As a Lions fan I felt this last year. Losing when we were so close to (finally) making the Superbowl hurt... bad. But it was a good season. The Vikings had 14 wins which is a rare season. You will look back and think about how much fun it was, eventually. Sorry to see it end so badly. Your Vikings and my Lions will see each other again next year, just like they have for the last 60 years. It's who we are as fans.
The Stafford/Cashman play should be examined by the League to either change the rule or how it's enforced. The Rams deserved something worse than an incomplete and the Vikings earned something much better. Stafford was as "in the grasp" as he could be. He was trying to avoid a sack and wasn't trying to complete a pass.
Yeah ... I don't care that there's an eligible receiver somewhere in the zip code. What Stafford did is -- or should be -- the very definition of intentional grounding.
Then they would have to throw that flag every time a QB threw the ball at a receiver’s feet. Which happens all the time. It would take a rule change the league probably won’t even consider.
As a rams fan I think the play that resulted in a personal roughness penalty on beaux limmer should be examined by the league as well. The play wasn't blown dead and beaux limmer had every right to push/block the vikings defender.
I’m not hopping off the fan ship. I love the Vikings and will bleed purple and gold ti’ll the day I die. At the end of the day, this is a game. And I enjoyed the 14 wins and will learn and hopefully be humbled by 4 games.
The Vikings need better offensive and defensive fronts. They also need better Cornerbacks. The Vikings should also consider getting a good strong, fast and smart running back. The Vikings fill these gaps through free agent signings or the draft. This season was a success, but the last two games show more work needs to be done on the roster in order to compete with the elite teams.
KOC refuses to go to quick developing plays like the slant pattern which is a foundational part of the west coast offense. In three years the Vikings haven't run a slant pattern yet. Last year when Dobbs was getting pressured nonstop he stubbornly continued to stick to his philosophy of calling plays that leave his QB out to dry when the offensive line is breaking down, nine sacks and no adjustments???
Neither KOC nor Brian Flores made adjustments from the first two iterations of playing Detroit and LA. No creativity in the run game, no quick pass game, endless blitzing despite Stafford picking apart the blitz. Love the Vikings, but I was in bed by halftime. 0 coaching adjustments.
I'm as harsh a critic of this team as ANY Vikings Fan, and I'm not remotely discouraged. I did not think this team had the teeth to win a Super Bowl this year, and I honestly knew we would lose to rams. I had no doubt McVay and Stafford and that swarming Defense would be too much for this team. Besides the fact that the lions sucked the wind out of our sails the week before, we simply don't have the interior lines on either side to bang with a serious team. That said, I'm pleasantly surprised at 14 wins and very pleased with 2024. I was shocked we did so well. I'm looking forward to beefing up the Lines in the Offseason, and hopefully KOC will finally commit to a more formidable rushing attack and get some big bruisers. It's the only way we'll ever win in these big games. I do believe McCarthy is a winner and won't shrink in big games no matter what is happening around him. We have a bright future and a very good nucleus to build around.
While McCarthy might play well in big games, it remains to be seen if they will tailor the offense to more short passes, or they will still be more likely to lose in a playoff game
Sam can get the ball out fast when he feels confident the problem is he melted like frosty the snowman ⛄ in the sunshine 🌞 and would rather burp the baby than make a mistake he wasn't sure of himself it was obvious
The incomplete pass that wasn't a pass is another example of one set of rules for one team and a different set of rules for another. How is it possible that no official threw a flag for a penalty yet Stafford talked the ref into calling a facemask penalty no one saw??? The league isn't allowed to call a facemask penalty from New York.
You get respect after you have won a Super Bowl. The Vikings will have to have won a Super Bowl, or have a QB that has won a Super Bowl in order to get that sort of respect.
Hi Luke, I have nothing much to say about last night besides "pain" but I wanted to thank you for all your hard work this year. I wasn't quite an everydayer, but I came pretty close. Your care for the team and passion for the game leads to far and away the best Vikings analysis I've ever heard. SKOL!
Hey Luke. I completely agree with a lot of points you made. I’m going to make a small pivot here and sorry for the long paragraph in advance. Let’s go back to 2022, Rams win the Super Bowl. Who did they face? The Bengals and were also against a similar mindset, a McVay disciple in Zach Taylor. The Rams lucked out in that match up and I will say inflated KOC’s value. Bengals had a great pair of receivers, a qb, and an RB. The defense was average and the line was horrendous. How many teams run an 11 man/spread personnel offense and win a Super Bowl? I can really only name the 2022 Rams, 2019 Chiefs, and the 1999 Rams. What I’m trying to get at, you CAN’T run this philosophy and expect to win super bowls unless you have an elite OL + HOF bound QB. It’s rare. Most teams win the Super Bowl because they have good trench play on both sides of the ball, a QB who can paper cut defenses, and an RB you can trust to carry the ball to reduce the pressure on the QB. I get that we don’t have a good iOL. But asking them to block for more than 2.5s every down is just absurd unless you have All-Pro level OL across the board. And now we have sample size from two completely different styles of QB, whether it’s Darnold or Cousins, it’s the same problem. 5-7 step drop backs and your receivers are running complex crossing routes. That takes more than 2.5s to develop. I wasn’t a fan of either Darnold or Cousins but even I know when you’re breaking NFL records of posting career highs in sacks allowed (Cousins in 2022 or Darnold against the Rams), it’s clear that it’s the scheme mismatch from the personnel we have. With that said, I’m of the opinion that KOC SHOULD NOT be extended UNTIL he changes his philosophy. And if he has to prove himself in a lame duck season, so be it.
@ would add to this paragraph. What offensive guru needs all-pro/pro bowl caliber players all over to look good? None. Flores has a higher ranked defense with much less and KOC can’t even crack Kubiak’s output.
I think the last 2 weeks proved what a lot of us feared but didn't want to admit. This was a good team, but not a great team like their record indicated. We were basically the Broncos with a little more luck. On the bright side, we don't have to worry about all the cap space Darnold will take up next year.
As a fan of the Buffalo Bills, a team that shares the dubious distinction of losing 4 Super Bowls with the Vikings, I have long been mystified by the idea that every season that doesn't end in a SB victory is a failure. Second or third is worse than last. WTF. A chance to celebrate 17 times du f ing the season is a a real, enjoyable thing. Looking forward to Sunday all week and poring over RUclips videos for highlights is a fun, good thing. Enjoy it.
