December 3, 2025 • 20 mins
PA hosts Xs and Os ahead of the matchup with the Commanders and is joined by Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell!
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's time for x's and o's with Minnesota Vikings head
coach Kevin O'Connell on the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network now
from the TCO studios at Egan. Here is the voice
of the Vikings, Paul Allen.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome into x's and o's Kevin O'Connell, presented by Ken Moore.
The coach joined pa from the Toys for Tot's charity
fund at Shields. Let's listen.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell joins us now from TCO
PC round up applause for the head coach of the
Minnesota Vikings. Please Kevin O'Connell, who can see us and
we can't see him, but that's okay. It's the Kevin.
It's the Toys for Tots drive here annually at Shields
and you you are a person that is very generous
(00:47):
with your time, very generous with your means, so days
like this, especially for kids, I would imagine it resonates
with you in good morning.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Good morning, and hello to everybody out there, and just
wanted to highlight Toys for Tots and some of our
players being out there today. We've got one of the
best groups I believe in the whole NFL of giving
their time, giving their energy, giving their joy back to
the great community, not only here in the Twin Cities,
(01:19):
but in many of the cities that our players come from.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
From around the country.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
And I know how much it means to those guys
that are going to be there today, and just how
great of a cause that is for so many folks
this time of year. To bring joy to anybody's face,
anybody's life is a special, special thing and it's not
lost on any of us. So sorry I can be there.
I wanted to try to make it out there, but
as you can imagine, we are hard at work here at.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Tco Kevin O'Connell face and the Vikings face, the three
and nine Washington Commanders here Sunday at noon on FM
one hundred point three KFAM and this is a Toys
for Tots drive, so we have opted to have some tots.
Some kids ask Kevin O'Connell some questions, an opportunity to
(02:05):
chat with head coach and the Minnesota Vikings coming up
here Connor, and they got excited about it.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
The first one, your name is Connor, Where are you from?
Speaker 6 (02:13):
Arlington?
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Arlington, Okay? Look right there the head coaches on the
other side of the camera. That's Paige Jaeger from the
ve and waving at you. And what is your question
for head coach Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 5 (02:24):
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Connor? That is a great question. I think I think
it would be for me. It would be being able
to be two places at one time. Be able to be,
you know, with my family here at the Vikings training
facility every single day like I am, but also to
be able to be home with my kids. I've got
four of them, one of a couple of them actually
(02:50):
don't look all that different from you and age and
they wear their purple Vikings jerseys on Sunday to the games,
just like you. I see you there in the justin Jefferson.
I'm looking sharp, my man. But that would be that
would be to be at, you know, multiple places at
once and be able to be all in wherever you are.
Would be my We would be in the superpower. But
(03:13):
it would also allow me to maybe be in the
meeting rooms of our opponents and find out the game
plans they may be using against us ahead of time
and use that to our advantage would be another reason.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
But great question. Connor.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeh hey Connor high bye ma'am Pronda, applause for Connor
from Arlington. Come on up here, Jacob, boys for tots,
so we got to takes takes from tots, so to
speak for the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Kevin O'Connell, Jacob,
where are you from Burnsville?
Speaker 5 (03:40):
And what's your question for Ko? If you could play golf?
Of three other people who were to.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Be in why man, Well, unfortunately, Pa would not be
one of those people.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
I'm the one that arranged the distraction known as the kids.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
I mean, not the distraction the kids, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
But but Jacob, I would say, I would say.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
One of them would have to be Tiger Woods.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I would just want to see what that looks like,
getting to play next to him, and then, believe it
or not, I would probably want my two boys, Kaden
and Colton to join me out there, even though Caden's
getting pretty close to being able to beat me every
time we play. Having him out there and Colton as well.
My I've got a six year old and eleven year
old and and like I said, that would be that
(04:28):
would be the group there us three in Tiger Woods.
Sounds pretty fun, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Yeah, well, let me turn it on you. If you
could golf with any two people, Jacob, who would it be?
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Probably tell your woods?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Yeah, and and.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
You haven't seen me golf, Jacob, You haven't seen.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Me golf actually has that's why he wants to play
with you. There you go, Jacob from Minutamka. Thank you
up here, Charlie. Last one takes from Tots Toys for Tots, Charlie.
Where are you from? Wood Bear, Woodbury? What's your question
for Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 6 (05:09):
My question is just that the past few weeks have
not gone our way, and I was just wondering, what
are you telling the guys and what's the game plan
for coming into this week?
