It’s an experience all too familiar for the Minnesota Vikings under Kevin O’Connell — falling behind an opponent and needing to claw their way to a comeback.
It was an endearing trait of the early O’Connell rosters that never called it quits, and it happened again on Sunday, September 13, against the Green Bay Packers. With starter Kyler Murray knocked out of the game on the team’s second drive, the Vikings slouched to a 12-point deficit before scoring 29 unanswered points in the final 17 minutes of a 39-22 win.
But a 17-point win on paper over a division rival doesn’t reflect how the game felt for three-plus quarters.
The Vikings offense’s struggle to sustain drives with backup Carson Wentz was evident and dug the team into a deep rut. Without an incredible toe-tap in the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown by Justin Jefferson to close the first half, the Vikings would have had just three points to show for their first seven drives.
Injury concerns are apparent with a mobile quarterback like Murray. And, like last year, there could be a carousel at starting quarterback that will make feats like Sunday’s comeback hard to repeat.
How the Vikings are winning has been a concern for O’Connell, who admitted after the game he hasn’t been thrilled with how he’s coached facing quarterback adversity.
“In some of the adversity, I don’t think I’ve coached very well. Trying to maybe worry about the stat sheet, worry about what it’s gonna look like when you pick up the paper. Statistically, are people gonna think you’re a good coach? It’s about winning,” he said in his postgame news conference. “That’s where I think the growth along the way, how you call the game. The connection you have with your D-coordinator, special teams. Trying to look at the game through a bigger lens than just calling plays and trying to navigate it a certain kind of way.”
Vikings’ ‘QB Whisperer’ O’Connell Cannot Overcome Injuries at the Position
For most of the season opener, the Vikings offense was anemic.
But the explosive plays hit at the right time in the second half. The offense took a lead, and the defense took that luxury to tee off on Jordan Love to create a pair of fourth-quarter turnovers.
It was a cascade of momentum that came just in time to save the day, but an ugly start is a cause for concern for a team whose quarterback issues have yet to be solved.
This goes back to the precarious quarterback situation that has plagued the franchise and O’Connell.
When he has had the same starting quarterback all season, the Vikings won 13 games in 2022 with Kirk Cousins and 14 games in 2024 with Sam Darnold.
But in the seasons where injury has impacted the position, O’Connell is 16-18 as a head coach. Few coaches in NFL history can overcome losing their starter, and although coveted as a “quarterback whisperer,” O’Connell is no exception.
The Vikings’ chances at the playoffs will hinge on the health of their starting quarterback.
Vikings, Kyler Murray Injury Update
On Monday, O’Connell said Murray is in concussion protocol, putting the Vikings starter’s Week 2 status in jeopardy.
O’Connell has yet to rule out Murray, although, according to Pro Football Talk, the average stay in concussion protocol is nine days.
If Murray does not clear it in time, Wentz appears poised to start against a Chicago Bears team that is coming off a 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell Makes Feelings Clear on QB Struggles