Super Bowl winning teams must dictate on offense. Plan 1 - SB teams force defenses into conflict with Strong Run Game & Efficient Pass Offense. Part 1) Vikings had great regular season but crashed when they faced elite playoff competition due to weak G-C-G unit that could not consistently block in run or pass games. Lions & Rams are playoff winning teams. They just demolished the Vikings up front. Vikings must use draft & FA to fix G-C-G immediately. Part 2) The Vikings defense was not the problem this year in regular season - But when it was time to make a playoff run, Vikings had a fatal flaw. Playoff defenses require a CB1 to slow down & control Alpha WR Ones like JJ, Chase ect.... Vikings defense must get a CB1 in Draft 1 or Free Agency. to make a Super Bowl run. SB Plan: Put real capital into interior Offensive line positions. A line that can move the chains in run game & protect the QB. Get a CB1 on the roster to slow down the Alpha WRs they face. Vikings will now have a Playoff Caliber team. SKOL
If it was easy to be a viking fan everyone would be one . I watched my first viking super bowl 1969 and been a fan ever since i use to live and die with each loss. 2009 i took it hard after that i promised myself to put this sport in perspective. I still enjoy i just dont live and die anymore. That being said if you cant run the ball or stop it. You arent going to win in the playoffs. This team needs serious upgrade at guard until then this team will be exciting that wont help the bottom line
Why? Would you wanna even offer Darnold anything when we have JJ and Daniel Jones. Another reason they have free agency & a lot of positions to fill & offering Darnold a contract isnt feasable at all.
What a great take. Glad I came across your channel. Along with the offensive array of weapons and the eye catching defense, I've had this nagging thought throughout the season: KOC has a horrible tendency to get cute with playcalling, and Flo relies on confusion as a permanent feature to mask an inability to dial pressure using only the front 4. Detroit killed the Vikings using opportunistic blitzes and a suffocating D, and that was also the Rams recipe. It was the same defensive mold that beat the Vikings 4 times this season.
I saw a lot of "analysts" since Monday's game talking about O'Connel being out coached and the OL being trash. I can see that, but for 2 straight weeks we cannot go only with that, when the other team is blitzing and see that your QB cannot get rid of the ball, they are gonna keep doing it. I don't know if the outcome would be different from another game plan (I doubt it), but when you see Sam's performance and, specially, his body language, don't see how the coach could have changed the game situation. They just figured it out this two last weeks that they can defend us 1 on 1 as soon as they keep pressuring Sam. That is the key of what happened to this team these last two weeks, teams thought it was suicidal to do so until the Lions put it in practice.
It's not rocket science. It always comes down to execution and talent. KOC has a much bigger ego than we originally thought. We trade up to get Turner to pass up on Verse!? Verse made O'Neill look like an aging veteran. I've watched the Vikings lose 4 SBs. Luke your insight is pretty good. Vegas was right when the season started...this team has major holes at key positions and that includes coaching as well.
Buddy its not white and black in terms of drafting. If it was, then wed have drafted every stud at every position for the past twenty years. Dallas turner is just now 21 years old. Jared verse is 24 going on 25. Hes older, more experienced, played more college ball, and was drafted to have that immediate impact for a shorter timeframe. By the time his rookie scale contract is over, he'll be 29/30 depending on 5th year options. In that same time frame dallas will be the same age as verse is now and a much more developed player than he is today. Learn more ball b4 you talk
Absolutely true. You've been saying that our plays take too long all season. JMac must not make the same mistakes. Do whatever it takes to get him playing faster ... emulate JDaniels! And, I would suggest that you favor the offensive trenches first. Keep JMac safe and foster his confidence ... don't be overly concerned with wins! Then, focus on defense - especially the trenches, and backend.
Luke, my first interaction was when you joined Locked on Lions. I was impressed then and even more so now. Great commentary and unbiased observation. I respect your football mind as well. Matt Dery cant bring this aspect to our channel.
Can we extrapolate the whole “it doesn’t matter if you win in the regular season” point? Isn’t the end state, nothing matters unless you win the SB? Like every game matters!
There is such a huge draft penalty for having a season like this, it seems counter intuitive. Win 4 games, your options in the draft are fantastic. Win 14 games, you get somebody that might help next year.
@@ALexMcDunny how often are dumpster fire teams really saved by draft picks? Winning teams like Buffalo and KC are doing just fine with their draft position.
I enjoyed the regular season and I remember when the Twins won the World Series and I enjoyed it for awhile but that joy didn’t last much longer than when the Vikings win a regular season game and I will be watching and rooting for the Vikings again next regular season if God is willing of course.
I'm a little concerned that KOC will try to shoehorn J.J. into this system when he seems to be better suited for a power run system that uses more play action, with opportunistic deep throws.
Fair to say that throwing the long ball in near, or actual playoff game(s) with grabby db's tolerated by refs, and physically weak and mentally weak IOL play, will result in 9 sacks. Also, inability to play man, just zone schemes in general, due topresent abilities of db's, seriously diminishes Flores scheme options. Lastly, failureto power presessure with IDL seriously exhausts defense,which requires T.O.P to remain aggressive in games. Oh, wasn;t this the stuff we were talking about at the beginningof the year, when chastened by you to go away?
Sounds like a moral victory, but this season was super fun. Been almost a decade since I felt this way about a team. I look forward to McCarthy taking the reins.
Knowing you have a questionable o line and fractured qb means KO should have done short pass plays and he dis not. There were no 2 second pass designs and we seen the result of that
I agree with you about Sam. When the Vikings were kicking ass during the regular season, I was also thinking that this is THE "destiny" team, with an unlikely QB, who would have been the ultimate hero if we were finally able to get that Super Bowl win. It would have been a great story. FINALLY get over the hump. But nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!. lol. Another Tanked playoff game. Good analysis in the video. We always got next year.
The vikings lost focus and purpose when they celebrated after the packers gm. Darnold changed that day. Should hav been 4 better but somehow it went backwards for him. We can see the lack of intensity and desire by the whole team. Koc is a great guy and good coach but is not an adjustment maker. Any SKOL!
Darnold is poor between 5 and `15 yards down field. He is great throwing more than 20 yards down field. The Rams and Lion defenses found that if they can use press man to disrupt the first part of every route. It forced Darnold to hold the ball because the timing of the routes was off. They knew they could not cover for 3 or 4 seconds, but they did not have to. They only needed to get Darnold to 2 to 2.5 seconds without an answer. Their D lines then get a pressure or hurray, and Darnold panics. He makes a bad decision. Once it worked for the Lions, the Rams said why not? It was a gamble by both teams that worked because, surprise surprise, the Vikings receivers are soft and cannot fight through press man. Other teams might have tried it, but could not pull it off.
You are trying to use X’s and O’s to explain away a human issue. Darnold melted down, you could see the fear in his eyes. The entire sideline saw the same thing. Football is a confidence and swagger sport as much as anything else. When guys like Mahomes or Allen take the field or huddle the entire team believes they are getting the job done. Talking about scheme is moot point when the team sees the writing on the wall or QB’s face in this instance. It’s like following a great general into war, guys will fight harder if they believe they are going to win.