Speaker 5 (05:20):
Next week? We're getting in the weeds? Yeah, good, good questions.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
So a lot of the a lot of the struggles,
and we are certainly in a tough time right now.
We have not won a game in far too long,
and we've gotten used to around here winning games. So
what I've been really challenging the guys to do is
stay the course, continue to show that we're willing and capable.
(05:44):
Of playing extremely hard, working throughout the week, putting together
great game plans, getting these players to understand what they've
built here culturally can't just be something we endorse and
ring the bell about when we're winning. It's more important
to be able to show what we're all made of
in these moments where things are tough vikings. Fans want
(06:05):
to see their teams, their team have success, and we
want to bring that energy and that juice to us
Bank Stadium this week. And we're playing against a team
that also is looking to win a football game and
desperately needs to as well, So we're both going to
be laying at all on the line, and hopefully we
can put together a great game plan for our team offense,
(06:27):
defense and special teams and go play a good game
of complimentary football, which we have not done lately. And
we're learning and seeing in the real time you do
when you do a lot of things that.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
Lose football games, you.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Really don't give yourself a chance to win them. And
we've got to get back to doing the things that
win football games, which over the course of my time here,
we know what that looks like, but we've got to
make it happen. And talking about it outside of that
great question from you is not going to do much
to do it. So we've got to get to work
and continue to step forward, step together and make sure
(07:01):
that the best parts of this organization come out when needed,
which is now.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Charlie, ladies and gentlemen, Hi by Bud, great job, great
job with that question.
Speaker 6 (07:09):
Good job Charlie.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
You guys can watch all of that backup vikings dot
Com later. Our final question a tot A take from
a tot are tot is Eric from Chaska. Eric from Chaska.
This child as the final question. What's your question, Eric.
Speaker 7 (07:28):
Well, coach as you talk about trying to improve sor
a forty one year old tot from Chaska coach amidst
some of the negative things talking about putting things back
together five games less than this season, how do you
balance out trying to win games or parse through wins
and losses with really cherishing the successes and the growth
(07:48):
that your team has seen over the course of twenty
twenty five.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Yeah, it's a great question, Eric, and hopefully you get
your hands on a toy or two today as well.
But but no, I think you know the way I
look at it, right, now is although we are, you know,
putting everything we have into going want to know this week,
finding a way to win a game, bring some joy
(08:14):
back to our locker room and most importantly to our
fans at US Bank Stadium this Sunday. But in the
midst of the struggle, in the midst of this journey
we've been on with some bumps in the road, no question,
I do believe you can be building and forging something
that can be built well into the future of we
(08:34):
can remember these moments, we can remember who and what
it felt like and it looked like when we were
all in in these moments, and this team continued to
stay together.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
This team continued, even.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
Without the results, to be about the things that we say.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
We're about in our locker room all well, knowing.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
We've got to improve the football, We've got to get
the football right, We've got to play games the certain
ways that when we look back on the moments that
we can team out of this stretch, hopefully in a
positive way. I think we'll be able to build on
that and build on that and look back on this
when adversity inevitably hits down the road, We'll remember these
moments and how we dealt with these moments, because obviously,
(09:15):
you know, you know, the spirit and the culture that
exists in the drought will only be enhanced in the harvest.
I tell our team that all the time, and we've
got to be able to look.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
Inward right now. And it's not easy to do.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
It's very easy to find that exit ramp and look
the other way. But not this group, not any team
I ever.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Coach Eric Connor, Jacob Charlie, roundup applause for all these wonderful.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Tots, what takes for the next coach and go to
the Minnesota Vikings.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
It's back at the vast and never expandingd CEO Radio Studio,
Vikings Entertainment Network.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Minnesota needed to go to source for everything high school sports.
That's why the Minnesota Star Tribune created Strib Varsity. You
can sign up now at Star Tribune dot com slash
Strib Varsity. Start Tribune slash Strib Varsity. More x's and
o's around the corner of the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network.
Hey Vikings fans, right now you can pick up a
(10:09):
commemorative PEPSI Vikings Cup at us Bank Stadium or participating
high v Fast and Fresh and Buffalo Wild Wings locations
for your chance to win Victor's Ride and other great prizes.
