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Andrew Van Ginkel is a game-changing factor on defense for the Vikings. (Photo by Brace … More Hemmelgarn\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
There is no doubt that the Minnesota Vikings are gambling on an untested quarterback in the 2025 season. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used the No. 10 pick in last year\u2019s NFL draft to take J.J. McCarthy to become the team\u2019s QB1. Head coach Kevin O\u2019Connell believes that McCarthy is ready to step in and take the team to an even higher level than they were at last year when they finished with a 14-3 record.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Connell\u2019s greatest strength is his ability to get the most out of quarterbacks, and that\u2019s probably the most important thing a head coach can do to ensure a team\u2019s success in today\u2019s NFL.<\/p>\n
Go back to the first sentence of this column. McCarthy is untested, and even though the award-winning<\/a> young head coach loves him, there are no guarantees. McCarthy is coming off a meniscus injury and that could slow him down. He could also turn out to be ordinary \u2013 or even worse than that. Neither Adofo-Mensah nor O\u2019Connell are infallible. It\u2019s possible they could be wrong.<\/p>\n If that happens, is there any chance the Vikings could succeed this season? Is there any part of the team that could take over and allow the team to play respectably and contend for a playoff spot?<\/p>\n If the offense plays haltingly and McCarthy struggles badly, defensive coordinator Brian Flores may be able to rescue the Vikings. The offense gets all the headlines because of O\u2019Connell, McCarthy, Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones, but the defense could turn into a dominant unit this season.<\/p>\n Consider that the Vikings defense was among the worst in the league<\/a> in both 2021 and 2022. The Minnesota defense looked like Swiss cheese in Mike Zimmer\u2019s final season and was particularly vulnerable against the run. It wasn\u2019t much better in O\u2019Connell\u2019s first season even though the Vikings won the division with a 13-4 regular season record.<\/p>\n Once that team hit the postseason, the defense was unable to stop the mediocre New York Giants and quarterback Daniel Jones. The defensive performance in that 31-24 loss at home could not have been worse.<\/p>\n Flores riding high with Vikings defense<\/p>\n Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has an opportunity to build a game-changing defense this season. … More (Photo by Stephen Maturen\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Getty Images<\/p>\n Enter Flores, who was hired shortly after that pathetic performance. He brought immediate results as he built a middle-of-the-pack<\/a> defense in 2023 and that unit improved significantly last season when they added linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman and Jonathan Greenard through free agency.<\/p>\n