We definitely need to stop being a finesse team and be faster... speed kills.. the rams were fast off the ball fast routes fast sacks you're right our plays take waaay too long to develop
If you grow up liking football, you tend to love it more or care more about it the older you get. Most of the fans have simply adopted our local team. Me... well, I'm lucky in a way... I'm a transplant to the twin cities from South Philly. My first team (and my favorite) has always been the Eagles. I have adopted the Vikings as my second favorite... my local team - and that's generally the way this works. If they win a Super Bowl then maybe at some point the Eagles will become my 2nd favorite team... IDK. This was just a failure to realize that post season play is more than just one step beyond regular season play. Every team you face will be among the top 10 in your conference... so at that point you have GOT to be able to match up. We HAD to focus on quick passing drills. All the elite level QBs focus on the amount of time it takes to get the ball out..... trying to get it down to no more than 2 seconds.... 3 max. Did they do this? Whose fault is THAT? Our O-Line needs to be REALLY good if it's going to take longer than that... and we don't have that. KOC deserves most of this blame. Darnold is capable, but he's gotta be coached into the next level of play. Josh Allen is doing this, Bo Nix was doing this, Manning, Brady, Rogers.... they ALL worked on a short passing game as they moved toward the post season.
I wonder how much the lack of intermediate/short passes is on Sam and the scheme. The only short passes it seemed like were screens to the outside where it's harder to throw a pick.
Remember that bubble screen to Jefferson that Sam, inexplicably, didn’t throw? Yeah. I think O’Connell knew who his QB was and didn’t call the short because that’s not Sam’s game.
Truth be told that screen should have targetted speedy Nailor not JJ. Force-feeding Jefferson was exposed vs Detroit. KoC not making adjustments in that game sucked.. this is way worse. Phenomenal coach dynamic drawer of plays. Horrible play caller.@@stevencass8849
I like Kwesi and KOC with the Wilf family so far. I think next year will be important for KOC to see how much he grows as a coach in what needs to be done. The defense it’s hard to speculate bc what we need depends entirely on if B-Flo is back or not. If our DB core gets some shut down corners and our back 6 can play mostly man to man as we send 5? I think good things will happen. If not, it’s gonna be rough. My view on Darnold is: we can resign him only if he chooses to stay for 15 mil/year. He might be able to get more than that somewhere else so if he’s going for max payoff he won’t be a Viking. We need a younger durable version of Aaron Jones. JJ McCarthy at QB. And fill in particularly the interior of the O Line.
I have been a fan since I was 5 years old and I was hoping this team was different than previous years it looked like the Rams were playing our practice squad... wtf??
Kwesi should have known that the draft was better for Cornerbacks than it was for Edge Rushers, they should have drafted Quinyon Mitchel instead of Dallas Turner. Eight Corners had 8 or more PD's. The wins masked the Vikings weaknesses they still have the same weaknesses that they had for the last three years. The interior of the Vikings offensive line has actually been a problem for more than ten years. The Defensive line is a weakness, and so is the secondary. Having Mekhi Blackmon, and Kyree Jackson would have helped but those cornerbacks are usually drafted.
Luke, ok.. I've been saying this all along. There is no contingency to the approaches of the offense or defense. The teams that truly go deep have the capacity to totally switch gears... on both sides of the ball. seems like the Vikings never come to dominate or impose their will on a team. Theres never any surprises. I dont think that qualifies as elite coaching.
This is very painful 💔 but.. they weren't supposed to even win 6 games it was very fun while it lasted... I had a blast since the draft honestly.. I have been a fan since Tommy Kramer was the quarterback but I don't remember those games much I was a little kid then.. I thought this was the year just like 09.. but at least it ended abruptly instead of in the NFC championship game
Not a Vikes fans, but I was telling my wife (rides and dies with the Vikings) that this might have been good for the Vikings. It allows them to move on from Darnold, spend some of that cap to shore up the interior line, us the draft to just grab BPA across the board, and let McCarthy learn. To me, JJ always had more upside than Darnold and y'all saw what was possible with a mid QB. Wait until JJ learns the books... I just hope O'Connell learns how to scheme better blocking.
Rule of thumb as a Viking fan is to enjoy the season but just remember that when the rubber hits the road and a good performance is needed to win a playoff game or 20 championship, The Vikings will fall flat in sometimes the most unusual ways…… The only good thing about how they play the last 50 years is that eventually they will make a Hollywood movie about there in the play and it will be if I every popular movie that will be watched for millennium
Kevin O'Connell is a great head coach, but his experience is still limited, and he was clearly outcoached. I’m confident that he will learn from situations like this and continue to develop (Sean McVay also needed five seasons to win his Super Bowl).
Next season will probably be what this year’s win total was 6.5, they are years away from being competitive all the talent in the world will never help if they refuse to address the lack of talent on the offensive line if you can’t block what’s the point?
In KOC’s first year the Vikings found some success. I made a point back then. It was a metaphor. I suggested the Vikings team as a whole has low-T. In contrast the Lions and Rams had all the testosterone in these past two games. Nothing illustrates what I said three seasons ago. Low-T Vikings culture. They still think they are successful winning 14 regular season games. Delusional could be another word for it.
My feelings are hurt Yesterday I was tweeting “Sam Darnold is a terrorist”. I may or may not have called O’Connell a dolled up Adam Gase Mistakes have been made in the heat of passion. By next week I will be ready to appreciate darnold’s magic carpet ride.
Vikings have the 9th highest all time winning percentage. If you were picking a random team to celebrate s Superbowl with, the Vikings wouldn't be a head-scratching pick. Outside of these last couple years I'd much rather have grown up a Vikings fan over being a Lions fan.
IDK, Luke - I felt like our defense was REALLY good. I have no way of knowing, really - never played football... been disabled all my life.... but I sure do love watching it. They get at least one turnover EVERY game.... and usually win the turnover battle in each game. They could sack pretty consistently too.... they had trouble with a really good O-Line, but on the whole they did pretty well. I'm probably wrong... but it would have been nice to see some stats from you to back up your position.
This scenario did not start with O’Connor/Flores we need a Viking team that can overcome it. Isn’t it strange how the Vikings loss to the lions and the Rams at the middle of the season and then lost to the Rams and the Lions at the end of the season, some missiles are surfaced to air,, while others, cruise through outer space , but I’m still a Viking fan, (like the old (ABC) Wide world of sports slogan (it the thrill of victory and the agony of the defeat) You can say this fit Viking fans very well (14 wins 3 losses) going to be a cold, lonely winter and a long, hot summer to training camp hang in there)
To put it into perspective, the offensive line was not going to hold up with a QB who tends to hold onto a ball a second too long. We won 14 games, but some of these wins were thanks to the defense vs high powered offense. The lions showed what it takes to rattle Darnold and do you really think from top to bottom we matched with the Bills, Chiefs, Eagles, Lions? Even if we kicked ass this game and lost the next game by getting destroyed, Vikings fans would be bitching and saying the same thing they are saying now. We were not supposed to win 14 games this year, it happened thanks to coaching and when the season became important, Darnold showed who he was and that is a backup. The coach can only do so much. They need a power RB and a decent offensive line. With a power RB who can constantly bust off runs and be a brute runner, they have to worry about the RB and QB vs just the QB. Aaron Jones is injury prone and not a bruising back. He was never a huge threat as a runner and KOC knew that.
