December 17, 2025 • 20 mins
PA hosts Xs and Os ahead of the matchup with the Giants and is joined by Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell!
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
It is time for x's and o's with Minnesota Vikings
head coach Kevin O'Connell. Welcome 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 and o's. Is Kevin O'Connell, presented it
by Ken Moore. Week sixteen, a matchup in New York
with the Giants Beckons, here's Kevin O'Connor.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Two in a row, four Ko nordon't give me one,
two in a row, four Ko, two in a row,
four Ko trying to make it three in a row
this weekend against the New York Giants. Couple of cameras
here for Vikings dot Com. Don't forget paid Jaeger's new
camera right there. It's very important. And the head coach
of the Minnesota Vikings joins us. Now, what's going on?
Kevin O'Connell, What up?
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Pa? How are you guys?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
You're you're your general release? Miley? Uh? But I bet
you I can make bet you, I can make you
smile you ready, I bet you can that that McCarthy
keeper fooled the heck out of your announcer on a
hot mic, so you smiled.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
I called the play and the fake was so good
that it almost got me for a second. It was, Yeah,
the only guy that could get JJ on that tackle
Jordan Mason. So as long as Jordan didn't still have
the ball, I thought we were in good shape.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
You I'm gonna make you smile. You want to hear
the highlight? Sure, Devin three to two two in the backfield,
Mason and ham corpinhole from the one, McCarthy under center, snap,
Mason handoff. Oh no, McCarthy keeped it beautifully, had foctors
into the end zone for a Vikings touchdown.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
J J.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
McCarthy with his third rushing touchdown, and that faked out
everybody at AT and T Stadium, including the announcer. I
was about to get mad that we got stopped. You
probably weren't too it, but you knew what the play was.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I was about.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
I was like, I mean that, how long have you
had that one in your back pocket?
Speaker 5 (01:58):
The old keeper, Yeah, it comes up, It comes up
sometimes depending on the look.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
You know, you need to make sure you don't end up.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
With a couple guys standing back there. But it felt
like the it felt like the right time for the
call and with JJ's athleticism, and then he's been really
really good with the ball handling on some different play passes,
different fakes, different ways of trying to get him out
on the perimeter, different ways and really allow him even
(02:27):
the touchdown throw to Naylor. I mean, there's you're not
calling that that type of action with a continuation kind
of keeping to his left off of that kind of
straight handoff action play side. But I actually called one
late in the Commander's game to the left for the
first time, different play and he threw a good ball
to Addison. We didn't end up completing it, but I
(02:49):
said it on the headset, I want to take a
look at this and see what this looks like to
the left, And right after he threw it, I hit
the headset. I was like, that was pretty smooth, man.
I'm like, maybe we'll call something like that next. And
that was sar first touchdown pass came off that. But
he's you know, he's he's got, obviously, you know, some
some real good traits with the ball handling of some
(03:10):
of those play fakes and the cell and he put
that thing right on his belt buckle and he got
everybody at AT and T, which was which was good.
So including you, I I you know, from your vantage
point with the binoculars, I thought there was no way
we got one passed.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
You. You know Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys.
I mean he gets tagged left and right for the
GM work and some bombastic things he says, and like
you'll speak before the coach speaks after game, stuff like that.
We we when we go to AT and T Stadium,
we call the game in that corner where Ham and
McCarthy scored in a suite that has a bathroom and
(03:47):
it has beverages. It's it's so. And then I was
who was I chatting with?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Brad Sham, the forty seven year vox played by play
guy for the Dallas Cowboys. For his fortieth year Jerry Jones,
he flew his entire family, his best friends with his
private plane from all over the country for the guy's
fortieth forty years of calling Cowboys game. So, yeah, Jerry
Jones takes a lot of slings and arrows, and sometimes
(04:12):
rightfully so for football stuff. But I've heard countless stories
about how he helps families and does things like that,
and he certainly helped your announcer with that sweet and
most importantly a bathroom given o'b sixty in three weeks.
But that was right in front of me, right below
Pete Ny and it's still it was just you have
that thing in your back pocket. It was wonderful time
(04:33):
I have an inside football take for you. I know
you enjoy those, So tell me what you think with McCarthy.
