October 29, 2025 • 20 mins
PA hosts Xs and Os ahead of the matchup with the Lions and is joined by Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell!
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
It's time for x'es 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 with Kevin O'Connell, presented by
Ken Moore. Minnesota needed to go to source everything high
school sports. That's why the Minnesota Starts Tribune created strib Varsity.
You can sign up now at startsubune dot com slash
strib Varsity. X's and o's Kevin O'Connell Lions week starts.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Now and boom, x'es and o's with Kevin O'Connell is
in the air.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Hi, Good morning, guys. How are you good now?
Speaker 5 (00:43):
Are things doing all right?
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Getting after it?
Speaker 5 (00:46):
Excellent?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Excellent Lions this weekend and Kevin O'Connell x'es and o's
the Lions this weekend. Noon KFAM Thursday at SOFI against
the Chargers. That whole day I had a highlight. I
had a highlight from that day and I want to
see if it was like in the if you had
a highlight from that day and night. See if it's
(01:09):
in the same realm, sitting in the lobby of the
team hotel when you and Chris Finch met each other
for the first time, and to hear you guys talk
about game plans and how you put things together and
stuff like that, that that was an honor, man, that
was really really cool.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
First time you met Benchi.
Speaker 6 (01:26):
Yeah, it was awesome. I've been a fan of his
for a long time. And and getting a chance to
stay stay in the same hotel and connect for a
cup of coffee there and appreciate you helping to connect
connect those two worlds, you know, moving very quickly, but
we found a little bit of time. And unbelievable guy
and very smart and just I just love hearing you know,
(01:49):
other coaches, regardless of the sport, just leadership and how
they prepare their teams and how it's different from how
we do things right in the football world where it's
one game a week for seventeen plus weeks, and they're
playing a lot of games, and they're playing you know,
they're they're traveling a lot more, they're doing a lot
of different things and just you know, you can always
learn something, especially from somebody as smart as as Finchy.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
The x's and o's with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin
O'Connell as the topics today that include, but are not
limited to, jumbo packages, Jalen Naylor, Christian Darisaw beef theaters,
and quarterback Carson Wentz, who has hit the injured reserve scenario.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
He'll be out for the season.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
We have talkbacks each and every week with Kevin O'Connell
Norto and here's that talk back.
Speaker 7 (02:42):
Now, Hey, coach O'Connell, this is Brandon from North Dakota.
We're in obvious Carson Wentz territory here. I was at
his first game, bought custom.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Jersey all that. Obviously, the public doesn't.
Speaker 7 (02:56):
Know what each player goes through week to week in
the NFL. Can you just speak to Carson's toughness those
five games and sort of what that meant to the
team in the locker room.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Thank you and and Carson, I believe for this year,
maybe forever will go down and I guess I'm speaking
for you right now, so if I'm wrong, I apologize.
He will go down as one of the gave his
very best when his very best was required, and he
didn't win them. All and he didn't complete them all,
but he gave his best.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Yeah, he did.
Speaker 6 (03:28):
And uh, Brandon, that's a great question. I'm really glad
that you asked that question, because a lot of times
in the you know, the the weekend and week out
hustle and bustle of a season, you forget the commitment
that these players make to being out there for their
teammates and and Carson. When Carson got here, you know,
(03:50):
I was excited about getting to know the person in
the in the player who I had known a lot
about for for a lot of his career, but getting
him in here and watching the way he worked and
watched in the way he prepared both when he you know.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Was the you know, was the guy. Uh.
Speaker 6 (04:05):
And and obviously before that, even you know, before he
knew if he would get any snaps this year based
upon you know, JJ and and and JJ's health. So
as we as we went into Carson's opportunity to play,
you know, very smart, obviously, big, strong guy. So he
he literally said to me, you know, when when he
first started playing, he was just so excited to play
(04:28):
meaningful football again. It had been a few years, he
had gotten a little time here and there, but playing
in real games with a chance for uh to to
help his hometown team and a team he grew up
rooting for win football games.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
So throughout the journey with him, he you know, I was.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
Really proud of the way he battled the both on
the field physically, and we can get to that here
in a second, but also just the mental side of
preparing and and trying to truly submerge himself in our offense,
and and and how to try to have a.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Lot of success.
Speaker 6 (04:58):
And really four out of the five games, I think
we had over right around or higher than three hundred
and fifty yards of offense. So he was running the machine,
running the engine, and and you know there's always plays
where guy's getting his initial exposure to the offense where
either he would like to have him back, or play
calls I would like to have back, or ways we
could make things even more high level functioning as an offense.
