted to first downs. What did you see 0:10:31.640 --> 0:10:35.839 from him that that made this offense go well? Right away, 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:38.920 you saw the defense have to respect him. You saw 0:10:39.040 --> 0:10:41.000 previously with the tight ends that we've had on this 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:44.319 on this roster, when we're like an eleven personnel, one 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:47.160 tight end, one running back, and usually a passing situation, 0:10:47.640 --> 0:10:50.280 you see them. You see the defenses lately lining up 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:53.160 with linebackers. Yeah, and that makes it really tough to 0:10:53.200 --> 0:10:55.240 do what we want to do because these linebackers now 0:10:55.520 --> 0:10:57.920 they can use these safeties to double team JJ. They 0:10:57.920 --> 0:11:01.080 can double team feeling when they want to. But right away, 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:04.080 when they saw Hawkinson split out, they put a safety 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:06.079 over the top of him. So now all of a sudden, 0:11:06.080 --> 0:11:08.120 now a safety that you can use to double team 0:11:08.200 --> 0:11:10.000 or bracket somebody in the outside. You couldn't do that 0:11:10.000 --> 0:11:12.120 in this game. Yea. And the way that he can 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:14.000 wiggle and then he can move at the top of 0:11:14.000 --> 0:11:17.200 his route to gain separation even from safeties. Tony Man, 0:11:18.200 --> 0:11:22.360 this acquisition is truly a game changer. Now. I know 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:24.000 that the fans out there probably are saying, like, well, 0:11:24.000 --> 0:11:26.880 why didn't we take advantage of these situations? Look, maybe 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:29.320 it didn't. It didn't like come out in this game 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:31.840 right away when we saw those matchups. That's a really 0:11:31.840 --> 0:11:33.959 good defensive fronts. They're not going to see a lot 0:11:33.960 --> 0:11:36.360 of defensive fronts there that physical and can get after 0:11:36.360 --> 0:11:39.200 the passer and alter the passing game like these guys. 0:11:39.559 --> 0:11:42.320 These guys can. But trust me, going forward, knowing that 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:44.400 defense is gonna have to honor him with a safety 0:11:44.640 --> 0:11:47.080 and not a linebacker, that's gonna be huge for this offense. 0:11:47.160 --> 0:11:49.240 I had no idea the effect he would have in 0:11:49.240 --> 0:11:51.280 his first game as a Minnesota Viking, But the way 0:11:51.320 --> 0:11:53.040 he was able to stretch the field down the middle 0:11:53.040 --> 0:11:55.280 of the field and open up opportunities for everyone else. 0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:57.320 I am a fan of that, and he's only going 0:11:57.360 --> 0:11:59.400 to get better with time. We have the Buffalo Bills 0:11:59.480 --> 0:12:02.000 next week that are six and two. We're seven and one, 0:12:02.440 --> 0:12:06.400 five game lead in the NFC North. I'm excited. I'm 0:12:06.400 --> 0:12:08.800 really excited. What's the mindset for you and the mindset 0:12:08.840 --> 0:12:11.240 for the what should the mindset for this team be 0:12:11.640 --> 0:12:14.400 going forward? Trying to stack some of these wins together. Look, 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:16.760 I think they have to look at this um and say, 0:12:16.920 --> 0:12:19.080 there's not a team out there that we can't compete 0:12:19.080 --> 0:12:21.600 with and win. You know, we've faced a lot of 0:12:21.640 --> 0:12:24.640 defenses and teams that like they're they're they're an excellent 0:12:24.720 --> 0:12:27.520 or elite at one position or one grouping, and we're 0:12:27.559 --> 0:12:30.520 finding ways to not make that be a problem. Like 0:12:30.559 --> 0:12:33.960 I said, this defensive front for Washington, it's a problem. Yeah, 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:35.439 And they were a problem for most of the game, 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:38.480 but we figured it out. We found a way to 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:40.800 mitigate some of that stuff and take advantage of them. 0:12:40.840 --> 0:12:43.240 So who's to say, after all these wins and these 0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:45.600 tough situations and being resilient that we can't do that 0:12:45.679 --> 0:12:48.760 against arguably the best team in the league, although they 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:52.120 lost today to the New York Jets, but we all 0:12:52.160 --> 0:12:54.840 know how high powered their offense is. We all know 0:12:54.880 --> 0:12:57.200 what Leslie Fraser is doing with that defense. That's an 0:12:57.200 --> 0:13:00.000 elite defense as well. They have great safeties they've got 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:01.800 is it gonna get after the passers upfront? Two? So 0:13:02.280 --> 0:13:05.560 major tests. But by no means should we walk into 0:13:05.679 --> 0:13:09.120 to Buffalo feeling like, oh right, we should doubt ourselves. Right, 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:11.920 we absolutely can win that game seven and one. It's 0:13:11.960 --> 0:13:14.000 a lot of fun and Ben is growing some hairback. 