@@martygras378 A team that couldn't beat the Giants cannot blame it on their coach. When a QB that takes 9 SACKS, 6 of them purely on him, and loses 89 yards blaming the coach is stupid. Saying that he could have done something different is fine. Blaming him for the outcome is pure ignorance.
KOC and Darnold seem like a chicken-egg cycle. One thing I like about Darnold is that he doesn't have a big ego. The downside is a lack of self confidence when things aren't working out. At this point in his career, Sam is an undeveloped quarterback who can be micro-managed. I think that's part of the reason he was hired. The easy way out would be to blame Darnold, because he did choke in these last 2 games. But I think KOC deserves an equal or perhaps 51% of the blame for poor play calling. I'd like to see KOC re-evaluate his play calling approach. I don't think moving on to JJ is going to fix things, because JJ is another undeveloped quarterback. The only other solution would be to hire a proven seasoned quarterback. But he would probably clash with KOC, and that would make for a less cohesive team. No easy solution here. But like Sam, the Vikings are still a work in progress.
KOC a one trick pony. Once you learn the trick, it’s over. However, KOC and Darnold were told or paid to throw this game for the Rams and LA, because they need a win right now.
Winning on the road in the NFL against a good team is very difficult. On the other hand you need to answer a score with another score or the game will get away quickly. The Vikings Oline failed for the offensive plays called. You need to run the football to make the Dline hesitate prior to coming upfield. Play action works, especially if you have an offensive scheme to pick up blitzes and stunts. Does Aaron Jones know how to blitz pickup? I didn’t see any hot routes. Watch the amount of pressure on the pocket during the game. Quick passes and running the football defeats defensive blitz packages. You design running and passing plays designed to attack these defensive tendencies. Darnold didn’t fail the offensive game plan failed. The defense played good enough to win. The defense gave up twenty points on the road.
Listen bruh, I know that game was ugly but fr idk what all the Vikings fans are talking about. Your team was real af, they got this far with a QB that NOBODY WANTED. If JJ is even average then you're gonna be beasts. You literally only lost to two teams all year. Keep your heads up, because I think it's gonna get easier. Much love
I agree with everything in this vid, except for one example...Michigan football during the late 2000's though entirety of the 2010's. I'm a massive wolverines fan, and though i'd agree with almost every other sports team, hope springs eternal, but after a decade and a half of constant catastrophes to what was, (and still technically is), the most winningest program in college football history jaded the eff outa me. I was always extremely disappointed with Lloyd Carr's teams toward the end of his tenure because of how loaded with talent they were but constantly underachieved, however as bad as that was - nothing compares to the misery of Michigan football that was the Rich-rod, Hoke, and first half of the Harbaugh years were. Eventually i legit just stopped watching their games for like 8 years up until the end of 2021. I love the Lions and Raiders, who have both been dogshit for decades, (until recently with the Lions), and yet i was never as demoralized as a fan the way i was during those dark years with Michigan. So setting that example aside, i totally agree that getting invested and "getting your hopes up" is what being a sports fan is all about.
I was worried about an early playoff exit, given how the Vikings struggled to put away the teams they played throughout the season - for which I was roundly scolded. Against playoff teams (Rams, Packers, Lions- all twice and Houston), the Vikings were 3-4 - against non-playoff competition, they were undefeated. Jefferson got the Vikings roughly the same production he had in the 2022 playoff loss; KOC stuck to his original form of hero ball - despite a pass rush that was eating up his quarterback; and Flores' vaunted defense (blitz and then blitz some more) was managed by a good coach and quarterback. Also, the last playoff win was secured by MIKE ZIMMER - but, today, the players can say "our coach is our friend". What a disappointing year!
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
As a Lions fan I felt this last year. Losing when we were so close to (finally) making the Superbowl hurt... bad. But it was a good season. The Vikings had 14 wins which is a rare season. You will look back and think about how much fun it was, eventually. Sorry to see it end so badly. Your Vikings and my Lions will see each other again next year, just like they have for the last 60 years. It's who we are as fans.
Will hutch be ready for the superbowl
The Stafford/Cashman play should be examined by the League to either change the rule or how it's enforced.
The Rams deserved something worse than an incomplete and the Vikings earned something much better.
Stafford was as "in the grasp" as he could be.
He was trying to avoid a sack and wasn't trying to complete a pass.
Yeah ... I don't care that there's an eligible receiver somewhere in the zip code. What Stafford did is -- or should be -- the very definition of intentional grounding.
Then they would have to throw that flag every time a QB threw the ball at a receiver’s feet. Which happens all the time.
It would take a rule change the league probably won’t even consider.
As a rams fan I think the play that resulted in a personal roughness penalty on beaux limmer should be examined by the league as well. The play wasn't blown dead and beaux limmer had every right to push/block the vikings defender.
@@ihcterra4625 True and true.
@ is that the play where the RB hadn’t even been tackled yet? The D is still continuing to play but the O gets the penalty.
I’m not hopping off the fan ship. I love the Vikings and will bleed purple and gold ti’ll the day I die. At the end of the day, this is a game. And I enjoyed the 14 wins and will learn and hopefully be humbled by 4 games.
Same here! I was never on the bandwagon for a SB appearance, besides I had the Rams as my top "sleeper" team in the playoffs!
Are u older cAuse I'm done been 60 years and nothing screw them go pack go
The Ravens are purple and gold. Y'all are purple and yeller.
The Vikings need better offensive and defensive fronts. They also need better Cornerbacks. The Vikings should also consider getting a good strong, fast and smart running back. The Vikings fill these gaps through free agent signings or the draft. This season was a success, but the last two games show more work needs to be done on the roster in order to compete with the elite teams.
KOC refuses to go to quick developing plays like the slant pattern which is a foundational part of the west coast offense. In three years the Vikings haven't run a slant pattern yet. Last year when Dobbs was getting pressured nonstop he stubbornly continued to stick to his philosophy of calling plays that leave his QB out to dry when the offensive line is breaking down, nine sacks and no adjustments???
Neither KOC nor Brian Flores made adjustments from the first two iterations of playing Detroit and LA. No creativity in the run game, no quick pass game, endless blitzing despite Stafford picking apart the blitz. Love the Vikings, but I was in bed by halftime. 0 coaching adjustments.