(05:21):
But with what we were dealing with upfront, and and
some of the injury adversity there with you know, multiple
combinations playing in front of him during that time, his
consistency PA was really something to be admired.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
And also the way he prepared each week.
Speaker 6 (05:36):
Uh, you know, part of the you know, once he
once he sustained the initial injury to his left shoulder
against the Browns, it was really a matter of you know,
getting the medical uh you know interpretations where you know,
once Carson was told, you're you're gonna have to get
this fixed, but you really can't make it worse. I believe,
I believe his his his phrase to me was, I
(05:58):
want to take advantage of this out opportunity.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
I get to play, I get to play with this.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
Coaching staff and these players for the Minnesota Vikings. I
want to exhaust this every possible way that I can.
And and I know JJ will be back at some
point here as he gets healthy. But this is a
genuine opportunity where I can help this team win. And
the way he you know, consistently demonstrated such physical toughness
to go along with mental toughness, knowing that ultimately I'm
(06:25):
gonna have to get this fixed.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And and you.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
Know a lot of guys play with uh torn laboroms
throughout the season. A lot of guys wear that harness,
but not everybody's a quarterback. And although it was not
his throwing shoulder, you're still going to take hits and
have to kind of weather the storm.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
And and the dialogue.
Speaker 6 (06:40):
Between Carson and myself was was great every single week
as long as he was able to have full strength
and knowing that the shoulder was stable, he felt like
he wanted to continue to give it a go and
and and play as long as he possibly could, knowing
he was helping the team and in some tough circumstances,
but also the opportunity to play and feel that again,
(07:03):
like Carson Wentz deserves to to feel so so much credit.
And I hope Vikings fans just understand, you know, his
commitment level to helping this team try to win some
football games and what it was like on the minute
to minute daily basis. And we've had a lot of guy,
tough guys play the quarterback position here, but Carson is
definitely somebody that deserves to be wildly applauded for his commitment,
(07:27):
his dialogue with with myself and our medical team throughout
that time, and ultimately, you know, we we had a
conversation pretty early in the morning when we arrived back
from LA and and kind of, you know, Carson for
the first time was like it's time I need to
I need to get this thing fixed. And and uh,
you know we were, we were in full support, as
(07:48):
as we were the whole time. But at the same time,
there is a mentality to the quarterback position where when
a guy is so committed and so all in and
does not want to be taken off the field, you
you know, you have to honor I don't know if
it's the former quarterback in me or not, or Josh
McCown and as his quarterback coach, you know, having been
in the arena the way Josh was as a quarterback
(08:11):
in the NFL for a long time, you want to
give the warrior a chance to kind of exhaust those opportunities.
And once again, knowing that he couldn't make it worse,
and knowing inevitably he would have to get it fixed.
And while JJ was working his way back, you wanted
to make sure we gave him every opportunity to do that.
I'm really proud of Carson and we'll forever have a
bond because of, you know, this time together.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
So I mean that has to be difficult.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
During the course of a game, you're managing a game,
you're calling the plays, all right, so you're down multiple scores, yep.
But I've just learned over the years how all of
you are wired. Whether you're down you know, eight or
say nine, seventeen or whatever, is really until it's over,
You're not going to say it's over. So therefore, I
think is it fair to say that all side we
(09:01):
were all sides feel the best decision was always being
made in in in in with with Carson Wentz and
and his health in mind. In other words, when I say,
you know, Carson, yes, I want to play you. Yes,
I want you to play obviously, medical staff and everything
it seems like, and and the surgery too, the season,
in the surgery, it seems like all sides feel the
(09:24):
best decisions always were made.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
Yeah, And I think it's very very important that the
dialogue with myself and the player always takes place after
the dialogue with the player and the medical staff, and
then the medical staff making sure that you know, uh one,
Carson is capable of continuing. The circumstances really had not
(09:48):
changed from the time he sustained the injury kind of
late in the first half against the Cleveland Browns. It
was really just, you know, the ability to just tolerate
when certain types of hits or falls on that shoulder
happened the pain tolerance, and and that's where Carson had
made the determination that he wanted to, you know, fight
(10:09):
and and really play as long as he possibly could.
And there were some times there in the second half
where you know, as a head coach, you're you're you're
looking for confirmation from Carson and the medical staff that
you know, uh, he's still good to go, and you
get that, and ultimately you want to do what's best
for the player and ultimately give him an opportunity to
(10:30):
kind of as long as medically you're in the clear,
you want to make sure you give that player the runway,
especially with the kind of toughness and determination that Carson
had to kind of finish the job.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
And you're right, we don't. Ever.