I love how he gets small in tight quarters and
gets away more than he doesn't when things get hot. Yeah,
it's good at getting small.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Well, I thought, you know, one of the things we've
been talking about is he does have the ability.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
And kind of a real nice innate pocket movement, you know,
trait to him. And the biggest thing for a young
quarterback is trusting to go forward, whether that's up and out,
like he did on the first completion of the game
to Hockinson, which you know, we we had a negative run.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
There where get back on track.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
He throws that thing out to the flat as kind
of an outlet throw and we end up getting twelve
back or eleven whatever it was for the for the
first down. I thought the play that before his touchdown
run where they you know, they played kind of a
heavy man coverage defense, double safety defense, nobody accounting for him,
and he takes off up up through the increase in
(05:32):
the pocket and had a chance to score, but ultimately,
you know, goes down inside the one and then we
score the next play, and he's he's he's done that
a couple of times a game here the last two weeks,
and he's really done it.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
At times.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
You think back to that Commander game, that ninety eight
yard drive twelve minutes. Everybody's highlighting that that drive, you know,
after nineteen plays, and but that first third and seven
where he gets us eight and gets that whole drive
going was a big time play. And he's you know,
I'm obviously very happy with the way that he's really
(06:08):
grown throughout this time in these last two games, and
he's it's about stacking positive for him, and boys, he
doing that right now, and I can't wait to watch
him play against the good Giants defense this Sunday.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Likewise, we are we're going to get to the Minnesota
Vikings defense and special teams here momentarily, but it is
a Tuesday with the head coach, which means it's a
talkback Tuesday. And here's what we have this week.
Speaker 6 (06:31):
Hey, coach Jason and Madison, Wisconsin. I just got a
question as far as what's more difficult to game plan
against an elite corner or an elite pass rusher. There's
kind of in this debate for a long time as
far as what's more important. I know PFF was kind
of in the corner camp. I've always thought pass rusher
was more important. But just who's harder to game plan against?
(06:52):
A guy like Miles Garrett, maybe a Patrick's or Tan
or does it just matter on your own roster? Thanks coach, go.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Ahead, Jason. Nice.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah, great question, Jason. I actually agree with Jason. I
think it is it is the pass rusher, just because
even the elite corner, you go through the layers of defense,
right because if that elite corner you want to let
that guy play man coverage, there's going to have to
be four other guys that are playing man coverage too,
(07:20):
where you can use different tools and tricks of the
trade formationally, stacks, bunches, motions, fast motions to try to
make that guy's job hard to cover the player he's
covered more than likely justin Jefferson against US, and and
we have ways of trying to help, you know, justin
you know, find some space and get on edges and
(07:41):
run away from.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
People, or they're gonna play zone coverage.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
And and maybe that elite corner has you know, great
ball skills or great zoning eyes. But in those instances,
you can get your best player away from that player
by motioning and understanding that he may match to the
side of the field that he's on. But how many
games have you called where you say, Jefferson motions from
left to right. We're doing that to get him away
(08:06):
from some of those better corners that maybe aren't playing
man coverage and and and then being able to tilt
the scales and in our favor. But the pass rusher,
if you knew where they were gonna line up every play,
if you knew, you could, you know, get four hands
on that guy every single play. But the elite pass
rushers in the NFL, they're moving around, They're they're moving
(08:27):
they're lining up inside, they're lining up off the ball
and rushing the center one on one. They're they're switching
sides from right to left. And to really have a
you know, it takes a lot of time and effort
to make sure you build a scheme that, hey, we're
going to go find that.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Guy wherever he is.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
But to do that, you're probably limiting your ability to
then with the said motions and the different bells and
whistles you can put on your pass game to then
help people get open. So uh that that player can
have such an impact not only getting to the quarterback
and get hits on the quarterbacks, speeding him up at
times moving him off the spot, but also schematically of
(09:05):
being able to have your full repertoire of things you
want to do to a defense. So I would definitely
say the pass rusher. But at the same time, an
elite corner can do a lot of things in the game,
especially depending on who you're playing schematically as well.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
When you won that Super Bowl with the Rams, like
Jalen Ramsey, he wasn't the follow so and so everywhere
he goes, was he? Because they are like no corners
like that anymore. It depends. It depended on who the
whole game. I mean, if it was.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
I don't believe when we played Cincinnati in the Super Bowl,
I don't believe he was matching one guy over the other.
But you know, when we played some teams with a
really good slot receiver. For instance, he would go from
playing outside corner in the base defensive groupings with just
two corners on the field, but then he would match
that slot receiver and if he was in the slot,
(09:55):
he'd go in there and technically be playing the nickel
by alignment, or he if that player lined up outside,
he would be still playing outside corner. So his versatility
was was massive in the defensive scheme we ran there,
And I think it's just, you know, it depends the player,
the skill set, the every down skill set. You know,
if they're going to be truly a versatile piece, they're
(10:19):
going to have to be able to tackle as well,
and all.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Those things lead to how you can use those players.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
This is Kevin O'Connell. This is x'es and o's weekly
on nine to noon FM one hundred point three KFAM
and if you're listening back on Wednesday evening, it's the
k FA N Minnesota Vikings Audio Network. Now with off
the the scholarly Approach to Football, off the Acumen and
or DBS Harrison Smith. What goes into Harrison Smith being
(10:49):
so well prepared for games well?