Darnold shit the bed. K0C didn't have them prepared/didn't adjust anything
I'm as harsh a critic of this team as ANY Vikings Fan, and I'm not remotely discouraged. I did not think this team had the teeth to win a Super Bowl this year, and I honestly knew we would lose to rams. I had no doubt McVay and Stafford and that swarming Defense would be too much for this team. Besides the fact that the lions sucked the wind out of our sails the week before, we simply don't have the interior lines on either side to bang with a serious team. That said, I'm pleasantly surprised at 14 wins and very pleased with 2024. I was shocked we did so well. I'm looking forward to beefing up the Lines in the Offseason, and hopefully KOC will finally commit to a more formidable rushing attack and get some big bruisers. It's the only way we'll ever win in these big games. I do believe McCarthy is a winner and won't shrink in big games no matter what is happening around him. We have a bright future and a very good nucleus to build around.
While McCarthy might play well in big games, it remains to be seen if they will tailor the offense to more short passes, or they will still be more likely to lose in a playoff game
That was the best analysis of what went wrong that I have seen or heard! So much better than “big media”!
The JJ McCarthy era is upon us. Strap in y’all, we’re boarding a new ride
It'll be a Skollercoaster.
Into the depths of HELL!
The same will happen to him
I think Daniel Jones will outplay him and win the job
How is it that everyone except the Vikings very well paid coaching staff knows what the issue is? I just don't get it 😢
In fact, KOC must improve on all matters related to time useage and management!
Yes your absolutely right. Everything is slow. We won’t have that with JJ.
Sam can get the ball out fast when he feels confident the problem is he melted like frosty the snowman ⛄ in the sunshine 🌞 and would rather burp the baby than make a mistake he wasn't sure of himself it was obvious
The incomplete pass that wasn't a pass is another example of one set of rules for one team and a different set of rules for another. How is it possible that no official threw a flag for a penalty yet Stafford talked the ref into calling a facemask penalty no one saw??? The league isn't allowed to call a facemask penalty from New York.
Maybe you can ask Tom Brady and Mahomes! They have it all the time
You get respect after you have won a Super Bowl. The Vikings will have to have won a Super Bowl, or have a QB that has won a Super Bowl in order to get that sort of respect.
Hi Luke, I have nothing much to say about last night besides "pain" but I wanted to thank you for all your hard work this year. I wasn't quite an everydayer, but I came pretty close. Your care for the team and passion for the game leads to far and away the best Vikings analysis I've ever heard. SKOL!
I daydreamed about the same thing Luke. I actually bought in to the idea that this might be “the year”… and wamp wamp wamp… here we are. 🤦♂️
Rams fan, came by to say good luck in the future.
Hey Luke. I completely agree with a lot of points you made. I’m going to make a small pivot here and sorry for the long paragraph in advance.
Let’s go back to 2022, Rams win the Super Bowl. Who did they face? The Bengals and were also against a similar mindset, a McVay disciple in Zach Taylor. The Rams lucked out in that match up and I will say inflated KOC’s value. Bengals had a great pair of receivers, a qb, and an RB. The defense was average and the line was horrendous. How many teams run an 11 man/spread personnel offense and win a Super Bowl? I can really only name the 2022 Rams, 2019 Chiefs, and the 1999 Rams. What I’m trying to get at, you CAN’T run this philosophy and expect to win super bowls unless you have an elite OL + HOF bound QB. It’s rare. Most teams win the Super Bowl because they have good trench play on both sides of the ball, a QB who can paper cut defenses, and an RB you can trust to carry the ball to reduce the pressure on the QB.
I get that we don’t have a good iOL. But asking them to block for more than 2.5s every down is just absurd unless you have All-Pro level OL across the board. And now we have sample size from two completely different styles of QB, whether it’s Darnold or Cousins, it’s the same problem. 5-7 step drop backs and your receivers are running complex crossing routes. That takes more than 2.5s to develop. I wasn’t a fan of either Darnold or Cousins but even I know when you’re breaking NFL records of posting career highs in sacks allowed (Cousins in 2022 or Darnold against the Rams), it’s clear that it’s the scheme mismatch from the personnel we have.
With that said, I’m of the opinion that KOC SHOULD NOT be extended UNTIL he changes his philosophy. And if he has to prove himself in a lame duck season, so be it.
Wow, excellent ideas..so rare w fans
Interesting, and knowledgeable take. I would like to see a rebuttal of this from KOC, or from a KOC supporter.
@ would add to this paragraph. What offensive guru needs all-pro/pro bowl caliber players all over to look good? None. Flores has a higher ranked defense with much less and KOC can’t even crack Kubiak’s output.
I think the last 2 weeks proved what a lot of us feared but didn't want to admit. This was a good team, but not a great team like their record indicated. We were basically the Broncos with a little more luck. On the bright side, we don't have to worry about all the cap space Darnold will take up next year.
I never left 🙂 we lost a game nobody expected us to play in.
SKOL!!! On to next year's season
Darnold is unable to throw short passes
This was really a good podcast. Thank you
Darnold deserves part but not all of the blame . Interior offensive line and Interior defensive line are glaring weaknesses
And that secondary is is pathetic! Three guys that walk out of US Bank stadium using a walking cane!
His mechanics and thought process is too slow.
As a fan of the Buffalo Bills, a team that shares the dubious distinction of losing 4 Super Bowls with the Vikings, I have long been mystified by the idea that every season that doesn't end in a SB victory is a failure. Second or third is worse than last. WTF. A chance to celebrate 17 times du f ing the season is a a real, enjoyable thing. Looking forward to Sunday all week and poring over RUclips videos for highlights is a fun, good thing. Enjoy it.
Josh Allen is my favorite player
Super Bowl winning teams must dictate on offense. Plan 1 - SB teams force defenses into conflict with Strong Run Game & Efficient Pass Offense. Part 1) Vikings had great regular season but crashed when they faced elite playoff competition due to weak G-C-G unit that could not consistently block in run or pass games. Lions & Rams are playoff winning teams. They just demolished the Vikings up front. Vikings must use draft & FA to fix G-C-G immediately. Part 2) The Vikings defense was not the problem this year in regular season - But when it was time to make a playoff run, Vikings had a fatal flaw. Playoff defenses require a CB1 to slow down & control Alpha WR Ones like JJ, Chase ect.... Vikings defense must get a CB1 in Draft 1 or Free Agency. to make a Super Bowl run. SB Plan: Put real capital into interior Offensive line positions. A line that can move the chains in run game & protect the QB. Get a CB1 on the roster to slow down the Alpha WRs they face. Vikings will now have a Playoff Caliber team. SKOL
Vikings do what the vikings do. Awesome regular season . Playoff heartbreak. Houston stands with you although we havent gone to a superbowl.
32 playoff losses for the Vikings
If it was easy to be a viking fan everyone would be one . I watched my first viking super bowl 1969 and been a fan ever since i use to live and die with each loss. 2009 i took it hard after that i promised myself to put this sport in perspective. I still enjoy i just dont live and die anymore. That being said if you cant run the ball or stop it. You arent going to win in the playoffs. This team needs serious upgrade at guard until then this team will be exciting that wont help the bottom line
You took 2009 harder than 1998 ?