Vikings fans deserve PEPSI MOREX and O's with Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Right now in your estimation, Kevin is Dallas Turner turning
a corner to potentially becoming a big timer.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Well, I'll tell you he had one of his best
games this past Sunday. And obviously the stat sheet is
always what I know a lot of folks look at,
but to me, especially with a player like Dallas, the
eye test of just what it felt like watching him
play with such speed, his athleticism on display, physicality. I mean,
he was all over the field, sideline to sideline, great
(10:52):
pass rush when he got his ops, especially in some
of those one on one opportunities. Was just a physical
force throughout the game. And you saw it in a
lot of different ways. And that's why we were so
excited to bring Dallas here. And I think he's getting
better and better and after a couple you know, really
nice performances here of late. You know, my challenge to
him and to himself, I know from Dallas himself is
(11:15):
a consistency. Now be that guy every single week, be
a force for our defense, be a force for Flow
and that defensive staff to be able to turn him loose.
And I think we're gonna see more and more playmaking
out of Dallas Turner here over the final five games
of our regular season.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yeah, you credited a punter, Ryan Wright in your press
conference yesterday, and rightfully so, and but frustrating as it
may be to hear right now, he and the kicker
Will Rekerd, I mean they're super important during a season.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
Like this, right Yeah, I think anytime you're not having
the type of production as an offense that really we've
had for the better part of three years coming into
this season, We've really never had to play too many
games where field position was so important, flipping the field
when you're backed up or pinning somebody deep to allow
(12:06):
our defense to be able to defend ninety plus yards
of grass to keep people out.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Of the end zone.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
The kicking game has you know, there's been some moments
where our special teams have had one or two plays
where they've been catastrophically impactful on the game. But for
the better part of the whole season, I think our
coverage units have been very good. Will Reikert's been out standing.
Like you said, the fifty nine yard at Green Bay
was one of the more impressive kicks I've seen. And
(12:34):
then Ryan Wright has had his best year. He's been consistent.
It's not just the hangtime, it's not just the distance,
it's the location. It's really playing almost a pitch and
catch game with our gunners. You know, Tavier Thomas and
Tym Fleming have both been just absolutely lights out winning
versus double teams, single blocks out there, and it's all
(12:54):
come together in ways that have helped us try to
navigate some of these choppy waters offense, because it gives
our defense a chance to then impose their will and
see if we can get these games to the fourth
quarter and have a chance to win them in the end.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
And we've got to do.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
A lot more things better in other aspects of our team,
but there's no question that Ryan and Will have been
phenomenal for us.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Last couple here for Kevin O'Connell, head coach of the
Minnesota Vikings. This is every Tuesday on kf a N
and Vikings dot com. It's called x'es and o's and
and Kevin is very gracious with his time each and
every Tuesday. Christian deisop the left tackle is so vital
to the success of your offense. Does does much of
what you want to when when he doesn't play, does
(13:38):
much have to change?
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (13:42):
I think you just end up, you know, having to
make some sacrifices to some scheme, some different aspects of
how you're going to try to protect, especially against you know,
specifically in regards to the last Sunday, I mean, you're
playing against, if not the best defense front across the board,
they're right up there with some of Green.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
Bay we played the previous week.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
And what happens is you've got to make some sacrifices
to try to help who's ever stepping in, in this
case justin school there on the left side, try to
help him as best we can. Maybe that mitigates the
impact that TJ. Hockinson can have. Is a rhythm part
of our past game, and although TJ eventually made his
(14:26):
impact on the game, it was not without risk of
trying to maybe not do everything we could always for
the sake of protection, you're trying to activate as many
eligibles as you can. Christian Darsol is a force in
the run game. You get him and Josh Oliver working
together over on that left side. We've had some real,
real impactful plays this year in the run game behind
(14:46):
those guys, So you.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Just look at it. He's one of our best players.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
There's a reason why those franchise caliber left tackles aren't
on every roster in the National Football League, and the
loss of those players is belt. Not only last year,
you know, when we were able to overcome it, winning
a lot of games without CD once he went down
in the fifth game. It's been a little bit more
difficult for us this year to just kind of overcome
(15:12):
just the ebbs and flows of CD's recovery, as he's
been able to come back and be on the field,
but just not to the level at which we all,
you know, have come to expect, just because of the
natural progression of that rehab process.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
And he's getting better and better every week.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
He's gonna have a good week this week, and we're
absolutely hopeful CD himself included in that that he'll be
out there in the seventy one Jersey at left tackle
this weekend.