Speaker 5 (10:52):
First and foremost is the experience he has, He's seen
it all. You know, he's been in every style of game,
every kind of game where you know, you need to
do some different things to potentially win the game. But
what I mean Last Sunday Night was one of my
favorite games that I've watched him play, and it really
wasn't a lot of you know, statistical impact. You're not
(11:14):
sitting there saying he had three sacks or two picks
or pick six.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Or whatever it was.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
It was more about, you know, between the snaps, the
game within the game that was going on with him
and Dak Prescott, the back and forth of really two
guys with a ton of experience. Yeah, really both guys
having the keys to do just about whatever they wanted
at the line of scrimmage and the and the game
between those two guys. Of essentially, Harry is you know,
(11:40):
deciding in the moment with the way flow kind of
empowers him to do. So, whether we're going to send
six or seven guys on a pressure, whether we're going
to show that look and drop out and play a
certain kind of coverage, you know, that's really totally in
Harry's command, and he's gauging it off of what he
feels instinctual. The offense and most importantly the quarterback is
(12:03):
trying to get to as that play clock goes lower and.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Lower and lower.
Speaker 5 (12:06):
And it was fascinating to watch the way that back
and forth went and Harry did a phenomenal job.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Was fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
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(12:35):
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Vikings fans deserve Pepsi, more x's and o's with Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Andrew Depaula and to the kickers have been at a
just terrific in at a high level all year. It's
it's been fantastic with that battery.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
No, they've been great, they've been you know, Ryan wright's
had an unbelievable year. You think back on so many
moments in games where we've needed to whether we're back
here or we're needing to flip the field after a
slow start to the game the other night, and Ryan
ends up pinning them down in there deep and defense
gets a stop and two plays later we score a touchdown.
(13:12):
It's all complimentary football, But those guys have been weapons
for us. And I've had, you know, whether you're thinking
about late late in half letting you know, letting Will
kick a long field goal, or even at the end
of the game playing it in a certain way where
if we get it, you know, we get it in
his range, which is you know, as you mentioned, you know,
(13:33):
there's there's no.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Better kicker in football from a.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
Kick it from anywhere in the building than Aubrey, and
and Will stepped up toe to toe and made some
huge kicks.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
In the game.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
The Alpoust win that thing and get that lead to
eleven points there late in the game was all part
of how we were trying to, you know, make sure
we came out of there with a win.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Maybe Aubrey got tired on the fake field goal.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
I mean, it's possible.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
He never misses kicks. Might have gotten tired on that thing,
all right? Did a couple a couple more here for
Kevin O'Connell. Eric Wilson, Okay, first and foremost watching these
things back. Eric Wilson and Blake Cashman. I mean, they
just bring the proverbial would when they're hitting people in
these games.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Right.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
But Eric Wilson, and you probably know this is Eric.
You know, when he came here, I was calling games
undrafted from Cincinnati, and he's been affable, you know for
many years. His first deal twenty seventeen to twenty nineteen
with the Vikings five hundred and fifty eight thousand dollars
a year. He's got a ten thousand dollars signing bonus,
un draft let's go. E Will then six years of
one year, one million dollar deals. You guys doubled his
(14:34):
pay from one to three at Green Bay to two
six here, and we're right now. He'll he'll he'll play
more than a thousand snaps again this year with some
special teams mixed in fifteen and a half tackles for loss.
That's sixth in the NFL. Is he just exhausted after games?
You know, what I'm saying, he plays so much and
(14:55):
he plays so hard.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Well, first of all, you've seen him, you know, walking
around here.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
He's yeah maybe.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
You know, yeah, just he never misses a day in
the weight room. It seems like, you know, that's a
good joke that I walked by him every day and
ask him if he skipped he skipped leg day And.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
But but people can lift weights every single day, like
maybe you did back in the collegiate days, but no,
you didn't.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
That was more when it was the beach season.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
But still to get that that look where it's like
there's a band tied around your arm, the superman luck.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
But you know what people, you know, last year in
Green Bay, he played a lot of defensive snaps. We
played against him in two games where he played almost
significantly as a starting linebacker with some of the injuries
that they had, and it just always stuck out the physicality,
the instincts. He was exactly where he was supposed to be,
defeating blocks, you know, making tackles, and and he's been
(15:46):
everything we had hoped and and a lot more. When
you think about the versatility. I mean, you've seen him
line up on the line of scrimmage. You know, he
helped us really weather the storm of Andrew Van Ginkel's
time where he missed right and then you know, whether
it's when cash is out, he takes over the green
dot when it's you know, he's really filled multiple roles
and he still had a dynamic role in the Creaking
(16:08):
Geam as well. So he's had a huge year. I'm
glad you're noticing. And love Will deserves a ton of credit. Yeah,
like with him and Jalen Naylor.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Man, I mean there's some decisions in the offseason that
they're gonna be easy, you know what I'm saying. All Right,
A couplet to close here for Kevin O'Connell Byron Murphy
Junior needs a pick, all right. Eighteen consecutive without one,
nineteen is a career long for him from Arizona to
hear you think maybe he gets one in this final
road game.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
And I think maybe you just spoke it into it.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
He almost did against Dallas too. I'm pulling for him, man.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Now he's been he's been close on a few.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Yeah, we've been going to playing a lot of snaps.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
We got we got our hands on a footballer too.