Why? Would you wanna even offer Darnold anything when we have JJ and Daniel Jones.
Another reason they have free agency & a lot of positions to fill & offering Darnold a contract isnt feasable at all.
Don't waste money on Darnold, let him go
What a great take. Glad I came across your channel.
Along with the offensive array of weapons and the eye catching defense, I've had this nagging thought throughout the season: KOC has a horrible tendency to get cute with playcalling, and Flo relies on confusion as a permanent feature to mask an inability to dial pressure using only the front 4.
Detroit killed the Vikings using opportunistic blitzes and a suffocating D, and that was also the Rams recipe. It was the same defensive mold that beat the Vikings 4 times this season.
Been a fan for 56 years. Now my Grandson and my wife are fans. I have no choice now but to stay the course, and just hope 2025 will be different.
Let Sam walk. That was the plan from the outset. They drafted a QB for the purpose of playing that QB.
He needs mental help. When the brain flames started, they just consumed him.
I saw a lot of "analysts" since Monday's game talking about O'Connel being out coached and the OL being trash. I can see that, but for 2 straight weeks we cannot go only with that, when the other team is blitzing and see that your QB cannot get rid of the ball, they are gonna keep doing it. I don't know if the outcome would be different from another game plan (I doubt it), but when you see Sam's performance and, specially, his body language, don't see how the coach could have changed the game situation. They just figured it out this two last weeks that they can defend us 1 on 1 as soon as they keep pressuring Sam. That is the key of what happened to this team these last two weeks, teams thought it was suicidal to do so until the Lions put it in practice.
That was a nice breakdown of the offensive and defensive weaknesses. Looking forward to following this team’s off season
It's not rocket science. It always comes down to execution and talent. KOC has a much bigger ego than we originally thought. We trade up to get Turner to pass up on Verse!? Verse made O'Neill look like an aging veteran. I've watched the Vikings lose 4 SBs. Luke your insight is pretty good. Vegas was right when the season started...this team has major holes at key positions and that includes coaching as well.
Buddy its not white and black in terms of drafting. If it was, then wed have drafted every stud at every position for the past twenty years. Dallas turner is just now 21 years old. Jared verse is 24 going on 25. Hes older, more experienced, played more college ball, and was drafted to have that immediate impact for a shorter timeframe. By the time his rookie scale contract is over, he'll be 29/30 depending on 5th year options. In that same time frame dallas will be the same age as verse is now and a much more developed player than he is today. Learn more ball b4 you talk
Been my team for 54 years and will be until the day that I die! SKOL
It's called insanity.
That’s a true fan right there. I’m a Lions fan and I respect it. These are all the bandwagon fans hopping off right now.
Yall did great this season
Absolutely true. You've been saying that our plays take too long all season. JMac must not make the same mistakes. Do whatever it takes to get him playing faster ... emulate JDaniels! And, I would suggest that you favor the offensive trenches first. Keep JMac safe and foster his confidence ... don't be overly concerned with wins! Then, focus on defense - especially the trenches, and backend.
Luke, my first interaction was when you joined Locked on Lions. I was impressed then and even more so now.
Great commentary and unbiased observation.
I respect your football mind as well. Matt Dery cant bring this aspect to our channel.
Can we extrapolate the whole “it doesn’t matter if you win in the regular season” point? Isn’t the end state, nothing matters unless you win the SB?
Like every game matters!
There is such a huge draft penalty for having a season like this, it seems counter intuitive. Win 4 games, your options in the draft are fantastic. Win 14 games, you get somebody that might help next year.
@@ALexMcDunny how often are dumpster fire teams really saved by draft picks? Winning teams like Buffalo and KC are doing just fine with their draft position.
Your point is we are like an NBA team that is based on 3s. When they are falling it looks good, when not, not!
I'm closer to being done with this team than I am being on board with them thats for sure.
I enjoyed the regular season and I remember when the Twins won the World Series and I enjoyed it for awhile but that joy didn’t last much longer than when the Vikings win a regular season game and I will be watching and rooting for the Vikings again next regular season if God is willing of course.
That bubble screen tells me that Darnold isn’t good at the short screen.
I'm a little concerned that KOC will try to shoehorn J.J. into this system when he seems to be better suited for a power run system that uses more play action, with opportunistic deep throws.
Fair to say that throwing the long ball in near, or actual playoff game(s) with grabby db's tolerated by refs, and physically weak and mentally weak IOL play, will result in 9 sacks. Also, inability to play man, just zone schemes in general, due topresent abilities of db's, seriously diminishes Flores scheme options. Lastly, failureto power presessure with IDL seriously exhausts defense,which requires T.O.P to remain aggressive in games. Oh, wasn;t this the stuff we were talking about at the beginningof the year, when chastened by you to go away?
Sounds like a moral victory, but this season was super fun. Been almost a decade since I felt this way about a team. I look forward to McCarthy taking the reins.
Zero run game, questionable O line, hodgepodge defense and a fractured QB? This is not on KOC.
Knowing you have a questionable o line and fractured qb means KO should have done short pass plays and he dis not. There were no 2 second pass designs and we seen the result of that
I think Jefferson slipped on a short route. 4th down
I agree with you about Sam. When the Vikings were kicking ass during the regular season, I was also thinking that this is THE "destiny" team, with an unlikely QB, who would have been the ultimate hero if we were finally able to get that Super Bowl win. It would have been a great story. FINALLY get over the hump. But nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!. lol. Another Tanked playoff game. Good analysis in the video. We always got next year.
The vikings lost focus and purpose when they celebrated after the packers gm. Darnold changed that day. Should hav been 4 better but somehow it went backwards for him. We can see the lack of intensity and desire by the whole team. Koc is a great guy and good coach but is not an adjustment maker. Any SKOL!
Darnold is poor between 5 and `15 yards down field. He is great throwing more than 20 yards down field. The Rams and Lion defenses found that if they can use press man to disrupt the first part of every route. It forced Darnold to hold the ball because the timing of the routes was off. They knew they could not cover for 3 or 4 seconds, but they did not have to. They only needed to get Darnold to 2 to 2.5 seconds without an answer. Their D lines then get a pressure or hurray, and Darnold panics. He makes a bad decision. Once it worked for the Lions, the Rams said why not? It was a gamble by both teams that worked because, surprise surprise, the Vikings receivers are soft and cannot fight through press man. Other teams might have tried it, but could not pull it off.
You correct, and if the Vikings tried to run back Sam next year, they might just finish 6-11, or worse.
You are trying to use X’s and O’s to explain away a human issue. Darnold melted down, you could see the fear in his eyes. The entire sideline saw the same thing. Football is a confidence and swagger sport as much as anything else. When guys like Mahomes or Allen take the field or huddle the entire team believes they are getting the job done. Talking about scheme is moot point when the team sees the writing on the wall or QB’s face in this instance. It’s like following a great general into war, guys will fight harder if they believe they are going to win.