Speaker 6 (10:44):
Our game is one where you're always a player two
away from either getting back in the game. Even off
of you know, Josh Mattel's interception and we score that touchdown,
you're really thinking one stop and then you get one more.
That's how we think, that's how we compete. That's how
we've been able to come back and and win a
lot of ones score games by having that mentality. As
games go and and as games kind of come towards
(11:06):
the finish line, you find a way to win a
football game. And you're if you're ever in this business
and thinking that you are not playing like that, you're
probably not not in the right business. And and that
goes for coaches and players and uh, that just speaks
to who Carson is and but not no Pa, And
there was never a point in time where medically we
(11:27):
were going against the grain of what was in Carson,
Carson's best interest and ultimately what Carson ultimately wanted to
kind of see through until he ultimately made the decision
that he wanted to get it fixed.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
Which have so much.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
Respect for not only the commitment to play as he
as he showed and many of the things he did
playing on the field for our team, but also that
when when Carson said it was time and and and
he wanted to get that thing fixed, you know, we
wanted to make sure that we were in full support
of that.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Join us for the Friday Football Feest this way, Buffalo
lot Wings, Chan Hassen be there this Friday. Is Pa
Nordo alec Lewis, Get you set for Vikings Lions with
NonStop football talk, great food and drinks, your shot to
win awesome prizes all morning long. Doors open at eight am.
You can visit Vikings dot com slash bww for full
schedule and details. More X and O's around the corner
(12:18):
on the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network. Football Fans Meet Pays
convening you online checkout offered by banks and credit unions.
Learn more at pays dot com, paze pays dot com.
Back to X and O's with Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Josh Allen one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL
all right in twenty eighteen when he was a rookie.
Ten touchdowns, twelve interceptions, fifty two percent on the completions. Okay,
you look at that then, and you look at Josh
Allen now or really from like his twenty second start on, boy,
he's become one of the very best in the NFL. So,
do you have a number or is it impossible to
(12:53):
have a number, Like, I can't put a blanket on
what I think about this situation until I see how
many games.
Speaker 6 (13:01):
Yeah, I think it's hard to you know, it's hard
any way to put a number on that. I think
you have to go with the real what are you
seeing with your eyes? What are what's being absorbed, what
are the where's the improvement, where's the growth? Where's the
consistency of some of the things that have been coached
and some of the things that have been identified as
(13:21):
things that need to happen to see that ascension kind
of take place.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
It gets even more difficult.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
Pa to put a number on that, considering an entire
year on the grass was lost. So now you're in
a situation where you're trying to, you know, if you're
drawing up the ideal way of bringing along a quarterback,
losing a year on the grass is not ideal. But
at the same time, you know the type of worker
and the type of you know, off the field traits
(13:48):
and the physical traits JJ has. You want to continue
to pour into those and try to accelerate that wherever possible.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
And that's when ultimately, whether.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
It's playing in a game where you didn't practice a
whole lot because of some circumstances, or you you know,
have another injury and you lose time, all of that
makes it even more difficult to project.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
When that number is.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
When that time comes where you truly know exactly what
you have and until then, you've you've got to have
the opportunities to continue to give the runway for a
guy to show that growth. And we're still very early
on in that process. Maybe not along the timeline because
of some of the circumstances, but as far as actual
game action, JJ's going to start his third game, you know,
(14:31):
against the Detroit Lions coming up this Sunday.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Tied in Ben Simms. You always like Ben Simms undrafted
from Baylor. I remember when he got here, and you
know you weren't super happy when he got plucked up
the practice squad, but other teams get to do that,
but you always liked him, right, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:46):
Ben's another one of those guys that Brian Angelico or
Tenan's coach really became fond of, and you know, right
in the mix to maybe get drafted, and you don't.
You don't have a chance to draft him, so you
find a way any way possible to try to get
him to still become a Minnesota Viking. And as hard
of a decision as we've had roster wise, you know,
(15:08):
Ben being probably that fifty third fifty three point five
player that year, you're just hoping that you maybe get
him back to continue that ascension on the practice squad
and then ultimately with the rules now in the elevations,
you really do have more than just your fifty three
guys on the roster to go ahead and form a
game day of forty eight or you know, depending on
how many guys you have up. So very much we're
(15:30):
kind of waiting for the day we could maybe get
him back here, and it did finally come and he
arrived here late last night. He's in here today getting
back acclimated, but very excited to have Ben Simms back
back of board.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
Yep, quickly.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Just two to close, one on the Lions, one on
Jail and Naylor Jalen Naylor, despite his stats not being
anything huge and due to circumstances in my opinion, mostly
out of his control. I think, is he having a
sneaky really good season here?