Speaker 5 (15:37):
I mentioned Dallas Turner.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Your defense at Darnold all messed up pretty much the
entire game Sunday, when you graded the defensive performance outside
of Darisaw, what did you see? I mean, outside of
Dallas Turner, what did you see?
Speaker 5 (15:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:53):
I think what I saw was great disguise. They were
doing a lot of things to try to cause confusion
pre snap for not only Sam, but the play caller
there and the rest of the guys on the offensive
team there. For the Seahawks, there was great disguise, and
then there was a play style there that you know, encompassed.
(16:13):
We wanted to be a good tackling team, and I
thought they were on.
Speaker 5 (16:17):
The field a lot. They were on the field too
much and maybe wore down a little.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Bit as the game went on, but they continued to
find a way to force some of those third downs
where there was potential for the ball to get turned
over and give us a chance to get back in
the game. There was a chance to make some impactful plays,
not only by Dallas. Eric Wilson had a very nice game,
Blake Cashman. We saw Van Ginkle continue to impact the game.
Doesn't always do it in the stat sheet where people
(16:42):
can see it, but he's so impactful.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Getting Jonathan Garnard back.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
I think he played fifteen snaps is obviously huge as
one of our best players. And then how about a
guy like Jay Ward stepping in and bringing a physicality
and a level of play style and tackling to that
corner position. Flow and his staff have come up with
way to get Jay Ward on the field, which I
love because I love watching just the way Jay Ward
plays football and that he does.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
It in the kicking game. But now we're starting to
see it a little bit on the defensive side.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Yeah, you so Rogers comes out for a few plays,
in comes Jay Ward. I mean, just welcome to the
show Man. Is a corner your opposite Jackson Smith and
Jigba and you know, defenses disguise so beautifully it initially
looks like, wow, that might be one on one and
then of course there's a little help, but I think
they would call that baptism by fire. Yeah, j Jay's
(17:30):
giving you some good reps this year. Lastly, football being
the ultimate team game, it's very difficult at least for
me to hone in on one thing and say this
is the most important thing. But arguably Kevin is the
single most important thing. With the twenty twenty five Minnesota
Vikings moving forward, the improvement and maturation of JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Yeah, I just think it's the quarterback position and the
ability to play at a consistent level that allows the
other guys to have an impact on the game. Everything
goes through the quarterback position. And we've seen some moments,
you know, you go back through our season, you see
some moments where JJ gets in a great rhythm and
(18:18):
we're able to really see the fruits of the special
players we have on our offense, like Justin and Jordan
and TJ and Jalen Naylor and and and I think
just the consistency factor of not only JJ doing his job,
but the detail of everybody around him, the ability to
make sure we're limiting any and all self inflicted causes
(18:39):
that either eliminate our chances for success on a given play,
sequencing of a play on a drive, a critical third
and two? Can we get third and three, third and four?
Can we get all eleven guys doing their job and
find a way to get those new set of downs
and then see if we can stack more positive plays.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
On that all. Well, you know this PA is as.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Well as any We've got to try to find a
way to generate some of those explosive plays that help
you not have to drive at twelve, thirteen, fourteen plays
every time you touch it. And it's been kind of
a hallmark of our offense over the course of our
time here. Even when maybe we've you know, hit a
stretch during a game where we don't consistently have positive plays,
(19:22):
we've been able to overcome it by generating those seven
to ten explosive type plays in the game that either
flip the field, put you in the scoring zone, or
ultimately provide the lift needed to then stack whatever's required
to go get a win. And even if that's coming
from behind a fourth quarter comeback, you know, one score
games that we've been pretty successful at. Those plays are
(19:45):
just something that we've lacked and we haven't had enough
of this year. And the continue to growth and development
of JJ coming back hopefully with a full week of
practice this week will be will be a real positive
and I can't wait to watch them play.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
When you're foreign, as you know, there's a lot of
noise all over the place, speaking for one hundred or
so here, specifically the kids and the families with whom
I've chatted, Nordo and yours truly ma'am. They all love
and they all care, and they want you to win
every single game, and we'll be pulling for you and
the team hard this weekend.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Thank you, Kevin. Have a great day. Kevin o'connory appreciate
you guys. Man, We got the best fans in the world.
Thanks Pa, Da have a good day.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Man's Kevin O'Connell, head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Thank you for joining us for this week's episode of
X's and O's of Kevin O'Connell. It's presented by Ken
Moore and is an official production of the Minnesota Vikings
Audio Network.