We got a couple of chances at some tips and overthrows.
We just got to keep on forcing some of those
ops to come our way, and our guys will.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Make those plays.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
The Giants have lost four of six, all right, but
beat the Chargers and the Eagles and almost beat Denver.
What's going on there with them?
Speaker 5 (17:00):
I think you're seeing a team that, you know, defensively,
they're very, very talented. I mean you talk about up
front with Dexter, Lawrence and Burns, and obviously they've they
draft car high in the draft, and they've got some
other really impactful interior guys, you know, good middle linebacker
and and Bobby and and and then you look at
the yeah, and then they've got you know, really talented
(17:21):
safeties that show up, you know, both in the run game,
in in the past game, and so defensively, those guys
are keeping him in games. And and then offensively, I
think they've got you know, Jackson darts bin. You can
see it. It jumps out on the tape. He's he's he's
shown demonstrated some really really high level throws, you know,
the ability to you know, to attack the deeper part
(17:43):
of the field, and then his athleticism is real, and
they'll run them too. I mean, you're seeing designed quarterback
runs that go beyond the realm of just zone reads.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
And things like that.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
They're running quarterback counter, they're running, they're asking him to
be a major part of their run game. And uh,
they've done a nice job running the football year and
they're at their best when they can be efficient running
the ball and stay ahead of those, uh, those distances
where then they're not in third and lungs. They're not
asking that old line to hold up very long. They're
getting the ball out of Jackson's hands. And and you know,
(18:13):
obviously it's a it's a team that's you know, transitioned,
and you know on the coaching staff a little bit
on really with you know, Dave's you know, being let
go and then they you know, a new play caller
on defense. So you're you're seeing some new aspects of
maybe how they want to play and trying to match
that with what they've been in the totality.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Of the season.
Speaker 5 (18:31):
But it's gonna be a challenge, you know, it's a
they're gonna go play hard, they're gonna it's you know,
it's another road game for us. Yeah, we just want
to continue stacking playing good football, and that's what we've
done the last two weeks and we've got to do
it again this week.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Lastly, I save this for a last purposely Jonathan Bernard
and the shoulder. He's gonna miss me. He's going to
miss the final three. What what does he mean to
you as a captain for your team?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Yeah, he's uh.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
I tried to you know, make noted this yesterday at
the presser. But just when you when you when you
have players like JG that are are willing to come
here and truly establish themselves as a foundational player. And
he's so talented, and he's so explosive and impactful on
the edges, it doesn't you know, it's it's hard to
get the quarterback on the ground these days with you know,
(19:19):
both the athleticism of these guys at the quarterback position,
but then the rules that are set up as well.
But he's he's getting the quarterback off the spot, he's
making an impact.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
In the run game.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
You're feeling his presence when he's out there. But it's
even more so with what he's brought to this building
every single day. You know, a professionalism, a focus he's
he's brought guys along with him. He's you know, there's
very very few times where you see JG and you
don't see Dallas Turner walking right there with him.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
And the way he's brought Dallas along, which.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
Is gonna be huge for these next three weeks because
Dallas is you know, gonna once again, as he has
at times this year, really you know, assumed and every
down role. It was when Gink was out in the
couple of weeks JG was out and and I think
Dallas is ready to really assume that role and try
to pick up for the huge loss that we'll feel
not having JG out there. But and also want to
(20:11):
commend him for you know, really fighting through that injury
and rehabbing it and getting his strength back and then
getting back on on the field, and you know, I
thought he played one of his best teams of the
season against the Cowboys. Unfortunate we're not going to have him,
but he'll get fixed up and he'll be back good
as new and no.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Time the best.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
That was fantastic. Thank you, appreciate you man, you too.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Thank you for joining us for this week's episode of
X's and O's is Kevin O'Connell. It's presented by Ken
Moore and is an official production of the Minnesota Vikings
Audio Network.