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (15:58):
Yeah, I mean he's yeah, Like, why.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Yeah, he's you know, there's just so many things that
he can do PA that that help our offense go,
and it doesn't always equal, you know, a bunch of
catches and a bunch of targets and things like that.
But when his number has been called, he's been huge
he's had. You know, you think back to the first
game that that big catch towards the end of the
half to get us into world record field goal range
(16:22):
for three points there that inevitably ended up being the
three points we needed to win the game. Third down
conversions versus Cincinnati tight coverage, playing through contact, his ability
to function you know, in the box as a as
a receiver and eleven personnel and be physical and do
some do some jobs, and then ultimately both him and
Adam with where we've been at, you know, at the
(16:44):
tackle position for for a good chunk of our season,
using those guys as you know, in many ways as
that second tight end type body so that you can
try to get some help on the edges while still
allow TJ. Hockinson to you know, occasionally run a route
free from having to do some dirty work at the
start of the snap.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Right.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
It's all part of kind of that team philosophy, guys
doing things for the greater good of the of the group.
But at the same time, you want to make sure
those guys and especially Jalen get their opportunity to impact
the game, because he's proven time and time again he
can do that.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
With with Ben Johnson gone to Chicago Lions or next
Do they still run tricks? I mean, do we still
see pine sewel on jets wapes?
Speaker 4 (17:23):
They still they still do a lot of those things.
J T.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
Barrett actually is in Chicago with Ben. I know JT
had a lot to do with their their trick, their
trick play arsenal that they had there with Ben in Detroit.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
But yeah, it's all.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
Still there these players, It's part of their DNA. You
got to be ready for double passes, reverses, you gotta
be ready for them to try to get unique ways
to get maybe Jamison Williams down the field as the
explosive player he is obviously we know Gibbs and Montgomery
and then am and Ra you know, as you know,
as as as consistent and impactful as a complete receiver
(17:58):
as there are there really is in the NFL. He
can do it inside outside, you know, man's own. So
they really don't. They have the type of weaponry that
they don't need to dip into that arsenal very often,
but they do clearly still have the capabilities. And with
Jared Plain as high at a higher level as he
is right now, he's been wildly consistent and just continues
(18:19):
to propel that offense to be very very difficult to
play against.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Going to be a challenge for.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Us and Dan Skipper with the jumbo package you just
came back lastly for your defense, I'm just going to
go numbers to have sixty one, ninety three, ninety seven,
forty three, fifty eight with fifty one, I'll just stop
it right there, Van Ginkel, if and or Wenny returns,
hopefully it's this weekend with that group right there, What
(18:45):
moving forward through the final ten do you need to
see from Javon Hargrave.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing is just the consistency
factor of the balance between technique fundamentals within the scheme required.
It's not just about individually winning your matchup and trying
to make a play. In many ways, our guys want
so badly to make that play that sometimes guys are
(19:13):
maybe straining outside maybe their initial responsibilities to maybe make
a play here there. It's all credited to the deep
down desire to try to do things to help our
team win. So that's an extreme positive and we've just
got to play. Our defense is at their best in
my opinion, and really in Flows opinion, when we have
eleven guys all you know in unison, totally connected, playing
(19:37):
as one group, where the plays come to everybody within
our defense. As Pa, we saw a year ago with
the turnovers that were forced the negative plays. What we've
got to do is maintain the discipline of that through
each and every snap and play with the physicality and
the disruption that has kind of been a hallmark of
Flows defense since he got here. We just needed a
(19:58):
little bit more consistently. Obviously, getting Van van Ginkel back
will be a huge just because he is able to
do so many jobs within the defense that allows other
guys to really be in their comfort zone of doing
the things that they were either brought here for or
they've consistently shown throughout their careers. So I think it's
a lot of puzzle pieces, but he's obviously a very
(20:19):
big part of it, and hope to have him back
as soon as possible.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Great and your Yeah, thanks Pa, Thanks for the time.