Do you think nick Saban would've got in his quarterbacks face and said snap out of it or you're getting benched
We definitely need to stop being a finesse team and be faster... speed kills.. the rams were fast off the ball fast routes fast sacks you're right our plays take waaay too long to develop
This team was the luckiest team since the Vikings of a couple years ago and had absolutely zero business being in the playoffs
I am not sure how lucky they were, there were times they overcame some really bad luck.
Bud Grant was outcoached in the final game every season.
O'Connell reminds me of Grant.
Bud grant cared more about hunting
I expected the embarrassing loss. but I hype them up because I'm a masochist.
That's WILD..😂 it's like you're having battles with yourself
Viking make me redirect my self loathing!
If you grow up liking football, you tend to love it more or care more about it the older you get. Most of the fans have simply adopted our local team. Me... well, I'm lucky in a way... I'm a transplant to the twin cities from South Philly. My first team (and my favorite) has always been the Eagles. I have adopted the Vikings as my second favorite... my local team - and that's generally the way this works. If they win a Super Bowl then maybe at some point the Eagles will become my 2nd favorite team... IDK. This was just a failure to realize that post season play is more than just one step beyond regular season play. Every team you face will be among the top 10 in your conference... so at that point you have GOT to be able to match up. We HAD to focus on quick passing drills. All the elite level QBs focus on the amount of time it takes to get the ball out..... trying to get it down to no more than 2 seconds.... 3 max. Did they do this? Whose fault is THAT? Our O-Line needs to be REALLY good if it's going to take longer than that... and we don't have that. KOC deserves most of this blame. Darnold is capable, but he's gotta be coached into the next level of play. Josh Allen is doing this, Bo Nix was doing this, Manning, Brady, Rogers.... they ALL worked on a short passing game as they moved toward the post season.
Are the twin cities similar to Philadelphia?
@@gregpettis1113 - Ummm... yeah in many ways ... I'm just not sure any of the differences matter in the grand scheme of things.
That was deep hurting for a Vikings fan.
I had my concerns when they switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4
I wonder how much the lack of intermediate/short passes is on Sam and the scheme. The only short passes it seemed like were screens to the outside where it's harder to throw a pick.
Remember that bubble screen to Jefferson that Sam, inexplicably, didn’t throw? Yeah. I think O’Connell knew who his QB was and didn’t call the short because that’s not Sam’s game.
Truth be told that screen should have targetted speedy Nailor not JJ. Force-feeding Jefferson was exposed vs Detroit. KoC not making adjustments in that game sucked.. this is way worse. Phenomenal coach dynamic drawer of plays. Horrible play caller.@@stevencass8849
@stevencass8849 the screen to jones comes to mind too
No...ignoring the weakness of our interior offensive line was the cause. These guys couldn't block sunlight.
You could feel that the Vikings were a house of cards, and outplaying their record. Reminds me of Zimmerd last year.
This team seems more built for regular season success. The playoffs are a whole other thing. This isn't the first time this happened
I like Kwesi and KOC with the Wilf family so far. I think next year will be important for KOC to see how much he grows as a coach in what needs to be done.
The defense it’s hard to speculate bc what we need depends entirely on if B-Flo is back or not. If our DB core gets some shut down corners and our back 6 can play mostly man to man as we send 5? I think good things will happen. If not, it’s gonna be rough.
My view on Darnold is: we can resign him only if he chooses to stay for 15 mil/year. He might be able to get more than that somewhere else so if he’s going for max payoff he won’t be a Viking. We need a younger durable version of Aaron Jones. JJ McCarthy at QB. And fill in particularly the interior of the O Line.
I wouldn't even give Sam 10 million to stay as a backup.
I have been a fan since I was 5 years old and I was hoping this team was different than previous years it looked like the Rams were playing our practice squad... wtf??
I'm pretty sure they gave up on Sam's ability in the short to intermediate passing game early in training camp it wasn't going well.
Kwesi should have known that the draft was better for Cornerbacks than it was for Edge Rushers, they should have drafted Quinyon Mitchel instead of Dallas Turner. Eight Corners had 8 or more PD's. The wins masked the Vikings weaknesses they still have the same weaknesses that they had for the last three years. The interior of the Vikings offensive line has actually been a problem for more than ten years. The Defensive line is a weakness, and so is the secondary. Having Mekhi Blackmon, and Kyree Jackson would have helped but those cornerbacks are usually drafted.
Luke, ok.. I've been saying this all along. There is no contingency to the approaches of the offense or defense. The teams that truly go deep have the capacity to totally switch gears... on both sides of the ball. seems like the Vikings never come to dominate or impose their will on a team. Theres never any surprises. I dont think that qualifies as elite coaching.
This is very painful 💔 but.. they weren't supposed to even win 6 games it was very fun while it lasted... I had a blast since the draft honestly.. I have been a fan since Tommy Kramer was the quarterback but I don't remember those games much I was a little kid then.. I thought this was the year just like 09.. but at least it ended abruptly instead of in the NFC championship game
Not a Vikes fans, but I was telling my wife (rides and dies with the Vikings) that this might have been good for the Vikings. It allows them to move on from Darnold, spend some of that cap to shore up the interior line, us the draft to just grab BPA across the board, and let McCarthy learn. To me, JJ always had more upside than Darnold and y'all saw what was possible with a mid QB. Wait until JJ learns the books... I just hope O'Connell learns how to scheme better blocking.
@thestormofwar your right ✅
No adjustments from Detroit game. Team still looked shell shocked
Rule of thumb as a Viking fan is to enjoy the season but just remember that when the rubber hits the road and a good performance is needed to win a playoff game or 20 championship, The Vikings will fall flat in sometimes the most unusual ways…… The only good thing about how they play the last 50 years is that eventually they will make a Hollywood movie about there in the play and it will be if I every popular movie that will be watched for millennium
Kevin O'Connell is a great head coach, but his experience is still limited, and he was clearly outcoached. I’m confident that he will learn from situations like this and continue to develop (Sean McVay also needed five seasons to win his Super Bowl).
Next season will probably be what this year’s win total was 6.5, they are years away from being competitive all the talent in the world will never help if they refuse to address the lack of talent on the offensive line if you can’t block what’s the point?
Need a good/great Offensive linemen.
KOC plays take too long!!
Draft a stud Running Back
It is hard to overcome poor QB play, especially in the playoffs.
That's such a sick McCarthy jersey.
This team wins and loses in spectacularly embarrassing fashion. They squeak out wins and they choke in HUGE games…back to back to back to back .
KOC the most winningest loser of all time !
In KOC’s first year the Vikings found some success. I made a point back then. It was a metaphor. I suggested the Vikings team as a whole has low-T. In contrast the Lions and Rams had all the testosterone in these past two games. Nothing illustrates what I said three seasons ago. Low-T Vikings culture. They still think they are successful winning 14 regular season games. Delusional could be another word for it.