It is time for x's and o's with Minnesota Vikings
head coach Kevin O'Connell. Welcome 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 and o's. Is Kevin O'Connell, presented it
by Ken Moore. Week sixteen, a matchup in New York
with the Giants Beckons, here's Kevin O'Connor.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Two in a row, four Ko nordon't give me one,
two in a row, four Ko, two in a row,
four Ko trying to make it three in a row
this weekend against the New York Giants. Couple of cameras
here for Vikings dot Com. Don't forget paid Jaeger's new
camera right there. It's very important. And the head coach
of the Minnesota Vikings joins us. Now, what's going on?
Kevin O'Connell, What up?
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Pa? How are you guys?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
You're you're your general release? Miley? Uh? But I bet
you I can make bet you, I can make you
smile you ready, I bet you can that that McCarthy
keeper fooled the heck out of your announcer on a
hot mic, so you smiled.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
I called the play and the fake was so good
that it almost got me for a second. It was, Yeah,
the only guy that could get JJ on that tackle
Jordan Mason. So as long as Jordan didn't still have
the ball, I thought we were in good shape.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
You I'm gonna make you smile. You want to hear
the highlight? Sure, Devin three to two two in the backfield,
Mason and ham corpinhole from the one, McCarthy under center, snap,
Mason handoff. Oh no, McCarthy keeped it beautifully, had foctors
into the end zone for a Vikings touchdown.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
J J.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
McCarthy with his third rushing touchdown, and that faked out
everybody at AT and T Stadium, including the announcer. I
was about to get mad that we got stopped. You
probably weren't too it, but you knew what the play was.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I was about.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
I was like, I mean that, how long have you
had that one in your back pocket?
Speaker 5 (01:58):
The old keeper, Yeah, it comes up, It comes up
sometimes depending on the look.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
You know, you need to make sure you don't end up.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
With a couple guys standing back there. But it felt
like the it felt like the right time for the
call and with JJ's athleticism, and then he's been really
really good with the ball handling on some different play passes,
different fakes, different ways of trying to get him out
on the perimeter, different ways and really allow him even
(02:27):
the touchdown throw to Naylor. I mean, there's you're not
calling that that type of action with a continuation kind
of keeping to his left off of that kind of
straight handoff action play side. But I actually called one
late in the Commander's game to the left for the
first time, different play and he threw a good ball
to Addison. We didn't end up completing it, but I
(02:49):
said it on the headset, I want to take a
look at this and see what this looks like to
the left, And right after he threw it, I hit
the headset. I was like, that was pretty smooth, man.
I'm like, maybe we'll call something like that next. And
that was sar first touchdown pass came off that. But
he's you know, he's he's got, obviously, you know, some
some real good traits with the ball handling of some
(03:10):
of those play fakes and the cell and he put
that thing right on his belt buckle and he got
everybody at AT and T, which was which was good.
So including you, I I you know, from your vantage
point with the binoculars, I thought there was no way
we got one passed.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
You. You know Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys.
I mean he gets tagged left and right for the
GM work and some bombastic things he says, and like
you'll speak before the coach speaks after game, stuff like that.
We we when we go to AT and T Stadium,
we call the game in that corner where Ham and
McCarthy scored in a suite that has a bathroom and
(03:47):
it has beverages. It's it's so. And then I was
who was I chatting with?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Brad Sham, the forty seven year vox played by play
guy for the Dallas Cowboys. For his fortieth year Jerry Jones,
he flew his entire family, his best friends with his
private plane from all over the country for the guy's
fortieth forty years of calling Cowboys game. So, yeah, Jerry
Jones takes a lot of slings and arrows, and sometimes
(04:12):
rightfully so for football stuff. But I've heard countless stories
about how he helps families and does things like that,
and he certainly helped your announcer with that sweet and
most importantly a bathroom given o'b sixty in three weeks.
But that was right in front of me, right below
Pete Ny and it's still it was just you have
that thing in your back pocket. It was wonderful time
(04:33):
I have an inside football take for you. I know
you enjoy those, So tell me what you think with McCarthy.