Kevin O'Connell, head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. That's x'es
and O's into the Lions Game.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Thanks for joining us for this week's episode of X's
and O's that Kevin O'Connell, presented by Ken Moore. X's
and O's is a production of the Minnesota Vikings Audio
Network
It's time for x'es 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 with Kevin O'Connell, presented by
Ken Moore. Minnesota needed to go to source everything high
school sports. That's why the Minnesota Starts Tribune created strib Varsity.
You can sign up now at startsubune dot com slash
strib Varsity. X's and o's Kevin O'Connell Lions week starts.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Now and boom, x'es and o's with Kevin O'Connell is
in the air.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Hi, Good morning, guys. How are you good now?
Speaker 5 (00:43):
Are things doing all right?
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Getting after it?
Speaker 5 (00:46):
Excellent?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Excellent Lions this weekend and Kevin O'Connell x'es and o's
the Lions this weekend. Noon KFAM Thursday at SOFI against
the Chargers. That whole day I had a highlight. I
had a highlight from that day and I want to
see if it was like in the if you had
a highlight from that day and night. See if it's
(01:09):
in the same realm, sitting in the lobby of the
team hotel when you and Chris Finch met each other
for the first time, and to hear you guys talk
about game plans and how you put things together and
stuff like that, that that was an honor, man, that
was really really cool.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
First time you met Benchi.
Speaker 6 (01:26):
Yeah, it was awesome. I've been a fan of his
for a long time. And and getting a chance to
stay stay in the same hotel and connect for a
cup of coffee there and appreciate you helping to connect
connect those two worlds, you know, moving very quickly, but
we found a little bit of time. And unbelievable guy
and very smart and just I just love hearing you know,
(01:49):
other coaches, regardless of the sport, just leadership and how
they prepare their teams and how it's different from how
we do things right in the football world where it's
one game a week for seventeen plus weeks, and they're
playing a lot of games, and they're playing you know,
they're they're traveling a lot more, they're doing a lot
of different things and just you know, you can always
learn something, especially from somebody as smart as as Finchy.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
The x's and o's with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin
O'Connell as the topics today that include, but are not
limited to, jumbo packages, Jalen Naylor, Christian Darisaw beef theaters,
and quarterback Carson Wentz, who has hit the injured reserve scenario.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
He'll be out for the season.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
We have talkbacks each and every week with Kevin O'Connell
Norto and here's that talk back.
Speaker 7 (02:42):
Now, Hey, coach O'Connell, this is Brandon from North Dakota.
We're in obvious Carson Wentz territory here. I was at
his first game, bought custom.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Jersey all that. Obviously, the public doesn't.
Speaker 7 (02:56):
Know what each player goes through week to week in
the NFL. Can you just speak to Carson's toughness those
five games and sort of what that meant to the
team in the locker room.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Thank you and and Carson, I believe for this year,
maybe forever will go down and I guess I'm speaking
for you right now, so if I'm wrong, I apologize.
He will go down as one of the gave his
very best when his very best was required, and he
didn't win them. All and he didn't complete them all,
but he gave his best.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Yeah, he did.
Speaker 6 (03:28):
And uh, Brandon, that's a great question. I'm really glad
that you asked that question, because a lot of times
in the you know, the the weekend and week out
hustle and bustle of a season, you forget the commitment
that these players make to being out there for their
teammates and and Carson. When Carson got here, you know,
(03:50):
I was excited about getting to know the person in
the in the player who I had known a lot
about for for a lot of his career, but getting
him in here and watching the way he worked and
watched in the way he prepared both when he you know.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Was the you know, was the guy. Uh.
Speaker 6 (04:05):
And and obviously before that, even you know, before he
knew if he would get any snaps this year based
upon you know, JJ and and and JJ's health. So
as we as we went into Carson's opportunity to play,
you know, very smart, obviously, big, strong guy. So he
he literally said to me, you know, when when he
first started playing, he was just so excited to play
(04:28):
meaningful football again. It had been a few years, he
had gotten a little time here and there, but playing
in real games with a chance for uh to to
help his hometown team and a team he grew up
rooting for win football games.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
So throughout the journey with him, he you know, I was.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
Really proud of the way he battled the both on
the field physically, and we can get to that here
in a second, but also just the mental side of
preparing and and trying to truly submerge himself in our offense,
and and and how to try to have a.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Lot of success.
Speaker 6 (04:58):
And really four out of the five games, I think
we had over right around or higher than three hundred
and fifty yards of offense. So he was running the machine,
running the engine, and and you know there's always plays
where guy's getting his initial exposure to the offense where
either he would like to have him back, or play
calls I would like to have back, or ways we
could make things even more high level functioning as an offense.