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:16.880 When they said because we're winning, I wish I wish 0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:21.000 that was that's what happened. Like for every win, I 0:13:21.040 --> 0:13:23.880 get another sprout of hair. Hey, that's the case of 0:13:23.920 --> 0:13:25.840 Vikings fans. We're going to continue to win games because 0:13:25.840 --> 0:13:27.559 we all want Ben liber to be at as much 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:29.880 hair as I've lost. There's not enough games in the season. 0:13:30.200 --> 0:13:31.679 This is gonna be like a ten year bit or 0:13:31.720 --> 0:13:34.040 maybe some row games. Six. Speaking of games, but Ben, 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:35.840 it's a pleasure always talking to you. We'll see you 0:13:35.840 --> 0:13:38.560 in Buffalo next week. For Ryan O'Neill, Ben Lieber. My 0:13:38.600 --> 0:13:40.800 name is Gabe Henderson, Thank you guys again for tuning 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:44.600 into another winning edition between the Lines fueled by Gator eight. 0:13:44.800 --> 0:13:47.679 Great job guys, Thank you Ben, and thank you Gabe. 0:13:47.720 --> 0:13:51.079 Speaking of Kevin O'Connell, first year coach for the Minnesota Vikings, 0:13:51.240 --> 0:13:53.719 you know Kirk Cousins played six years here, fourth year, 0:13:53.840 --> 0:13:56.520 fourth round draft pick in twenty twelve by Washington. He 0:13:56.600 --> 0:13:59.960 had a forty nine hundred yard passing season in twenty sixteen. 0:14:00.480 --> 0:14:03.520 That's still a single season record for Washington. He wasn't 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:05.880 booed when he went down and got up and got 0:14:05.920 --> 0:14:07.559 back in the game, got a little bit of a 0:14:07.600 --> 0:14:11.320 standing ovation from an appreciative crowd. That was very very cool. 0:14:11.600 --> 0:14:14.840 But Kevin has to feel very very good about this 0:14:14.960 --> 0:14:18.520 seven and one start. Here's this postgame press conference. Um, 0:14:18.640 --> 0:14:21.480 just a quick update. Cam Danceler suffered at just an 0:14:21.480 --> 0:14:25.440 ankle injury. We will absolutely keep you guys updated as 0:14:25.440 --> 0:14:27.600 we go, but that's one of those injuries hard to 0:14:27.640 --> 0:14:31.360 give a timetable on. We'll get him evaluated, probably get 0:14:31.400 --> 0:14:34.160 him an MRI tomorrow, scan and we'll see where he's at. 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:37.600 But really really proud of our team. We talked a 0:14:37.600 --> 0:14:41.160 lot last night about being at your best when it's required, 0:14:41.160 --> 0:14:42.760 and how do you do that? You're you've you've got 0:14:42.760 --> 0:14:46.160 a first and foremost be able to overcome adversity, some 0:14:46.240 --> 0:14:48.920 of which we you know, self inflicted caused on our own. 0:14:49.640 --> 0:14:52.680 Didn't always play the best complimentary football today, but what 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:55.200 we saw as a team continue to find ways to 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:57.640 win football games. Down ten again in the fourth quarter 0:14:58.240 --> 0:15:01.960 and and really you know, bounced off of that Harrison 0:15:02.040 --> 0:15:04.640 Smith interception his third game in a row, and bounce 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:06.600 off of that the right way by kind of capturing 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:09.000 the momentum in the football game and then found a 0:15:09.000 --> 0:15:11.160 way to win it at the end. So proud of 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:14.440 our team to get a win um, And and uh, 0:15:14.480 --> 0:15:17.360 you know, of of that magnitude when you're when you're 0:15:17.400 --> 0:15:20.720 down ten and and nobody one time flinches. We've got 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:22.720 that mentality that's kind of proven at this point of 0:15:22.760 --> 0:15:26.280 our team. We'll continue to coach better and execute at 0:15:26.320 --> 0:15:29.640 a higher level and find ways to continue to improve 0:15:29.680 --> 0:15:31.800 as the season goes on. So uh, you know, we're 0:15:31.800 --> 0:15:37.360 playing our best ball when it matters. You guys feel 0:15:37.400 --> 0:15:43.080 back out are you tell we were in a no 0:15:43.200 --> 0:15:46.600 score situation because I just felt like, uh, if we 0:15:46.600 --> 0:15:49.160 were going to take the points off the board and 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:52.320 and put our offense back out there. Situationally, knowing they 0:15:52.320 --> 0:15:54.160 had the one time out left, you know, you could 0:15:54.200 --> 0:15:55.720 kind of do the math on it. Where we didn't 0:15:55.720 --> 0:15:58.280 really want to take just take knees. We wanted to 0:15:58.280 --> 0:15:59.760 try to work as much of the clock as we 0:15:59.760 --> 0:16:02.120 could three four seconds. Even Kirk on that last one 0:16:02.360 --> 0:16:04.280 would have hated to would have you know, hated to 0:16:04.280 --> 0:16:05.880 see