My feelings are hurt
Yesterday I was tweeting “Sam Darnold is a terrorist”. I may or may not have called O’Connell a dolled up Adam Gase
Mistakes have been made in the heat of passion.
By next week I will be ready to appreciate darnold’s magic carpet ride.
Vikings have the 9th highest all time winning percentage. If you were picking a random team to celebrate s Superbowl with, the Vikings wouldn't be a head-scratching pick.
Outside of these last couple years I'd much rather have grown up a Vikings fan over being a Lions fan.
When the host feels the need to defend the very nature of being a fan of sports....you know things went pretty badly for your team.
Coach of the Year!
Can't wait to see McCarthy take the reigns. Better do it before #18 walks.
I agree you 100%
IDK, Luke - I felt like our defense was REALLY good. I have no way of knowing, really - never played football... been disabled all my life.... but I sure do love watching it. They get at least one turnover EVERY game.... and usually win the turnover battle in each game. They could sack pretty consistently too.... they had trouble with a really good O-Line, but on the whole they did pretty well. I'm probably wrong... but it would have been nice to see some stats from you to back up your position.
This scenario did not start with O’Connor/Flores we need a Viking team that can overcome it. Isn’t it strange how the Vikings loss to the lions and the Rams at the middle of the season and then lost to the Rams and the Lions at the end of the season, some missiles are surfaced to air,, while others, cruise through outer space , but I’m still a Viking fan, (like the old (ABC) Wide world of sports slogan (it the thrill of victory and the agony of the defeat) You can say this fit Viking fans very well (14 wins 3 losses) going to be a cold, lonely winter and a long, hot summer to training camp hang in there)
Sam Darnold beat the Vikings two straight weeks.
lol
100%. I wish him well, but look forward to a quarterback that can make good decisions when it really matters
To put it into perspective, the offensive line was not going to hold up with a QB who tends to hold onto a ball a second too long. We won 14 games, but some of these wins were thanks to the defense vs high powered offense. The lions showed what it takes to rattle Darnold and do you really think from top to bottom we matched with the Bills, Chiefs, Eagles, Lions? Even if we kicked ass this game and lost the next game by getting destroyed, Vikings fans would be bitching and saying the same thing they are saying now. We were not supposed to win 14 games this year, it happened thanks to coaching and when the season became important, Darnold showed who he was and that is a backup.
The coach can only do so much. They need a power RB and a decent offensive line. With a power RB who can constantly bust off runs and be a brute runner, they have to worry about the RB and QB vs just the QB. Aaron Jones is injury prone and not a bruising back. He was never a huge threat as a runner and KOC knew that.
KOC is weak and too soft to be a head coach. He will never win the Superbowl with the Minnesota Vikings.
Criticizing a coach with 2 seasons with 13 and 14 wins and another one with half a season without a decent 2nd or 3rd string QB at the best is insane.
He doesn't have a QB in the roster to play fast plays, period.
It's ok to criticize a head coach that is 0-2 in the playoffs.
@@martygras378 A team that couldn't beat the Giants cannot blame it on their coach. When a QB that takes 9 SACKS, 6 of them purely on him, and loses 89 yards blaming the coach is stupid. Saying that he could have done something different is fine. Blaming him for the outcome is pure ignorance.
KOC and Darnold seem like a chicken-egg cycle. One thing I like about Darnold is that he doesn't have a big ego. The downside is a lack of self confidence when things aren't working out. At this point in his career, Sam is an undeveloped quarterback who can be micro-managed. I think that's part of the reason he was hired. The easy way out would be to blame Darnold, because he did choke in these last 2 games. But I think KOC deserves an equal or perhaps 51% of the blame for poor play calling. I'd like to see KOC re-evaluate his play calling approach. I don't think moving on to JJ is going to fix things, because JJ is another undeveloped quarterback. The only other solution would be to hire a proven seasoned quarterback. But he would probably clash with KOC, and that would make for a less cohesive team.
No easy solution here. But like Sam, the Vikings are still a work in progress.
I saw Joe Kapp lose Superbowl IIII
KOC a one trick pony. Once you learn the trick, it’s over.
However, KOC and Darnold were told or paid to throw this game for the Rams and LA, because they need a win right now.
I meant Offensive Line.
Winning on the road in the NFL against a good team is very difficult. On the other hand you need to answer a score with another score or the game will get away quickly. The Vikings Oline failed for the offensive plays called. You need to run the football to make the Dline hesitate prior to coming upfield. Play action works, especially if you have an offensive scheme to pick up blitzes and stunts. Does Aaron Jones know how to blitz pickup? I didn’t see any hot routes. Watch the amount of pressure on the pocket during the game. Quick passes and running the football defeats defensive blitz packages. You design running and passing plays designed to attack these defensive tendencies. Darnold didn’t fail the offensive game plan failed. The defense played good enough to win. The defense gave up twenty points on the road.
Darnold, failed, and the offensive game plan failed, it was offensive
Funny he didn't mention what really happened. The Honolulu Flu.
Listen bruh, I know that game was ugly but fr idk what all the Vikings fans are talking about. Your team was real af, they got this far with a QB that NOBODY WANTED. If JJ is even average then you're gonna be beasts. You literally only lost to two teams all year. Keep your heads up, because I think it's gonna get easier. Much love
Go Tampa Bay Buccaneers! 2 Super Bowl s!
Oline no 1 problem period
I agree with everything in this vid, except for one example...Michigan football during the late 2000's though entirety of the 2010's. I'm a massive wolverines fan, and though i'd agree with almost every other sports team, hope springs eternal, but after a decade and a half of constant catastrophes to what was, (and still technically is), the most winningest program in college football history jaded the eff outa me. I was always extremely disappointed with Lloyd Carr's teams toward the end of his tenure because of how loaded with talent they were but constantly underachieved, however as bad as that was - nothing compares to the misery of Michigan football that was the Rich-rod, Hoke, and first half of the Harbaugh years were. Eventually i legit just stopped watching their games for like 8 years up until the end of 2021. I love the Lions and Raiders, who have both been dogshit for decades, (until recently with the Lions), and yet i was never as demoralized as a fan the way i was during those dark years with Michigan. So setting that example aside, i totally agree that getting invested and "getting your hopes up" is what being a sports fan is all about.
I was worried about an early playoff exit, given how the Vikings struggled to put away the teams they played throughout the season - for which I was roundly scolded. Against playoff teams (Rams, Packers, Lions- all twice and Houston), the Vikings were 3-4 - against non-playoff competition, they were undefeated. Jefferson got the Vikings roughly the same production he had in the 2022 playoff loss; KOC stuck to his original form of hero ball - despite a pass rush that was eating up his quarterback; and Flores' vaunted defense (blitz and then blitz some more) was managed by a good coach and quarterback. Also, the last playoff win was secured by MIKE ZIMMER - but, today, the players can say "our coach is our friend". What a disappointing year!