Minnesota Vikings’ KOC hoping to get ‘back on track’ before season ends

Minnesota Vikings’ KOC hoping to get ‘back on track’ before season ends

THROUGH IF YOU. OH NO. LET’S GO TO COKE. IT’S ALMOST LIKE HE’S WATCHING. WANTED TO START OUT TODAY. JUST LET YOU KNOW WE DECIDED TODAY TO OPEN UP TY CHANDLER’S WINDOW. HE’S BEEN DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB WORKING HIS WAY BACK AND WITH, YOU KNOW, TIMING IS GOOD. WITH COREY KINER GETTING POACHED BY THE CARDINALS OFF OF OUR PRACTICE SQUAD. SO HAVING TY OUT THERE WILL BE WILL BE REALLY GOOD TO HAVE HIM BACK. OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT WEEK OF PREPARATION. IT IS NOT LOST ON US FOR ONE SECOND. JUST THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAYING BETTER AT HOME, GETTING GETTING OFF TO SOME FASTER STARTS AT HOME AND REALLY WHAT IT’S GOING TO TAKE TO TO WIN A GAME VERSUS TALENTED TEAM. DAN’S A REALLY GOOD COACH. CLIFF’S A HECK OF AN OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR, SO WE’VE GOT TO PUT TOGETHER ONE OF OUR BEST WEEKS, AND IT COMES AT A TIME WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE IT, AND OUR TEAM UNDERSTANDS THAT AND OUR COACHING STAFF UNDERSTANDS THAT. SO WE’LL HIT THE FIELD WITH A BUNCH OF ENERGY AND URGENCY TODAY. REALLY, I’LL LET YOU GUYS OPEN IT UP. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON INJURIES, I CAN HIT THOSE. WHAT IS THE OVERARCHING MESSAGE TO THE TEAM? THERE’S OBVIOUSLY FRUSTRATION. WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM THIS WEEK AND TRY TO GET THE TRAIN BACK ON TRACK? YEAH I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IT’S WHAT IT’S GOING TO TAKE TO WIN A GAME, AND THAT COINCIDES WITH GETTING THE, YOU KNOW, THE QUOTE UNQUOTE TRAIN BACK ON THE TRACKS IS WE GOT TO STOP DOING THINGS TO LOSE GAMES BEFORE WE GIVE OURSELVES A CHANCE TO WIN THEM. AND SOMETIMES IT MIGHT NOT BE AS CATASTROPHIC AS A TURNOVER PLAY, BUT THOSE ARE CERTAINLY IN THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE LEDGER OF THINGS THAT THAT LOSE GAMES. SOMETIMES IT’S AN EARLY, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY PLAY A REALLY GOOD COMPLETE GAME, BUT YOU’RE ONE PLAY IS ON A FOURTH AND ONE OR YOU’RE ONE PLAY IS ON A THIRD AND THREE EARLY ON IN THE GAME WHERE WE’VE GOT A CHANCE TO MAYBE START A LITTLE FASTER, SUSTAIN A LITTLE BIT OF MOMENTUM, GIVE OUR DEFENSE A CHANCE TO PLAY, YOU KNOW, NOT IN AN EVEN 5050 GAME OR TRAILING. AND THEN SPECIAL TEAMS, THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN THAT ONE PLAY PHASE OF, AS WE’VE SEEN AT TIMES THIS YEAR, TO MAYBE KICK START SOME MOMENTUM. THEY’RE GOING TO START THE GAME REGARDLESS. FIRST YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR ONE PLAY PHASE. SO IT’S A LOT OF THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN IT’S JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A OF TROUBLING, TROUBLING TIMES. BUT HOW WE HANDLE THESE TIMES AND HOW WE SHOW THE ABILITY TO PERSEVERE THROUGH THESE TIMES ARE WHAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE PATH MOVING FORWARD WILL BE FORGED UPON, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT’S DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE, WHETHER THAT’S ULTIMATELY WHAT THIS KIND OF ORGANIZATION AND OUR ROSTER AND OUR STAFF AND THINGS, ALL THOSE THINGS LIKE WE’RE IN A MOMENT NOW WHERE WE NEED TO ALL RESPOND THE RIGHT WAY TOGETHER, AND WE’VE GOT THE LEADERSHIP TO DO IT. WE’VE GOT THE PLAYERS TO DO IT. AND TALKING ABOUT IT GETS YOU TO A CERTAIN POINT, BUT THEN IT’S