I love how he gets small in tight quarters and
gets away more than he doesn't when things get hot. Yeah,
it's good at getting small.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Well, I thought, you know, one of the things we've
been talking about is he does have the ability.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
And kind of a real nice innate pocket movement, you know,
trait to him. And the biggest thing for a young
quarterback is trusting to go forward, whether that's up and out,
like he did on the first completion of the game
to Hockinson, which you know, we we had a negative run.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
There where get back on track.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
He throws that thing out to the flat as kind
of an outlet throw and we end up getting twelve
back or eleven whatever it was for the for the
first down. I thought the play that before his touchdown
run where they you know, they played kind of a
heavy man coverage defense, double safety defense, nobody accounting for him,
and he takes off up up through the increase in
(05:32):
the pocket and had a chance to score, but ultimately,
you know, goes down inside the one and then we
score the next play, and he's he's he's done that
a couple of times a game here the last two weeks,
and he's really done it.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
At times.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
You think back to that Commander game, that ninety eight
yard drive twelve minutes. Everybody's highlighting that that drive, you know,
after nineteen plays, and but that first third and seven
where he gets us eight and gets that whole drive
going was a big time play. And he's you know,
I'm obviously very happy with the way that he's really
(06:08):
grown throughout this time in these last two games, and
he's it's about stacking positive for him, and boys, he
doing that right now, and I can't wait to watch
him play against the good Giants defense this Sunday.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Likewise, we are we're going to get to the Minnesota
Vikings defense and special teams here momentarily, but it is
a Tuesday with the head coach, which means it's a
talkback Tuesday. And here's what we have this week.
Speaker 6 (06:31):
Hey, coach Jason and Madison, Wisconsin. I just got a
question as far as what's more difficult to game plan
against an elite corner or an elite pass rusher. There's
kind of in this debate for a long time as
far as what's more important. I know PFF was kind
of in the corner camp. I've always thought pass rusher
was more important. But just who's harder to game plan against?
(06:52):
A guy like Miles Garrett, maybe a Patrick's or Tan
or does it just matter on your own roster? Thanks coach, go.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Ahead, Jason. Nice.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah, great question, Jason. I actually agree with Jason. I
think it is it is the pass rusher, just because
even the elite corner, you go through the layers of defense,
right because if that elite corner you want to let
that guy play man coverage, there's going to have to
be four other guys that are playing man coverage too,
(07:20):
where you can use different tools and tricks of the
trade formationally, stacks, bunches, motions, fast motions to try to
make that guy's job hard to cover the player he's
covered more than likely justin Jefferson against US, and and
we have ways of trying to help, you know, justin
you know, find some space and get on edges and
(07:41):
run away from.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
People, or they're gonna play zone coverage.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
And and maybe that elite corner has you know, great
ball skills or great zoning eyes. But in those instances,
you can get your best player away from that player
by motioning and understanding that he may match to the
side of the field that he's on. But how many
games have you called where you say, Jefferson motions from
left to right. We're doing that to get him away
(08:06):
from some of those better corners that maybe aren't playing
man coverage and and and then being able to tilt
the scales and in our favor. But the pass rusher,
if you knew where they were gonna line up every play,
if you knew, you could, you know, get four hands
on that guy every single play. But the elite pass
rushers in the NFL, they're moving around, They're they're moving
(08:27):
they're lining up inside, they're lining up off the ball
and rushing the center one on one. They're they're switching
sides from right to left. And to really have a
you know, it takes a lot of time and effort
to make sure you build a scheme that, hey, we're
going to go find that.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Guy wherever he is.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
But to do that, you're probably limiting your ability to
then with the said motions and the different bells and
whistles you can put on your pass game to then
help people get open. So uh that that player can
have such an impact not only getting to the quarterback
and get hits on the quarterbacks, speeding him up at
times moving him off the spot, but also schematically of
(09:05):
being able to have your full repertoire of things you
want to do to a defense. So I would definitely
say the pass rusher. But at the same time, an
elite corner can do a lot of things in the game,
especially depending on who you're playing schematically as well.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
When you won that Super Bowl with the Rams, like
Jalen Ramsey, he wasn't the follow so and so everywhere
he goes, was he? Because they are like no corners
like that anymore. It depends. It depended on who the
whole game. I mean, if it was.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
I don't believe when we played Cincinnati in the Super Bowl,
I don't believe he was matching one guy over the other.
But you know, when we played some teams with a
really good slot receiver. For instance, he would go from
playing outside corner in the base defensive groupings with just
two corners on the field, but then he would match
that slot receiver and if he was in the slot,
(09:55):
he'd go in there and technically be playing the nickel
by alignment, or he if that player lined up outside,
he would be still playing outside corner. So his versatility
was was massive in the defensive scheme we ran there,
And I think it's just, you know, it depends the player,
the skill set, the every down skill set. You know,
if they're going to be truly a versatile piece, they're
(10:19):
going to have to be able to tackle as well,
and all.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Those things lead to how you can use those players.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
This is Kevin O'Connell. This is x'es and o's weekly
on nine to noon FM one hundred point three KFAM
and if you're listening back on Wednesday evening, it's the
k FA N Minnesota Vikings Audio Network. Now with off
the the scholarly Approach to Football, off the Acumen and
or DBS Harrison Smith. What goes into Harrison Smith being
(10:49):
so well prepared for games well?