(05:21):
But with what we were dealing with upfront, and and
some of the injury adversity there with you know, multiple
combinations playing in front of him during that time, his
consistency PA was really something to be admired.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
And also the way he prepared each week.
Speaker 6 (05:36):
Uh, you know, part of the you know, once he
once he sustained the initial injury to his left shoulder
against the Browns, it was really a matter of you know,
getting the medical uh you know interpretations where you know,
once Carson was told, you're you're gonna have to get
this fixed, but you really can't make it worse. I believe,
I believe his his his phrase to me was, I
(05:58):
want to take advantage of this out opportunity.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
I get to play, I get to play with this.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
Coaching staff and these players for the Minnesota Vikings. I
want to exhaust this every possible way that I can.
And and I know JJ will be back at some
point here as he gets healthy. But this is a
genuine opportunity where I can help this team win. And
the way he you know, consistently demonstrated such physical toughness
to go along with mental toughness, knowing that ultimately I'm
(06:25):
gonna have to get this fixed.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And and you.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
Know a lot of guys play with uh torn laboroms
throughout the season. A lot of guys wear that harness,
but not everybody's a quarterback. And although it was not
his throwing shoulder, you're still going to take hits and
have to kind of weather the storm.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
And and the dialogue.
Speaker 6 (06:40):
Between Carson and myself was was great every single week
as long as he was able to have full strength
and knowing that the shoulder was stable, he felt like
he wanted to continue to give it a go and
and and play as long as he possibly could, knowing
he was helping the team and in some tough circumstances,
but also the opportunity to play and feel that again,
(07:03):
like Carson Wentz deserves to to feel so so much credit.
And I hope Vikings fans just understand, you know, his
commitment level to helping this team try to win some
football games and what it was like on the minute
to minute daily basis. And we've had a lot of guy,
tough guys play the quarterback position here, but Carson is
definitely somebody that deserves to be wildly applauded for his commitment,
(07:27):
his dialogue with with myself and our medical team throughout
that time, and ultimately, you know, we we had a
conversation pretty early in the morning when we arrived back
from LA and and kind of, you know, Carson for
the first time was like it's time I need to
I need to get this thing fixed. And and uh,
you know we were, we were in full support, as
(07:48):
as we were the whole time. But at the same time,
there is a mentality to the quarterback position where when
a guy is so committed and so all in and
does not want to be taken off the field, you
you know, you have to honor I don't know if
it's the former quarterback in me or not, or Josh
McCown and as his quarterback coach, you know, having been
in the arena the way Josh was as a quarterback
(08:11):
in the NFL for a long time, you want to
give the warrior a chance to kind of exhaust those opportunities.
And once again, knowing that he couldn't make it worse,
and knowing inevitably he would have to get it fixed.
And while JJ was working his way back, you wanted
to make sure we gave him every opportunity to do that.
I'm really proud of Carson and we'll forever have a
bond because of, you know, this time together.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
So I mean that has to be difficult.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
During the course of a game, you're managing a game,
you're calling the plays, all right, so you're down multiple scores, yep.
But I've just learned over the years how all of
you are wired. Whether you're down you know, eight or
say nine, seventeen or whatever, is really until it's over,
You're not going to say it's over. So therefore, I
think is it fair to say that all side we
(09:01):
were all sides feel the best decision was always being
made in in in in with with Carson Wentz and
and his health in mind. In other words, when I say,
you know, Carson, yes, I want to play you. Yes,
I want you to play obviously, medical staff and everything
it seems like, and and the surgery too, the season,
in the surgery, it seems like all sides feel the
(09:24):
best decisions always were made.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
Yeah, And I think it's very very important that the
dialogue with myself and the player always takes place after
the dialogue with the player and the medical staff, and
then the medical staff making sure that you know, uh one,
Carson is capable of continuing. The circumstances really had not
(09:48):
changed from the time he sustained the injury kind of
late in the first half against the Cleveland Browns. It
was really just, you know, the ability to just tolerate
when certain types of hits or falls on that shoulder
happened the pain tolerance, and and that's where Carson had
made the determination that he wanted to, you know, fight
(10:09):
and and really play as long as he possibly could.
And there were some times there in the second half
where you know, as a head coach, you're you're you're
looking for confirmation from Carson and the medical staff that
you know, uh, he's still good to go, and you
get that, and ultimately you want to do what's best
for the player and ultimately give him an opportunity to
(10:30):
kind of as long as medically you're in the clear,
you want to make sure you give that player the runway,
especially with the kind of toughness and determination that Carson
had to kind of finish the job.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
And you're right, we don't. Ever.