ABOUT THE ACTION PLANS ON THE GRASS TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS WITH YOUR EXPECTATION. THIS WEEK FOR DARRISAW AND JOHNNY JACKSON. YEAH, DONOVAN IS NOT QUITE THERE YET FROM A STANDPOINT OF PARTICIPATING IN PRACTICE, BUT HE’S RAPIDLY RECOVERING AND DOING EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO BE ON THE FIELD. IT’S BEEN AWESOME TO SEE AND WE’LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK. HE’S PROVEN COMING OFF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WRIST SURGERY EARLIER THIS YEAR. HE CAN GO OUT THERE AND PLAY AT A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL. IF HE CAN GET TO THAT PLACE WHERE HE’S STABLE AND HAS THE POWER AND CHANGE OF DIRECTION AND THOSE THINGS. AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, MONDAY, THE PLAN FOR CHRISTIAN IS TO HAVE HIS NORMAL KIND OF WORK WEEK AND FLOW AND PLAY IN THE FOOTBALL GAME. I MEAN, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT JUST THE INVENTORY OF THE OFFENSE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU KIND OF LOOK BACK AT YOURSELF THROUGH THE OFF SEASON, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT’S SORT OF DEVELOPED AS YOU’VE GONE ALONG WITH A LOT OF THE STOPS AND STOPS AND STARTS AND DIFFERENT PERSONNEL THAT YOU’VE HAD TO USE? YEAH, I THINK IN YOU GET SO WRAPPED UP IN THE GAME WEEK AND FOR MUCH OF OUR SEASON, IT’S BEEN THE CONVERSATIONS HAVEN’T NECESSARILY STARTED. AS FOR A LOT OF THE SEASON AS WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO ATTACK, IT’S BEEN MORE SO HOW DO WE MITIGATE SOME OF THE ISSUES WE’RE WORKING THROUGH AND GIVE GUYS A CHANCE TO, TO PLAY WELL WITH, WITH OUR SCHEME? AND THAT MIGHT BE HELPING AREAS UP FRONT THAT MIGHT BE TRYING TO RUN THE FOOTBALL A LITTLE BIT MORE. THAT MIGHT BE TRYING TO BE EXPLOSIVE, TO SEE IF YOU CAN GENERATE SOME OF THOSE PLAYS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN HUGE PARTS OF OUR OFFENSE. SO IT’S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND THEN YOU GET INTO WHAT YOU’RE DOING WELL OR HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO DO WELL AS AN OFFENSE VERSUS THAT OPPONENT AND WHAT THEY DO WELL. AND THEN YOU TRY TO CRAFT A GAME PLAN FOR EACH WEEK. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT. AND I DON’T THINK IT’S AN OFFSEASON THING OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT IN TOTALITY, KNOWING THE REASONS WHY EACH WEEK. BUT THEN ULTIMATELY, HOW DID THOSE GAMES PLAY OUT? YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS THE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE HAD TO PLAY IN LONDON AGAINST CLEVELAND IN THAT GAME WORKED OUT OR SOME OF OTHER GAMES WHERE MAYBE IT DIDN’T WORK OUT. AND THEN YOU LOOK AT HOW DO WE WANT TO PLAY THIS GAME THIS WEEK AGAINST THIS OPPONENT AND TRY TO CRAFT THAT GAME PLAN IN ALL THREE PHASES? IT’S OBVIOUSLY OUR OFFENSE IS A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW, AND RIGHTLY SO. BUT IT’S ALL THREE PHASES. KEVIN, WHAT DO YOU GUYS WHAT’S THE KEY TO WHEN YOU’RE USING CHIPPERS. WHAT’S THE KEY TO EXECUTING THE BLACKWELL. AND IF THERE’S GOING TO BE PART OF THE PASS CONCEPT, GETTING THE TIMING RIGHT FOR YOU. YEAH. THE DEPTH OF THE ROUTES THAT ARE THAT ARE ON THE PLAY, YOU KNOW, IT IT DOESN’T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE OR PROVE TO BE VERY VALUABLE. IF YOU KNOW, YOU NEED THAT ELIGIBLE WITHIN THE CONCEPT TO HELP, HELP KIND OF ACTIVATE CERTAIN THINGS VERSUS CERTAIN COVERAGES. SO THAT’S WHY SOMETIMES WHEN YOU’RE IF YOU’RE GOING TO USE THOSE