Getty Quarterback Kirk Cousins talks with head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings were on the receiving end of an epic beatdown at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys this weekend, unmatched in more than half a century of the franchise’s most recent history.
But that’s not necessarily the worst thing, at least not according to Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell.
“[It’s] huge opportunity for our team to really look inward,” O’Connell said during his postgame press conference. “We’ll be right back here in four days with an opportunity to get this taste out of our mouth. We’ve gotta learn from this, we’ve gotta use this as an opportunity to grow as a football team and handle adversity in the right way.”
“We’re an 8-2 football team. There’s gonna be a lot of narratives about our team … that we really can’t control. We know that,” the Vikings head coach continued. “We just gotta look inward to our locker room. I felt all along we’ve got the right kind of guys, we’ve got the right coaching staff. I do believe that we will respond to this in the right way. But at this point in the season, November comes and sometimes you can get hit in the mouth. This league has a way of humbling any football team at any point in time.”
Vikings Loss May be Owed to Hangover From Dramatic Win vs. Bills
GettyWR Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings catches a pass in front of DB Cam Lewis of the Buffalo Bills during the fourth quarter of a game at Highmark Stadium on November 13, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
It is difficult to justify or explain the kind of loss the Cowboys dealt the Vikings on Sunday. However, were one to try, that person might begin with the spectacular and unlikely victory Minnesota secured against the Buffalo Bills just seven days before.
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson made arguably the catch of the century on 4th and 18 to keep a late-game drive alive. Quarterback Kirk Cousins then came up just inches shy of a touchdown that would have given the Vikings the lead with less than a minute to play in regulation.
Instead, Minnesota turned the ball over. But on the very next snap, Bills QB Josh Allen fumbled in the end zone and the Vikings recovered. Allen redeemed himself by leading Buffalo down the field for a tying field goal, which sent the game into overtime. Ultimately, the Vikings prevailed by three points and finally began to get some respect around the league as an 8-1 team tied for the NFC lead.
But that win over the Bills appeared to be as exhausting emotionally as it was physically. Reporters asked O’Connell after the loss to the Cowboys if he believed a hangover from that victory contributed to his team’s more recent defeat.
I don’t know. I just know we had a good week of preparation and it didn’t translate to us playing our style of football in any way, shape or form. We were sloppy. I thought there were too many penalties.
[It was] just a night where we didn’t play well in any phase of our football team. Didn’t coach well enough, didn’t play well enough. This is not gonna be the last time we have to respond after an emotional win to come back and play the next week with much more energy.
Vikings Must Respond Immediately, Host Patriots Thanksgiving Day
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
For better or worse, the Vikings won’t have much time to dwell on their embarrassing defeat. The team must turn around in four days and host the New England Patriots (6-4) on Thanksgiving Day.
The biggest question mark for Minnesota heading into the contest is the offensive line, which gave up seven sacks against the Cowboys and will be without starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
Among the best tackles in the game in just his second year in the league, Darrisaw suffered his second concussion in two weeks against Dallas and was forced to leave the game early. He also left the Buffalo matchup midway through due to his first concussion.
O’Connell was definitive that Darrisaw would not play Thursday, leaving his duties to be filled by backup offensive lineman Blake Brandel. Darrisaw’s absence is of specific concern against the Patriots, who are second in the NFL in sacks with 36 total behind only the Cowboys.