It's time for x's and o's with Minnesota Vikings head
coach Kevin O'Connell on the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network now
from the TCO studios at Egan. Here is the voice
of the Vikings, Paul Allen.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome into x's and o's Kevin O'Connell, presented by Ken Moore.
The coach joined pa from the Toys for Tot's charity
fund at Shields. Let's listen.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell joins us now from TCO
PC round up applause for the head coach of the
Minnesota Vikings. Please Kevin O'Connell, who can see us and
we can't see him, but that's okay. It's the Kevin.
It's the Toys for Tots drive here annually at Shields
and you you are a person that is very generous
(00:47):
with your time, very generous with your means, so days
like this, especially for kids, I would imagine it resonates
with you in good morning.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Good morning, and hello to everybody out there, and just
wanted to highlight Toys for Tots and some of our
players being out there today. We've got one of the
best groups I believe in the whole NFL of giving
their time, giving their energy, giving their joy back to
the great community, not only here in the Twin Cities,
(01:19):
but in many of the cities that our players come from.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
From around the country.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
And I know how much it means to those guys
that are going to be there today, and just how
great of a cause that is for so many folks
this time of year. To bring joy to anybody's face,
anybody's life is a special, special thing and it's not
lost on any of us. So sorry I can be there.
I wanted to try to make it out there, but
as you can imagine, we are hard at work here at.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Tco Kevin O'Connell face and the Vikings face, the three
and nine Washington Commanders here Sunday at noon on FM
one hundred point three KFAM and this is a Toys
for Tots drive, so we have opted to have some tots.
Some kids ask Kevin O'Connell some questions, an opportunity to
(02:05):
chat with head coach and the Minnesota Vikings coming up
here Connor, and they got excited about it.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
The first one, your name is Connor, Where are you from?
Speaker 6 (02:13):
Arlington?
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Arlington, Okay? Look right there the head coaches on the
other side of the camera. That's Paige Jaeger from the
ve and waving at you. And what is your question
for head coach Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 5 (02:24):
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Connor? That is a great question. I think I think
it would be for me. It would be being able
to be two places at one time. Be able to be,
you know, with my family here at the Vikings training
facility every single day like I am, but also to
be able to be home with my kids. I've got
four of them, one of a couple of them actually
(02:50):
don't look all that different from you and age and
they wear their purple Vikings jerseys on Sunday to the games,
just like you. I see you there in the justin Jefferson.
I'm looking sharp, my man. But that would be that
would be to be at, you know, multiple places at
once and be able to be all in wherever you are.
Would be my We would be in the superpower. But
(03:13):
it would also allow me to maybe be in the
meeting rooms of our opponents and find out the game
plans they may be using against us ahead of time
and use that to our advantage would be another reason.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
But great question. Connor.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeh hey Connor high bye ma'am Pronda, applause for Connor
from Arlington. Come on up here, Jacob, boys for tots,
so we got to takes takes from tots, so to
speak for the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Kevin O'Connell, Jacob,
where are you from Burnsville?
Speaker 5 (03:40):
And what's your question for Ko? If you could play golf?
Of three other people who were to.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Be in why man, Well, unfortunately, Pa would not be
one of those people.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
I'm the one that arranged the distraction known as the kids.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
I mean, not the distraction the kids, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
But but Jacob, I would say, I would say.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
One of them would have to be Tiger Woods.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I would just want to see what that looks like,
getting to play next to him, and then, believe it
or not, I would probably want my two boys, Kaden
and Colton to join me out there, even though Caden's
getting pretty close to being able to beat me every
time we play. Having him out there and Colton as well.
My I've got a six year old and eleven year
old and and like I said, that would be that
(04:28):
would be the group there us three in Tiger Woods.
Sounds pretty fun, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Yeah, well, let me turn it on you. If you
could golf with any two people, Jacob, who would it be?
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Probably tell your woods?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Yeah, and and.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
You haven't seen me golf, Jacob, You haven't seen.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Me golf actually has that's why he wants to play
with you. There you go, Jacob from Minutamka. Thank you
up here, Charlie. Last one takes from Tots Toys for Tots, Charlie.
Where are you from? Wood Bear, Woodbury? What's your question
for Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 6 (05:09):
My question is just that the past few weeks have
not gone our way, and I was just wondering, what
are you telling the guys and what's the game plan
for coming into this week?