THINGS, MAYBE THOSE ROUTES NEED TO BE AT A CERTAIN LEVEL OR DEPTH TO STILL HAVE A COHESIVE CONCEPT. SO IT’S IT’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU TRY TO BALANCE THOSE THINGS, BUT THEN IF YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF A WE CALL IT, YOU KNOW, THAT BALL OUT KIND OF QUICKER GAME, QUICK DECISION, PUT IT IN PLAY KIND OF PLAYS. YOU HAVE TO BE PRETTY DARN CERTAIN THAT NUMBER ONE IS GOING TO BE OPEN, BECAUSE THE SECOND THAT THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN, EVEN IF ALL ELIGIBLES ARE ARE OUT AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION IS CLEAN AND YOU HAVE THE FIELD SPACED AND THERE’S PEOPLE OPEN, ONCE YOU’RE NOW RESETTING TO ANOTHER PROGRESSION, IT IS NO LONGER AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO PUT IT IN A COLUMN ON THE CALL SHEET, IT IS NO LONGER QUICK GAME. AND NOW PROTECTION DOES COME INTO PLAY. AND WE’VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, THINKING BACK TO, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST PLAY OF THE GREEN BAY SECOND HALF. YOU KNOW WE THAT’S A QUICK GAME PLAY. BUT IT ENDS UP BEING A SACK ON A FIRST AND TEN. THAT THAT PROVED TO BE, YOU KNOW, CATASTROPHIC ON THAT SET OF DOWNS. AND THE GAME KEVIN HOW DO YOU GET JORDAN EDISON BACK ON TRACK FROM A PRODUCTION STANDPOINT? YEAH, I THINK THAT KIND OF GOES HAND IN HAND WITH WITH MATT’S QUESTION. AND IT’S LIKE YOU’RE ASKING YOURSELF SOME INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS BASED UPON GUYS PRODUCTION HISTORY. AND, AND THE SAME COULD BE SAID FOR OUR OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION HISTORY. YOU KNOW, WE’RE WELL AWARE OF KIND OF STATISTICALLY WHAT IT, WHAT IT NOT ONLY LOOKS LIKE IN A ON A PIECE OF PAPER, BUT WHAT IT FEELS LIKE. BUT OBVIOUSLY OUR PASSING GAME HAS NEVER REALLY EXISTED IN A PLACE WHERE IT WASN’T A TOP TEN CALIBER, YOU KNOW, IN THE LEAGUE KIND OF PASS GAME. WE’RE NOT THAT RIGHT NOW IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. OUR EXECUTION, OUR ABILITY TO PITCH AND CATCH OUR PROTECTION FROM, YOU KNOW, ON ENOUGH OF THESE WEIGHTY DOWNS WHERE IT’S A COMBINATION OF A LOT OF THINGS. SO YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF THOSE QUESTIONS. AS FAR AS INDIVIDUAL IMPACT PLAYERS. BUT THEN OBVIOUSLY STRAIN THOSE THROUGH THE LENS OF WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT COLLECTIVE GROUP IS SUCCESSFUL, CAN SUSTAIN MOMENTUM, AND HOPEFULLY STACK POSITIVE PLAYS? I KNOW YOU, YOU AND JUSTIN TALKED A FAIR BIT TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN. WHERE DO YOU THINK HIS HEAD IS AT RIGHT NOW? I KNOW AFTER THE GAME IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS PRETTY FRUSTRATED SITTING ON THE WATER COOLER. YEAH. UNDERSTANDABLY SO. YEAH. BUT JUST IN YOUR DIALOG WITH HIM AND YOUR PERCEPTION OF WHERE HE’S AT, LIKE, WHAT’S YOUR SENSE OF HIM? YEAH, HE’S OBVIOUSLY WANTS TO WIN FOOTBALL GAMES. HE’S AS I’VE MENTIONED BEFORE, HE’S AS COMPETITIVE AS ANYBODY I’VE EVER BEEN AROUND. AND SO HE’S A LEADER ON OUR TEAM AND NOBODY IS ACCEPTING ANY SORT OF, YOU KNOW, THE OUTCOMES THAT WE’RE FACING RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF THE REASON, REGARDLESS OF THE CURRENT STATE OF WHERE WE’RE AT, NOBODY’S ACCEPTING THAT. AND JUSTIN CERTAINLY WILL NEVER BE ASKED TO ACCEPT THAT. BUT HE ALWAYS LIKE HE DID TODAY, HE HE SHOWS UP WITH ENERGY AND HE’S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR ORGANIZATION AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL. AND WE’VE GOT TO FIND WAYS TO ALLOW