After a lifeless 33-10 beating to a hated divisional rival, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell took accountability for his staff’s subpar showing on primetime in his postgame press conference.
“I’ll look at how we prepared, I’ll look at what our plan was, get with the coordinators in all three phases, and talk about areas where we could have been better as a coaching staff and where we could have better put the plan together to ultimately see where did the failure happen. Was it the play calls? Was it the technique and fundamentals? Was it ownership of the plan? You have to take inventory on it. It’s not an easy process, it’s not a fun process but we as a coaching staff, starting with me, have to have the accountability and ownership…”
Sunday night was an embarrassing showing, made even more so when understanding the stakes involved. Win this game, and the playoffs are in your hands as you take on the Detroit Lions next week. Lose it, and you’re at the mercy of up to five different outcomes to continue the journey this season.
O’Connell is taking ownership and that’s what’s necessary with a performance like this one. His team was woefully unprepared when LaFleur’s game plan came to fruition on both sides of the football, the only bright spot coming from a three-play sequence that started with the effort from Najee Thompson. Outside of that, the performance was stiff and spiritless. It’s back to the drawing board for Minnesota as they look to play spoiler and take one last gasp at the postseason.
