When the offense gets stalled, one of the first things that Minnesota Vikings fans will blame is the playcalling of head coach Kevin O’Connell.
What you don’t see during the game broadcast is how most plays are designed and develop. Routes run by the receivers nad the coverages that they face are often not shown on the broadcast. Context can get easily lost without having all the prevalent information.
One other element can cloud the judgement of good or bad playcalling: execution. More often than not, a play not working isn’t due to the schematic elements of it but rather how the play is executed. That can be either going against the wrong defense or mistakes by a player on the offense.
That is the case with O’Connell’s playcalling. He does an excellent job of getting the Vikings in good positions to succeed and builds his play calls really well.
I broke down some examples of how he builds off of his concepts and creatively attacks opposing defenses.
Jordan Addison in route
The Vikings really enjoy using a 3×1 set with the strong side to the quarterback’s left.
The first instance we will talk about came against the Kansas City Chiefs. This is only one of the three where they didn’t start in a bunch formation. Osborn motions toward the formation and runs a corner route to occupy the corner that is responsible in zone for the flat area.
T.J. Hockenson runs a post to clear out the middle of the field and Addison runs a return route to a ton of open space.
Against the 49ers, the Vikings ran a similar play with short motion designed to get Addison open in space.
Hockenson runs a crossing route with Brandon Powell running a deep out, allowing Addison go sneak underneath for an easy pitch and catch.
Hockenson rail route
This is where the Vikings took advantage of the Packers. One thing that doesn’t get discussed enough with playcalling is setting teams up by building off of concepts that are already on film.
The Vikings have used short motion a lot to get players open on the hashes to take advantage of spacing. The counter to that is what they did against the Packers.
Powell runs a blatant pick, but he does so at full speed to create the illusion of him running a route. Hockenson runs a rail route up the sidelines for an open 25-yard play
Creative screen
This play ultimately didn’t work, but it wasn’t because of the design.
O’Connell set up the aggressive Chiefs defense with a great use of misdirection. Kirk Cousins runs a play-action pass with a waggle toward the nearside. Justin Jefferson runs a jet motion to the farside and plays it cool like he’s out of the play.
Once Cousins gets set, he throws the ball to Jefferson for a screen and multiple linemen get out front of him to head the way. Unfortunately, the ball was a tad high and Jefferson dropped the pass, but the play looked like it was about to get 20+ yards.
Addison thrives in the same play
Against the Packers, the Vikings brought the play back and it worked like a charm.
Addison runs a jet motion rather calmly and waits for the play to develop. He catches the screen pass, waits patiently for his blockers to get in front of him and he takes the pass for over 20 yards and a first down.
Little things like this matter when you are a play caller.
The Vikings run the
How does this matter?
Playcalling is inherently a beautiful collaboration of art and science.
There is a strategic reason behind why every player does something on a given play, especially if you see a certain look on the other side of the ball.
The art itself comes in the creativity behind how the play caller and designer of the play puts pen to paper.
Very rarely do science and art come together, but it does with the game of football and O’Connell personifies that.