Speaker 6 (10:44):
Our game is one where you're always a player two
away from either getting back in the game. Even off
of you know, Josh Mattel's interception and we score that touchdown,
you're really thinking one stop and then you get one more.
That's how we think, that's how we compete. That's how
we've been able to come back and and win a
lot of ones score games by having that mentality. As
games go and and as games kind of come towards
(11:06):
the finish line, you find a way to win a
football game. And you're if you're ever in this business
and thinking that you are not playing like that, you're
probably not not in the right business. And and that
goes for coaches and players and uh, that just speaks
to who Carson is and but not no Pa, And
there was never a point in time where medically we
(11:27):
were going against the grain of what was in Carson,
Carson's best interest and ultimately what Carson ultimately wanted to
kind of see through until he ultimately made the decision
that he wanted to get it fixed.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
Which have so much.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
Respect for not only the commitment to play as he
as he showed and many of the things he did
playing on the field for our team, but also that
when when Carson said it was time and and and
he wanted to get that thing fixed, you know, we
wanted to make sure that we were in full support
of that.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Join us for the Friday Football Feest this way, Buffalo
lot Wings, Chan Hassen be there this Friday. Is Pa
Nordo alec Lewis, Get you set for Vikings Lions with
NonStop football talk, great food and drinks, your shot to
win awesome prizes all morning long. Doors open at eight am.
You can visit Vikings dot com slash bww for full
schedule and details. More X and O's around the corner
(12:18):
on the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network. Football Fans Meet Pays
convening you online checkout offered by banks and credit unions.
Learn more at pays dot com, paze pays dot com.
Back to X and O's with Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Josh Allen one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL
all right in twenty eighteen when he was a rookie.
Ten touchdowns, twelve interceptions, fifty two percent on the completions. Okay,
you look at that then, and you look at Josh
Allen now or really from like his twenty second start on, boy,
he's become one of the very best in the NFL. So,
do you have a number or is it impossible to
(12:53):
have a number, Like, I can't put a blanket on
what I think about this situation until I see how
many games.
Speaker 6 (13:01):
Yeah, I think it's hard to you know, it's hard
any way to put a number on that. I think
you have to go with the real what are you
seeing with your eyes? What are what's being absorbed, what
are the where's the improvement, where's the growth? Where's the
consistency of some of the things that have been coached
and some of the things that have been identified as
(13:21):
things that need to happen to see that ascension kind
of take place.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
It gets even more difficult.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
Pa to put a number on that, considering an entire
year on the grass was lost. So now you're in
a situation where you're trying to, you know, if you're
drawing up the ideal way of bringing along a quarterback,
losing a year on the grass is not ideal. But
at the same time, you know the type of worker
and the type of you know, off the field traits
(13:48):
and the physical traits JJ has. You want to continue
to pour into those and try to accelerate that wherever possible.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
And that's when ultimately, whether.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
It's playing in a game where you didn't practice a
whole lot because of some circumstances, or you you know,
have another injury and you lose time, all of that
makes it even more difficult to project.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
When that number is.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
When that time comes where you truly know exactly what
you have and until then, you've you've got to have
the opportunities to continue to give the runway for a
guy to show that growth. And we're still very early
on in that process. Maybe not along the timeline because
of some of the circumstances, but as far as actual
game action, JJ's going to start his third game, you know,
(14:31):
against the Detroit Lions coming up this Sunday.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Tied in Ben Simms. You always like Ben Simms undrafted
from Baylor. I remember when he got here, and you
know you weren't super happy when he got plucked up
the practice squad, but other teams get to do that,
but you always liked him, right, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:46):
Ben's another one of those guys that Brian Angelico or
Tenan's coach really became fond of, and you know, right
in the mix to maybe get drafted, and you don't.
You don't have a chance to draft him, so you
find a way any way possible to try to get
him to still become a Minnesota Viking. And as hard
of a decision as we've had roster wise, you know,
(15:08):
Ben being probably that fifty third fifty three point five
player that year, you're just hoping that you maybe get
him back to continue that ascension on the practice squad
and then ultimately with the rules now in the elevations,
you really do have more than just your fifty three
guys on the roster to go ahead and form a
game day of forty eight or you know, depending on
how many guys you have up. So very much we're
(15:30):
kind of waiting for the day we could maybe get
him back here, and it did finally come and he
arrived here late last night. He's in here today getting
back acclimated, but very excited to have Ben Simms back
back of board.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
Yep, quickly.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Just two to close, one on the Lions, one on
Jail and Naylor Jalen Naylor, despite his stats not being
anything huge and due to circumstances in my opinion, mostly
out of his control. I think, is he having a
sneaky really good season here?