PLAYERS JUST LIKE JUSTIN AND JORDAN AND SOME OF OUR OTHER PLAYERS TO HAVE A CHANCE TO IMPACT THE GAME. AND THEN WHEN THEY GET THOSE CHANCES, WE KNOW THAT GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN. BUT IT TAKES MUCH MORE THAN JUST CALLING PLAYS FOR THEM OR, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HAVING SEQUENCES IN THE GAMES WHERE THEY CAN HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF IMPACT BECAUSE THIS GAME REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, TEN OTHER GUYS TO OPERATE AT A STANDARD TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. AND THAT’S WHAT WE GOT TO STRIVE TO HAVE HAPPEN. AND JUSTIN PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN THAT. AS ONE OF OUR CAPTAINS. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EVERYBODY RESPONDING THE RIGHT WAY AND KNOWING THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN, DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE BIGGEST, BEST YOUR CULTURE HAS? OH NO QUESTION. CULTURE IS ULTIMATELY TESTED WHEN THOSE ON THE OUTSIDE AND WITH A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, EVERY RIGHT TO DO SO, YOU KNOW, OUR WHEN WE’RE NOT GETTING THE RESULTS AS AN ORGANIZATION AND WE’RE NOT GETTING THE STANDARD THAT THAT WE’VE ESTABLISHED, IT’D BE ONE THING IF WE HAD NEVER ESTABLISHED THAT STANDARD. BUT WHEN IT’S NOT HAPPENING THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME TO EXPECT OR CAME INTO THIS YEAR WITH CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS, THAT’S WHAT WE WANT. AND THAT’S WHAT EVERY GOOD ORGANIZATION SHOULD WANT TO HAVE. BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU PROVE KIND OF WHAT YOU’RE ALL ABOUT IN THESE MOMENTS. AND EVEN WHEN THERE IS, YOU KNOW, JUSTIFIED NOISE AND A LOT OF IT, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING ON A, YOU KNOW, DO IF ANY OF THAT AFFECTS WHAT’S BEEN BUILT FROM A STANDPOINT OF HOW WE WORK, HOW WE HOW CONNECTED WE ARE AS A TEAM, EVEN THROUGH SOME OF THE THE FRUSTRATION. THEN THERE’S A BIGGER CONVERSATION TO HAVE ABOUT CULTURE. AND I’M VERY FORTUNATE THAT I CAN TRUST IN OUR GUYS AND OUR COACHES AND WHAT’S BEEN BUILT HERE TO, YOU KNOW, IT’S NOT A MATTER OF STAYING THE COURSE BECAUSE IT’S A MATTER OF IMPROVEMENT AND ALTERING THE COURSE OF WHERE WE’RE AT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT MEANS FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR SEASON INTO THE FUTURE AND ALL OF THEM HAVE CONNECTION POINTS TO THAT. BUT IT’S ABOUT TRYING TO GO ONE AND, OH, THIS WEEK. AND IF YOU’VE EVER UNDERSTOOD OR QUESTIONED WHY A CLICHE LIKE THAT IS USED, WE’RE IN A MOMENT WHERE IT MATTERS MORE SO NOW THAN AND OH, TO WIN FIVE IN A ROW OR NINE IN A ROW, IT’S ONE AND OH TO GO ONE AND ZERO RIGHT NOW. KEVIN, ARE THERE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO PLAYOFF TEAMS FROM LAST YEAR STRUGGLING? I MEAN, BEYOND THE QUARTERBACK SITUATIONS, IS THERE THERE’S OTHER SIMILARITIES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM AND YOU KNOW HOW THEY SLIP BACK IN THERE. YEAH I THINK YOU KNOW THE ADVERSITY OF INJURY YOU KNOW HITTING AT YOU KNOW EARLY ON IN THE SEASON YOU KNOW THEY’VE THEY’VE OBVIOUSLY HAD SOME PLAYERS THAT THEY EXPECTED TO HAVE THAT HAVEN’T BEEN OUT THERE. YOU KNOW THE QUARTERBACK OBVIOUSLY. AND SOME OF THEIR DEFENSIVE PLAYERS, SOME OF THEIR OFFENSIVE PLAYERS. THEY GOT TERRY BACK RECENTLY WHO’S A HECK OF A PLAYER. KNOW TERRY WELL AND THINK THE WORLD OF HIM. BUT YEAH I THINK IT’S JUST A MATTER OF WINNING. AND LOSING IS A VERY IT’S A VERY SIMPLE