him take a hit, But what he's doing right 0:16:05.880 --> 0:16:09.160 there is every second matters just in case we can 0:16:09.200 --> 0:16:11.520 possibly run that thing all the way out round did 0:16:11.520 --> 0:16:13.080 a great job with his time out there, but then 0:16:13.280 --> 0:16:15.720 for he was out, and then we were able to 0:16:15.800 --> 0:16:19.080 kind of make it more of a desperation mode instead 0:16:19.080 --> 0:16:21.400 of keeping those points on the board there, But then 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:23.280 you give them the full time to possibly not only 0:16:23.280 --> 0:16:25.320 get three, but maybe even go win it. So I 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:27.480 love the way we handled it situationally. It's not always 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:30.680 the prettiest in those moments, but we did what we 0:16:30.680 --> 0:16:33.680 had to do to win. About the play there where 0:16:34.200 --> 0:16:39.120 Kirk went down there, any media concerned what happened, Yeah, 0:16:39.160 --> 0:16:41.840 I you know, Kirk got hit quite a bit today. 0:16:42.120 --> 0:16:45.160 Um interior, that defensive line is pretty darn good. Montes 0:16:45.240 --> 0:16:47.800 sweat on the outside. Um, they did some good things. 0:16:47.800 --> 0:16:52.160 They sent some timely secondary pressures corners and we're seeing 0:16:52.560 --> 0:16:54.760 kind of a full gamut, um, you know, to to 0:16:54.920 --> 0:16:56.680 some of our you know, to some of our stuff, 0:16:56.720 --> 0:16:58.360 and we got to continue to do a good job 0:16:58.680 --> 0:17:01.160 handling some of that stuff out as as we start 0:17:01.200 --> 0:17:04.720 to see it. But that play was special in my opinion. Um, 0:17:04.760 --> 0:17:07.280 you know, there was a critical third and seven. We've 0:17:07.320 --> 0:17:10.200 got the matchup one on one. Um. But but Kirk 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:11.800 knew he was gonna have to pay for that one. 0:17:12.160 --> 0:17:14.040 Uh maybe a little bit too quick right there. I 0:17:14.040 --> 0:17:15.840 thought we had, you know, kind of the down guys 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:18.040 accounted for. But for him to stand in there and 0:17:18.080 --> 0:17:20.600 make that throw at that moment and then only miss 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:22.399 one snap and really he you know, that's just a 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:25.840 league rule. Otherwise he wanted to stay in there. Um, 0:17:25.880 --> 0:17:27.760 and uh, you know obviously go down there and try 0:17:27.800 --> 0:17:35.400 to finish that thing. Yeah. Um, you know, a couple 0:17:35.520 --> 0:17:38.719 times a year in this league, stuff like that happens. Um. 0:17:38.840 --> 0:17:41.720 I think as the coach of the team, it happens too. 0:17:41.720 --> 0:17:44.560 It's very hard to react to in the moment, especially 0:17:44.560 --> 0:17:46.359 when I felt like that had a good chance to 0:17:46.400 --> 0:17:48.240 be an interception going back the other way. That ball 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:50.400 was in the air for a long time with kind 0:17:50.400 --> 0:17:53.399 of an overlap safety and cambine him, uh, you know, 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:55.840 kind of tracking it. Uh, and then for not only 0:17:55.880 --> 0:17:58.400 it to happen that way, but then also be uh, 0:17:58.440 --> 0:18:02.399 you know, go from an interception to a touchdown was unfortunate. 0:18:02.520 --> 0:18:04.800 I got to take a look at where everybody was, 0:18:04.920 --> 0:18:07.080 and I just know how hard it is to, you know, 0:18:07.119 --> 0:18:09.359 for those officials and kind of with all the different 0:18:09.440 --> 0:18:11.439 route concepts and where do I stay to still be 0:18:11.480 --> 0:18:13.639 able to do my job but also not be in 0:18:13.720 --> 0:18:15.800 the way. It's easier said than done. Like I said, 0:18:15.840 --> 0:18:17.679 it happens a couple of times a year. I'm just 0:18:17.680 --> 0:18:20.520 proud of our team for overcoming it defensively. I thought, 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:23.000 outside of that play, where you know, we can only 0:18:23.000 --> 0:18:25.359 control what we can control, I was really proud of 0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:32.840 their effort today. Huge trust and Dalvin. We've been saying 0:18:32.840 --> 0:18:36.359 it and it has not been anything we don't believe. 0:18:36.440 --> 0:18:38.680 We really do believe Dalvin can impact this game. He 0:18:38.760 --> 0:18:40.360 got a one on one kind of in the red 0:18:40.440 --> 0:18:43.720 zone right there, critical gotta habit type play, and Kirk 0:18:43.720 --> 0:18:46.520 Cousins trusted him through a beautiful throw. We expected maybe 0:18:46.520 --> 0:18:49.440 a matchup versus a linebacker, but they played some dime 0:18:49.480 --> 0:18:51.879 defense right there with the six dB in there. And 0:18:52.040 --> 0:18:54.320 for him to win, you know, against the safety type 0:18:54.320 --> 0:18:57.040 body right there and maybe fight through a little contact 0:18:57.119 --> 0:18:59.040 while the ball was in the air was pretty special 0:18:59.040 --> 0:19:09.320 and unbelievable finish to that drive. Yeah, he showed me 0:19:09.359 --> 0:19:11.400