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (15:58):
Yeah, I mean he's yeah, Like, why.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Yeah, he's you know, there's just so many things that
he can do PA that that help our offense go,
and it doesn't always equal, you know, a bunch of
catches and a bunch of targets and things like that.
But when his number has been called, he's been huge
he's had. You know, you think back to the first
game that that big catch towards the end of the
half to get us into world record field goal range
(16:22):
for three points there that inevitably ended up being the
three points we needed to win the game. Third down
conversions versus Cincinnati tight coverage, playing through contact, his ability
to function you know, in the box as a as
a receiver and eleven personnel and be physical and do
some do some jobs, and then ultimately both him and
Adam with where we've been at, you know, at the
(16:44):
tackle position for for a good chunk of our season,
using those guys as you know, in many ways as
that second tight end type body so that you can
try to get some help on the edges while still
allow TJ. Hockinson to you know, occasionally run a route
free from having to do some dirty work at the
start of the snap.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Right.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
It's all part of kind of that team philosophy, guys
doing things for the greater good of the of the group.
But at the same time, you want to make sure
those guys and especially Jalen get their opportunity to impact
the game, because he's proven time and time again he
can do that.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
With with Ben Johnson gone to Chicago Lions or next
Do they still run tricks? I mean, do we still
see pine sewel on jets wapes?
Speaker 4 (17:23):
They still they still do a lot of those things.
J T.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
Barrett actually is in Chicago with Ben. I know JT
had a lot to do with their their trick, their
trick play arsenal that they had there with Ben in Detroit.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
But yeah, it's all.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
Still there these players, It's part of their DNA. You
got to be ready for double passes, reverses, you gotta
be ready for them to try to get unique ways
to get maybe Jamison Williams down the field as the
explosive player he is obviously we know Gibbs and Montgomery
and then am and Ra you know, as you know,
as as as consistent and impactful as a complete receiver
(17:58):
as there are there really is in the NFL. He
can do it inside outside, you know, man's own. So
they really don't. They have the type of weaponry that
they don't need to dip into that arsenal very often,
but they do clearly still have the capabilities. And with
Jared Plain as high at a higher level as he
is right now, he's been wildly consistent and just continues
(18:19):
to propel that offense to be very very difficult to
play against.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Going to be a challenge for.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Us and Dan Skipper with the jumbo package you just
came back lastly for your defense, I'm just going to
go numbers to have sixty one, ninety three, ninety seven,
forty three, fifty eight with fifty one, I'll just stop
it right there, Van Ginkel, if and or Wenny returns,
hopefully it's this weekend with that group right there, What
(18:45):
moving forward through the final ten do you need to
see from Javon Hargrave.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing is just the consistency
factor of the balance between technique fundamentals within the scheme required.
It's not just about individually winning your matchup and trying
to make a play. In many ways, our guys want
so badly to make that play that sometimes guys are
(19:13):
maybe straining outside maybe their initial responsibilities to maybe make
a play here there. It's all credited to the deep
down desire to try to do things to help our
team win. So that's an extreme positive and we've just
got to play. Our defense is at their best in
my opinion, and really in Flows opinion, when we have
eleven guys all you know in unison, totally connected, playing
(19:37):
as one group, where the plays come to everybody within
our defense. As Pa, we saw a year ago with
the turnovers that were forced the negative plays. What we've
got to do is maintain the discipline of that through
each and every snap and play with the physicality and
the disruption that has kind of been a hallmark of
Flows defense since he got here. We just needed a
(19:58):
little bit more consistently. Obviously, getting Van van Ginkel back
will be a huge just because he is able to
do so many jobs within the defense that allows other
guys to really be in their comfort zone of doing
the things that they were either brought here for or
they've consistently shown throughout their careers. So I think it's
a lot of puzzle pieces, but he's obviously a very
(20:19):
big part of it, and hope to have him back
as soon as possible.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Great and your Yeah, thanks Pa, Thanks for the time.
Kevin O'Connell, head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. That's x'es
and O's into the Lions Game.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Thanks for joining us for this week's episode of X's
and O's that Kevin O'Connell, presented by Ken Moore. X's
and O's is a production of the Minnesota Vikings Audio
Network
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