Speaker 5 (05:20):
Next week? We're getting in the weeds? Yeah, good, good questions.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
So a lot of the a lot of the struggles,
and we are certainly in a tough time right now.
We have not won a game in far too long,
and we've gotten used to around here winning games. So
what I've been really challenging the guys to do is
stay the course, continue to show that we're willing and capable.
(05:44):
Of playing extremely hard, working throughout the week, putting together
great game plans, getting these players to understand what they've
built here culturally can't just be something we endorse and
ring the bell about when we're winning. It's more important
to be able to show what we're all made of
in these moments where things are tough vikings. Fans want
(06:05):
to see their teams, their team have success, and we
want to bring that energy and that juice to us
Bank Stadium this week. And we're playing against a team
that also is looking to win a football game and
desperately needs to as well, So we're both going to
be laying at all on the line, and hopefully we
can put together a great game plan for our team offense,
(06:27):
defense and special teams and go play a good game
of complimentary football, which we have not done lately. And
we're learning and seeing in the real time you do
when you do a lot of things that.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
Lose football games, you.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Really don't give yourself a chance to win them. And
we've got to get back to doing the things that
win football games, which over the course of my time here,
we know what that looks like, but we've got to
make it happen. And talking about it outside of that
great question from you is not going to do much
to do it. So we've got to get to work
and continue to step forward, step together and make sure
(07:01):
that the best parts of this organization come out when needed,
which is now.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Charlie, ladies and gentlemen, Hi by Bud, great job, great
job with that question.
Speaker 6 (07:09):
Good job Charlie.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
You guys can watch all of that backup vikings dot
Com later. Our final question a tot A take from
a tot are tot is Eric from Chaska. Eric from Chaska.
This child as the final question. What's your question, Eric.
Speaker 7 (07:28):
Well, coach as you talk about trying to improve sor
a forty one year old tot from Chaska coach amidst
some of the negative things talking about putting things back
together five games less than this season, how do you
balance out trying to win games or parse through wins
and losses with really cherishing the successes and the growth
(07:48):
that your team has seen over the course of twenty
twenty five.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Yeah, it's a great question, Eric, and hopefully you get
your hands on a toy or two today as well.
But but no, I think you know the way I
look at it, right, now is although we are, you know,
putting everything we have into going want to know this week,
finding a way to win a game, bring some joy
(08:14):
back to our locker room and most importantly to our
fans at US Bank Stadium this Sunday. But in the
midst of the struggle, in the midst of this journey
we've been on with some bumps in the road, no question,
I do believe you can be building and forging something
that can be built well into the future of we
(08:34):
can remember these moments, we can remember who and what
it felt like and it looked like when we were
all in in these moments, and this team continued to
stay together.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
This team continued, even.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
Without the results, to be about the things that we say.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
We're about in our locker room all well, knowing.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
We've got to improve the football, We've got to get
the football right, We've got to play games the certain
ways that when we look back on the moments that
we can team out of this stretch, hopefully in a
positive way. I think we'll be able to build on
that and build on that and look back on this
when adversity inevitably hits down the road, We'll remember these
moments and how we dealt with these moments, because obviously,
(09:15):
you know, you know, the spirit and the culture that
exists in the drought will only be enhanced in the harvest.
I tell our team that all the time, and we've
got to be able to look.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
Inward right now. And it's not easy to do.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
It's very easy to find that exit ramp and look
the other way. But not this group, not any team
I ever.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Coach Eric Connor, Jacob Charlie, roundup applause for all these wonderful.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Tots, what takes for the next coach and go to
the Minnesota Vikings.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
It's back at the vast and never expandingd CEO Radio Studio,
Vikings Entertainment Network.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Minnesota needed to go to source for everything high school sports.
That's why the Minnesota Star Tribune created Strib Varsity. You
can sign up now at Star Tribune dot com slash
Strib Varsity. Start Tribune slash Strib Varsity. More x's and
o's around the corner of the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network.
Hey Vikings fans, right now you can pick up a
(10:09):
commemorative PEPSI Vikings Cup at us Bank Stadium or participating
high v Fast and Fresh and Buffalo Wild Wings locations
for your chance to win Victor's Ride and other great prizes.