Speaker 5 (10:52):
First and foremost is the experience he has, He's seen
it all. You know, he's been in every style of game,
every kind of game where you know, you need to
do some different things to potentially win the game. But
what I mean Last Sunday Night was one of my
favorite games that I've watched him play, and it really
wasn't a lot of you know, statistical impact. You're not
(11:14):
sitting there saying he had three sacks or two picks
or pick six.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Or whatever it was.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
It was more about, you know, between the snaps, the
game within the game that was going on with him
and Dak Prescott, the back and forth of really two
guys with a ton of experience. Yeah, really both guys
having the keys to do just about whatever they wanted
at the line of scrimmage and the and the game
between those two guys. Of essentially, Harry is you know,
(11:40):
deciding in the moment with the way flow kind of
empowers him to do. So, whether we're going to send
six or seven guys on a pressure, whether we're going
to show that look and drop out and play a
certain kind of coverage, you know, that's really totally in
Harry's command, and he's gauging it off of what he
feels instinctual. The offense and most importantly the quarterback is
(12:03):
trying to get to as that play clock goes lower and.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Lower and lower.
Speaker 5 (12:06):
And it was fascinating to watch the way that back
and forth went and Harry did a phenomenal job.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Was fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
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o's around the corner on the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network.
Hey Vikings fans, right now you can pick up a
commemorative Pepsi Vikings Cup at us Bank Stadium, participating High
(12:35):
v Fast and Fresh and Buffalo Wild Wings locations for
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Vikings fans deserve Pepsi, more x's and o's with Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Andrew Depaula and to the kickers have been at a
just terrific in at a high level all year. It's
it's been fantastic with that battery.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
No, they've been great, they've been you know, Ryan wright's
had an unbelievable year. You think back on so many
moments in games where we've needed to whether we're back
here or we're needing to flip the field after a
slow start to the game the other night, and Ryan
ends up pinning them down in there deep and defense
gets a stop and two plays later we score a touchdown.
(13:12):
It's all complimentary football, But those guys have been weapons
for us. And I've had, you know, whether you're thinking
about late late in half letting you know, letting Will
kick a long field goal, or even at the end
of the game playing it in a certain way where
if we get it, you know, we get it in
his range, which is you know, as you mentioned, you know,
(13:33):
there's there's no.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Better kicker in football from a.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
Kick it from anywhere in the building than Aubrey, and
and Will stepped up toe to toe and made some
huge kicks.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
In the game.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
The Alpoust win that thing and get that lead to
eleven points there late in the game was all part
of how we were trying to, you know, make sure
we came out of there with a win.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Maybe Aubrey got tired on the fake field goal.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
I mean, it's possible.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
He never misses kicks. Might have gotten tired on that thing,
all right? Did a couple a couple more here for
Kevin O'Connell. Eric Wilson, Okay, first and foremost watching these
things back. Eric Wilson and Blake Cashman. I mean, they
just bring the proverbial would when they're hitting people in
these games.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Right.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
But Eric Wilson, and you probably know this is Eric.
You know, when he came here, I was calling games
undrafted from Cincinnati, and he's been affable, you know for
many years. His first deal twenty seventeen to twenty nineteen
with the Vikings five hundred and fifty eight thousand dollars
a year. He's got a ten thousand dollars signing bonus,
un draft let's go. E Will then six years of
one year, one million dollar deals. You guys doubled his
(14:34):
pay from one to three at Green Bay to two
six here, and we're right now. He'll he'll he'll play
more than a thousand snaps again this year with some
special teams mixed in fifteen and a half tackles for loss.
That's sixth in the NFL. Is he just exhausted after games?
You know, what I'm saying, he plays so much and
(14:55):
he plays so hard.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Well, first of all, you've seen him, you know, walking
around here.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
He's yeah maybe.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
You know, yeah, just he never misses a day in
the weight room. It seems like, you know, that's a
good joke that I walked by him every day and
ask him if he skipped he skipped leg day And.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
But but people can lift weights every single day, like
maybe you did back in the collegiate days, but no,
you didn't.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
That was more when it was the beach season.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
But still to get that that look where it's like
there's a band tied around your arm, the superman luck.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
But you know what people, you know, last year in
Green Bay, he played a lot of defensive snaps. We
played against him in two games where he played almost
significantly as a starting linebacker with some of the injuries
that they had, and it just always stuck out the physicality,
the instincts. He was exactly where he was supposed to be,
defeating blocks, you know, making tackles, and and he's been
(15:46):
everything we had hoped and and a lot more. When
you think about the versatility. I mean, you've seen him
line up on the line of scrimmage. You know, he
helped us really weather the storm of Andrew Van Ginkel's
time where he missed right and then you know, whether
it's when cash is out, he takes over the green
dot when it's you know, he's really filled multiple roles
and he still had a dynamic role in the Creaking
(16:08):
Geam as well. So he's had a huge year. I'm
glad you're noticing. And love Will deserves a ton of credit. Yeah,
like with him and Jalen Naylor.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Man, I mean there's some decisions in the offseason that
they're gonna be easy, you know what I'm saying. All Right,
A couplet to close here for Kevin O'Connell Byron Murphy
Junior needs a pick, all right. Eighteen consecutive without one,
nineteen is a career long for him from Arizona to
hear you think maybe he gets one in this final
road game.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
And I think maybe you just spoke it into it.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
He almost did against Dallas too. I'm pulling for him, man.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Now he's been he's been close on a few.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Yeah, we've been going to playing a lot of snaps.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
We got we got our hands on a footballer too.