THING. YOU EITHER WIN OR YOU LOSE. AND THEN THE WEEKS COME, WHETHER THEY’RE ON THE SCHEDULE, WE KNOW THE SCHEDULE THE MOMENT IT COMES OUT AND YOU’VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO NAVIGATE WHAT IS A THING IN TOTALITY THAT IS VERY EASY TO LOOK AT AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED, THIS HAS HAPPENED. THIS NEEDS TO STOP HAPPENING. ALL OF THOSE THINGS LEAD YOU RIGHT BACK TO 12:00 ON SUNDAY AT U.S. BANK STADIUM, WHERE WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO COACH THE THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO GO WIN THE GAME, MAKE SURE WE DON’T DO THE THINGS THAT LOSE FOOTBALL GAMES THAT WE’VE LEARNED IN A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT WAY THIS YEAR. BUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS LEAD YOU RIGHT BACK TO 12:00 ON SUNDAY. AND IT’S IT’S A ONE OF ONE PROPOSITION THIS WEEK THAT MATTERS A GREAT DEAL TO US HERE. AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE MATTER, WHETHER WE’VE WON FIVE IN A ROW OR WE’RE IN THE MOMENT WE ARE RIGHT NOW, THEY ALL MATTER THE SAME. IT’S JUST KIND OF NAVIGATING THROUGH THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO. ABSOLUTELY. IN, YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR LOCKER ROOM AND WITHIN OUR TEAM TO WIN, BUT ALSO TO NAVIGATE, YOU KNOW, THE EXTERNAL FACTORS OF OF KIND OF SOME OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL. COVID WHAT STANDS OUT IN YOUR MIND? COME BACK TO YOU, MARK. WHAT STANDS OUT IN YOUR MIND AS YOU THINK BACK TO OUR YOU SPENT WITH MARCUS MARIOTA, SOME OTHER QUARTERBACKS WHEN YOU WERE FIRST STARTING OUT. YEAH. YEAH THAT WAS A REALLY UNIQUE TIME BECAUSE I HAD COMMITTED TO MARCUS AND HIS FAMILY TO TO BE A PART OF HIS PRE-DRAFT PROCESS AND KIND OF RUN THAT FOR HIM. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO COACH. SO IT WAS KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITMENT AND MY WORD MATTERED. SO, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS SOMETHING WHERE I WASN’T GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, I WASN’T GOING TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY. BUT LUCKILY WITH WITH COACH PAT THERE AND THE CLEVELAND, CLEVELAND BEING AS UNDERSTANDING AS THEY WERE, IT ALLOWED ME TO FINISH THAT PROCESS OUT. AND WE WE GREW REALLY CLOSE. I THINK THE WORLD OF MARCUS, HE’S AN UNBELIEVABLE PERSON AND HAVE ALWAYS REALLY RESPECTED HIS TALENT AND HIS ABILITY TO PLAY THE POSITION AT THIS LEVEL. AND HE’S REALLY YOU KNOW, HIS QUARTERBACK JOURNEY HAS KIND OF LED HIM TO BE SOMEBODY THAT TEAMS CAN RELY ON, BEING ONE SNAP AWAY, AND HE’S BEEN REALLY GOOD STEPPING IN FOR HIM, ALLOWING THEM TO PLAY AT A LEVEL THAT THEY’VE PLAYED A LOT OF CLOSE GAMES. THEY’VE BEEN RIGHT THERE IN A LOT OF THEM AND AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, MARCUS, IF IF IT IS INDEED MARCUS ON SUNDAY, WE’VE GOT TO PLAY WELL DEFENSIVELY BECAUSE HE CAN FUNCTION AND RUN THAT OFFENSE AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL. AND AND IF IT’S JAYDEN WE KNOW YOU KNOW WE KNOW THAT HE’S ONE OF THE BEST AT THE POSITION IN FOOTBALL. REGARDLESS OF IF HE’S BEEN OUT. YOU CAN’T YOU DON’T IMAGINE HE’S GOING TO BE VERY RUSTY. YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY THE ROLLER COASTER IN AND OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS HAS BEEN BACK FARTHER THAN YOU GUYS GOT HERE. JUST CURIOUS. AND TYPICALLY IT IS INTERRELATED. WHENEVER EVERY OTHER YEAR THE TEAMS THAT STAY IN THE PLAYOFFS, WHETHER IT’S YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU’RE NOT IN SAN FRANCISCO. BUT LIKE WHAT THEY’VE DONE, YOU KNOW INJURIES HITTING THAT QUARTERBACK. HOW ARE HOW ARE THOSE TEAMS ABLE TO DO IT TO STAY. BECAUSE IT IS HARD OBVIOUSLY TO STAY THERE. BUT GETTING THERE IS ONE THING. BUT STAYING. YEAH I THINK IT’S IT’S YOU KNOW IT’S SIMPLE THINGS SOMETIMES MARK LIKE THE DEPTH YOU KNOW THE PLAYERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE STEPPING IN YOU KNOW HAVE THEY BEEN IN YOUR SYSTEM KIND OF THAT TRUE. NEXT MAN UP. OR ARE THEY PLAYERS THAT YOU KNOW MAYBE ARE THE NEXT MAN UP. BUT YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE OF MAYBE THE NECESSITY TO ACQUIRE A PLAYER OR WHATEVER IT IS LIKE I THINK IT’S DIFFERENT EVERY SINGLE TEAM. AND I THINK EVERY SINGLE INJURY LIKE YOU REFERENCED SAN FRANCISCO, BUT I DON’T BELIEVE THEY MADE THE PLAYOFFS LAST YEAR AND THEY DID HAVE SOME INJURIES THAT YEAR. AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THAT’S A GREAT I THINK THE WORLD OF KYLE AND JOHN AND HOW THEY DO THINGS AND MAYBE SOME, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY MAKE DECISIONS BASED UPON THAT EXPERIENCE. AND THEY’VE HAD A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER FROM THAT JOURNEY FROM WHENEVER IT WAS 2016 TILL NOW. SO I THINK EACH TEAM, YOU KNOW, IS ITS OWN INDIVIDUAL STORY. AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS YOU HAVE TO BE VERY HONEST IN YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE WHY STARTING WITH YOURSELF, STARTING WITH YOUR STAFF, STARTING WITH THE INTENT OF WHAT WAS PUT TOGETHER FOR THAT SEASON, AND THEN ULTIMATELY WHAT HAPPENED ALONG THE WAY THAT YOU CAN PINPOINT REAL, REAL, REAL REASONS. OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, IT STARTS TO IT CAN BE A VERY FINE LINE BETWEEN NAVIGATING WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW TO FIX SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND EXCUSE MAKING, WHICH IS NEVER GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW ME PERSONALLY. I WILL NEVER BE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO OWN IT AND YOU GOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT, AND THEN YOU GOT TO CRAFT A PLAN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RIGHT PRINCIPLES AND THE RIGHT THINGS BASED UPON NOW, WHAT WE HAVE IS FOUR YEARS COMING UP ON FOUR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OF, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT OUR TEAM IS AND WHAT WE NEED TO BE IN THE VERY, VERY NEAR FUTURE. LAST TWO AND JUST OVER THESE LAST FIVE GAMES, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF PROGRESS FROM JJ? YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVEN TALKING TO HIM THIS WEEK, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE’VE WE’VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT PLENTY OF MOMENTS THAT YOU GUYS PROBABLY HAVE LOCKED AWAY FOR ETERNITY OF FUNDAMENTALS AND TECHNIQUE AND ALL THOSE THINGS. AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS AND THE AND THE INTEREST AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE QUARTERBACK DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. BUT AS I TALKED TO HIM THIS WEEK, IT’S PURELY ABOUT DECISION MAKING AT THIS POINT. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE’LL BE TIME TO ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, FUNDAMENTALLY FOCUS ON THINGS AND BUILD CONTINUE BUILDING KIND OF THIS LAYER OF, YOU KNOW, A FOUNDATION THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR HIM INTO THE FUTURE. BUT NOW IT FEELS LIKE BETWEEN HE’S GOT ENOUGH EXPERIENCE, HE KIND OF KNOWS A LOT OF THESE PRINCIPLES THAT WE’VE TALKED ABOUT. YOU KNOW, I WANT HIM TO HAVE A CLEAR HEAD AND A CLEAR MIND TO JUST GO PLAY, BUT PLAY WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE DECISIONS THAT I MAKE WITH THE BALL IN MY HAND, THE DECISIONS THAT I MAKE AS A PASSER AND AS WE’VE LEARNED, VERY IMPORTANT AS A RUNNER TO PROTECT HIMSELF AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP HIM IN THERE, ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE THE MOST OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE BECAUSE WE’VE LEARNED, YOU KNOW, OUR TURNOVER NUMBER IS WHERE IT IS. AND IT’S IT’S IT’S NOT A WINNING FORMULA. AND WE’VE SHOWN OVER THE FOUR YEARS TO MARK’S POINT, EVEN WHEN MAYBE OTHER PLAYERS HAD TO STEP IN, IF WE DIDN’T TURN THE FOOTBALL OVER, WE’VE HAD A CHANCE TO WIN A LOT OF THOSE FOOTBALL GAMES AND WE HAVE IN THE BREAK EVEN OR BETTER MARK. AND THAT KIND OF SPEAKS TO PART OF BOTH QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF WAYS. BUT THAT WOULD BE IT IS. I DON’T WANT HIM OVER THINKING OR, YOU KNOW, WORRYING ABOUT LIKE IF THE FUNDAMENTALS NEED TO BE CHANGED, IF THEY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED, IF WE NEED MORE TIME ON TASK ON THAT, THAT’S ONE THING. BUT LET’S JUST MAKE THE THROWS. LET’S JUST THROW AND CATCH. LET’S JUST PLAY WITH, YOU KNOW, GREAT RHYTHM AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLAN. AND THEN THE ULTIMATE PLAN OF OUR TEAM ON WHAT IT’S GOING TO TAKE TO WIN A GAME INVOLVES NOT GIVING THE BALL AWAY TO THE OTHER TEAM. HAVE YOU TALKED WITH JJ AT ALL ABOUT SLIDING TO PROTECT HIMSELF A LITTLE MORE ON SOME OF THOSE PLAYS? OH YEAH. YEAH. AND IT’S A I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF A SOMETHING THAT’S SOMETHING THAT’S BEING TALKED ABOUT AROUND THE LEAGUE A LITTLE BIT FOR, FOR MULTIPLE YOUNG PLAYERS. BUT I THINK IT’S, IT’S PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GUYS THAT ARE SO COMPETITIVE AND HAVE PLAYED A CERTAIN STYLE AND MADE A PLAY TO WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BY DOING SO OR WHATEVER IT IS, MAYBE EARLY ON IN THEIR CAREER MADE A PLAY TO WIN A GAME BY DOING SO. LIKE JUST THE TOTALITY OF IT. AND WHEN THE A FULL SEASON’S WORTH OF INFORMATION AND DATA CAN NOW TELL YOU THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE A PART OF YOUR REFINED THOUGHT PROCESS, PROTECTING YOURSELF AND GETTING WHAT YOU CAN. AND IT’S A POSITIVE PLAY. AND THEN YOU PUT A PERIOD ON THAT SENTENCE BY YOUR ABILITY TO MOVE ON AND PLAY THE NEXT SNAP. AND, AND I THINK MULTIPLE TIMES NOW WE HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF DATA THAT SAYS THAT HE CAN IMPACT THE GAME ATHLETICALLY, BUT IT CAN’T COME AT A COST OF NOT HAVING HIM IN THERE FOR EITHER THE NEXT SNAP OR AS WE’VE LEARNED THE NEXT WEEK, EVEN IF WE EVEN IF WE SOMEHOW PERSEVERE THROUGH THAT DAY, THE SUSTAINABILITY OF IT WEEK TO WEEK IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTOR IN QUARTERBACK PLAY AND AVAILABILITY, AS AS BUD GRANT TALKED ABOUT, IS IS THE GREATEST ABILITY. S

Saying the team needs to “stop doing things that lose games in order to have a chance to win them,” Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell discusses ways in which the purple will work to get the “train back on the tracks” to finish the season. The coach also goes through injury updates ahead of their matchup against the Commanders on Dec. 7.

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