Vikings fans deserve PEPSI MOREX and O's with Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Right now in your estimation, Kevin is Dallas Turner turning
a corner to potentially becoming a big timer.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Well, I'll tell you he had one of his best
games this past Sunday. And obviously the stat sheet is
always what I know a lot of folks look at,
but to me, especially with a player like Dallas, the
eye test of just what it felt like watching him
play with such speed, his athleticism on display, physicality. I mean,
he was all over the field, sideline to sideline, great
(10:52):
pass rush when he got his ops, especially in some
of those one on one opportunities. Was just a physical
force throughout the game. And you saw it in a
lot of different ways. And that's why we were so
excited to bring Dallas here. And I think he's getting
better and better and after a couple you know, really
nice performances here of late. You know, my challenge to
him and to himself, I know from Dallas himself is
(11:15):
a consistency. Now be that guy every single week, be
a force for our defense, be a force for Flow
and that defensive staff to be able to turn him loose.
And I think we're gonna see more and more playmaking
out of Dallas Turner here over the final five games
of our regular season.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yeah, you credited a punter, Ryan Wright in your press
conference yesterday, and rightfully so, and but frustrating as it
may be to hear right now, he and the kicker
Will Rekerd, I mean they're super important during a season.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
Like this, right Yeah, I think anytime you're not having
the type of production as an offense that really we've
had for the better part of three years coming into
this season, We've really never had to play too many
games where field position was so important, flipping the field
when you're backed up or pinning somebody deep to allow
(12:06):
our defense to be able to defend ninety plus yards
of grass to keep people out.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Of the end zone.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
The kicking game has you know, there's been some moments
where our special teams have had one or two plays
where they've been catastrophically impactful on the game. But for
the better part of the whole season, I think our
coverage units have been very good. Will Reikert's been out standing.
Like you said, the fifty nine yard at Green Bay
was one of the more impressive kicks I've seen. And
(12:34):
then Ryan Wright has had his best year. He's been consistent.
It's not just the hangtime, it's not just the distance,
it's the location. It's really playing almost a pitch and
catch game with our gunners. You know, Tavier Thomas and
Tym Fleming have both been just absolutely lights out winning
versus double teams, single blocks out there, and it's all
(12:54):
come together in ways that have helped us try to
navigate some of these choppy waters offense, because it gives
our defense a chance to then impose their will and
see if we can get these games to the fourth
quarter and have a chance to win them in the end.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
And we've got to do.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
A lot more things better in other aspects of our team,
but there's no question that Ryan and Will have been
phenomenal for us.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Last couple here for Kevin O'Connell, head coach of the
Minnesota Vikings. This is every Tuesday on kf a N
and Vikings dot com. It's called x'es and o's and
and Kevin is very gracious with his time each and
every Tuesday. Christian deisop the left tackle is so vital
to the success of your offense. Does does much of
what you want to when when he doesn't play, does
(13:38):
much have to change?
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (13:42):
I think you just end up, you know, having to
make some sacrifices to some scheme, some different aspects of
how you're going to try to protect, especially against you know,
specifically in regards to the last Sunday, I mean, you're
playing against, if not the best defense front across the board,
they're right up there with some of Green.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
Bay we played the previous week.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
And what happens is you've got to make some sacrifices
to try to help who's ever stepping in, in this
case justin school there on the left side, try to
help him as best we can. Maybe that mitigates the
impact that TJ. Hockinson can have. Is a rhythm part
of our past game, and although TJ eventually made his
(14:26):
impact on the game, it was not without risk of
trying to maybe not do everything we could always for
the sake of protection, you're trying to activate as many
eligibles as you can. Christian Darsol is a force in
the run game. You get him and Josh Oliver working
together over on that left side. We've had some real,
real impactful plays this year in the run game behind
(14:46):
those guys, So you.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Just look at it. He's one of our best players.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
There's a reason why those franchise caliber left tackles aren't
on every roster in the National Football League, and the
loss of those players is belt. Not only last year,
you know, when we were able to overcome it, winning
a lot of games without CD once he went down
in the fifth game. It's been a little bit more
difficult for us this year to just kind of overcome
(15:12):
just the ebbs and flows of CD's recovery, as he's
been able to come back and be on the field,
but just not to the level at which we all,
you know, have come to expect, just because of the
natural progression of that rehab process.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
And he's getting better and better every week.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
He's gonna have a good week this week, and we're
absolutely hopeful CD himself included in that that he'll be
out there in the seventy one Jersey at left tackle
this weekend.