We got a couple of chances at some tips and overthrows.
We just got to keep on forcing some of those
ops to come our way, and our guys will.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Make those plays.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
The Giants have lost four of six, all right, but
beat the Chargers and the Eagles and almost beat Denver.
What's going on there with them?
Speaker 5 (17:00):
I think you're seeing a team that, you know, defensively,
they're very, very talented. I mean you talk about up
front with Dexter, Lawrence and Burns, and obviously they've they
draft car high in the draft, and they've got some
other really impactful interior guys, you know, good middle linebacker
and and Bobby and and and then you look at
the yeah, and then they've got you know, really talented
(17:21):
safeties that show up, you know, both in the run game,
in in the past game, and so defensively, those guys
are keeping him in games. And and then offensively, I
think they've got you know, Jackson darts bin. You can
see it. It jumps out on the tape. He's he's he's
shown demonstrated some really really high level throws, you know,
the ability to you know, to attack the deeper part
(17:43):
of the field, and then his athleticism is real, and
they'll run them too. I mean, you're seeing designed quarterback
runs that go beyond the realm of just zone reads.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
And things like that.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
They're running quarterback counter, they're running, they're asking him to
be a major part of their run game. And uh,
they've done a nice job running the football year and
they're at their best when they can be efficient running
the ball and stay ahead of those, uh, those distances
where then they're not in third and lungs. They're not
asking that old line to hold up very long. They're
getting the ball out of Jackson's hands. And and you know,
(18:13):
obviously it's a it's a team that's you know, transitioned,
and you know on the coaching staff a little bit
on really with you know, Dave's you know, being let
go and then they you know, a new play caller
on defense. So you're you're seeing some new aspects of
maybe how they want to play and trying to match
that with what they've been in the totality.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Of the season.
Speaker 5 (18:31):
But it's gonna be a challenge, you know, it's a
they're gonna go play hard, they're gonna it's you know,
it's another road game for us. Yeah, we just want
to continue stacking playing good football, and that's what we've
done the last two weeks and we've got to do
it again this week.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Lastly, I save this for a last purposely Jonathan Bernard
and the shoulder. He's gonna miss me. He's going to
miss the final three. What what does he mean to
you as a captain for your team?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Yeah, he's uh.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
I tried to you know, make noted this yesterday at
the presser. But just when you when you when you
have players like JG that are are willing to come
here and truly establish themselves as a foundational player. And
he's so talented, and he's so explosive and impactful on
the edges, it doesn't you know, it's it's hard to
get the quarterback on the ground these days with you know,
(19:19):
both the athleticism of these guys at the quarterback position,
but then the rules that are set up as well.
But he's he's getting the quarterback off the spot, he's
making an impact.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
In the run game.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
You're feeling his presence when he's out there. But it's
even more so with what he's brought to this building
every single day. You know, a professionalism, a focus he's
he's brought guys along with him. He's you know, there's
very very few times where you see JG and you
don't see Dallas Turner walking right there with him.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
And the way he's brought Dallas along, which.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
Is gonna be huge for these next three weeks because
Dallas is you know, gonna once again, as he has
at times this year, really you know, assumed and every
down role. It was when Gink was out in the
couple of weeks JG was out and and I think
Dallas is ready to really assume that role and try
to pick up for the huge loss that we'll feel
not having JG out there. But and also want to
(20:11):
commend him for you know, really fighting through that injury
and rehabbing it and getting his strength back and then
getting back on on the field, and you know, I
thought he played one of his best teams of the
season against the Cowboys. Unfortunate we're not going to have him,
but he'll get fixed up and he'll be back good
as new and no.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Time the best.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
That was fantastic. Thank you, appreciate you man, you too.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Thank you for joining us for this week's episode of
X's and O's is Kevin O'Connell. It's presented by Ken
Moore and is an official production of the Minnesota Vikings
Audio Network.
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