The Minnesota Vikings may seem to be in good shape with a 5-0 record as they embrace their bye week, but it is anything but a relaxing time for head coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings are a team that is out of balance, and there is pressure on the head coach to figure out how to get the offense to function at a high level.
As well as the Vikings defense has played this year — and they have been sensational — the offense has to pick up its level of play. There are generational defensive teams — the ’85 Bears and the 2000 Ravens are at the top of the list — the Vikings defense is not as powerful as those two teams. At a certain point in the season, there is likely to be some slippage.
When that happens, the Vikings need Kyler Murray and Justin Jefferson to show they can dominate games. Certainly, there was progress in Minnesota’s Week 5 23-13 triumph over the New Orleans Saints, and that’s what O’Connell has to be working on during his weekend off.
Murray was able to complete his first 12 passes against the Saints, and one of the reasons for that was O’Connell’s decision to have Murray throw passes that were 5 to 7 yards. He gave the quarterback easy completions, and the result was a more confident QB1.
Murray’s ability to run with the ball finally surfaces
That confidence paid off with Murray running for 51 yards and converting first downs on multiple drives. Going into the Saints game, there were legitimate questions about Murray’s ability to make plays with his speed and quickness. He had looked tentative in his earlier games.
Murray flashed some success against the Saints in that area, and that has given the Vikings some believability where their quarterback is concerned.
That is the building block going forward. As Murray’s confidence increased, he threw a couple of perfect passes to Jefferson and that has to continue. If he can also start to show a rapport with Jordan Addison (hamstring) and tight end T.J. Hockenson (concussion), the passing game may start to show consistent productivity.
That’s what the Vikings need, and O’Connell has to figure out a path to let that take place.