Speaker 5 (15:37):
I mentioned Dallas Turner.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Your defense at Darnold all messed up pretty much the
entire game Sunday, when you graded the defensive performance outside
of Darisaw, what did you see? I mean, outside of
Dallas Turner, what did you see?
Speaker 5 (15:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:53):
I think what I saw was great disguise. They were
doing a lot of things to try to cause confusion
pre snap for not only Sam, but the play caller
there and the rest of the guys on the offensive
team there. For the Seahawks, there was great disguise, and
then there was a play style there that you know, encompassed.
(16:13):
We wanted to be a good tackling team, and I
thought they were on.
Speaker 5 (16:17):
The field a lot. They were on the field too
much and maybe wore down a little.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Bit as the game went on, but they continued to
find a way to force some of those third downs
where there was potential for the ball to get turned
over and give us a chance to get back in
the game. There was a chance to make some impactful plays,
not only by Dallas. Eric Wilson had a very nice game,
Blake Cashman. We saw Van Ginkle continue to impact the game.
Doesn't always do it in the stat sheet where people
(16:42):
can see it, but he's so impactful.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Getting Jonathan Garnard back.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
I think he played fifteen snaps is obviously huge as
one of our best players. And then how about a
guy like Jay Ward stepping in and bringing a physicality
and a level of play style and tackling to that
corner position. Flow and his staff have come up with
way to get Jay Ward on the field, which I
love because I love watching just the way Jay Ward
plays football and that he does.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
It in the kicking game. But now we're starting to
see it a little bit on the defensive side.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Yeah, you so Rogers comes out for a few plays,
in comes Jay Ward. I mean, just welcome to the
show Man. Is a corner your opposite Jackson Smith and
Jigba and you know, defenses disguise so beautifully it initially
looks like, wow, that might be one on one and
then of course there's a little help, but I think
they would call that baptism by fire. Yeah, j Jay's
(17:30):
giving you some good reps this year. Lastly, football being
the ultimate team game, it's very difficult at least for
me to hone in on one thing and say this
is the most important thing. But arguably Kevin is the
single most important thing. With the twenty twenty five Minnesota
Vikings moving forward, the improvement and maturation of JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Yeah, I just think it's the quarterback position and the
ability to play at a consistent level that allows the
other guys to have an impact on the game. Everything
goes through the quarterback position. And we've seen some moments,
you know, you go back through our season, you see
some moments where JJ gets in a great rhythm and
(18:18):
we're able to really see the fruits of the special
players we have on our offense, like Justin and Jordan
and TJ and Jalen Naylor and and and I think
just the consistency factor of not only JJ doing his job,
but the detail of everybody around him, the ability to
make sure we're limiting any and all self inflicted causes
(18:39):
that either eliminate our chances for success on a given play,
sequencing of a play on a drive, a critical third
and two? Can we get third and three, third and four?
Can we get all eleven guys doing their job and
find a way to get those new set of downs
and then see if we can stack more positive plays.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
On that all. Well, you know this PA is as.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Well as any We've got to try to find a
way to generate some of those explosive plays that help
you not have to drive at twelve, thirteen, fourteen plays
every time you touch it. And it's been kind of
a hallmark of our offense over the course of our
time here. Even when maybe we've you know, hit a
stretch during a game where we don't consistently have positive plays,
(19:22):
we've been able to overcome it by generating those seven
to ten explosive type plays in the game that either
flip the field, put you in the scoring zone, or
ultimately provide the lift needed to then stack whatever's required
to go get a win. And even if that's coming
from behind a fourth quarter comeback, you know, one score
games that we've been pretty successful at. Those plays are
(19:45):
just something that we've lacked and we haven't had enough
of this year. And the continue to growth and development
of JJ coming back hopefully with a full week of
practice this week will be will be a real positive
and I can't wait to watch them play.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
When you're foreign, as you know, there's a lot of
noise all over the place, speaking for one hundred or
so here, specifically the kids and the families with whom
I've chatted, Nordo and yours truly ma'am. They all love
and they all care, and they want you to win
every single game, and we'll be pulling for you and
the team hard this weekend.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Thank you, Kevin. Have a great day. Kevin o'connory appreciate
you guys. Man, We got the best fans in the world.
Thanks Pa, Da have a good day.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Man's Kevin O'Connell, head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Thank you for joining us for this week's episode of
X's and O's of Kevin O'Connell. It's presented by Ken
Moore and is an official production of the Minnesota Vikings
Audio Network.
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