Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell flirted with disaster in a nail-biting 31-29 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Facing fourth-and-1 on the Packers’ 4-yard line with less than three minutes left in the game and a 9-point lead in hand, O’Connell went for it instead of taking the field goal and forcing Green Bay to score two touchdowns to tie.
The Packers stopped Jalen Nailor on a jet sweep and pieced together a 96-yard touchdown drive that brought Green Bay within two points.
The Vikings held on, recovering the ensuing onside kick, but it was too close for comfort for fans who watched a 21-point lead at halftime erased in the final quarter.
Despite the second-half meltdown, O’Connell did not back down from his aggressive tendencies which led the Packers to nearly mount their largest comeback in franchise history.
O’Connell’s was pressed about his playcalling frequently in his postgame news conference and did not express any skepticism about his decision-making.
“Looking back on it,” O’Connell said on September 29, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “I’m sure people will wonder why that decision happens. But I can’t really make those decisions based upon the ‘Oh no, what could happen’ type thing. I’m going to be aggressive and always smart, and I thought that we had a chance to convert with the play that I called.”
O’Connell admitted that the game should have never come down to an onside kick in its final seconds, but his persistent aggressive playcalling was to show his confidence in his team.
“I just think it coincides with what I’ve been kind of talking about,” O’Connell said in his postgame news conference. “Long before the first win, second, third or fourth win ever came… I’m just really stating the obvious inside that locker room, confirming to them that I believe in them, I love them and we’re going to ride together and we’re going to stay aggressive while being smart. There’s always a line there, but I’m really proud of our guys.”
A Look at Kevin O’Connell’s Dangerous Game Management vs. Packers
That line O’Connell toed on Sunday proved to be a delicate balance that nearly tilted in favor of Green Bay.
Despite scoring 28 unanswered points in the first half, O’Connell stuck to his aggressive ways despite the Packers clawing back into the game.
With a chance to score first in the second half, Sam Darnold threw an interception on second down in the red zone. A couple of running plays would have drained the clock and set up kicker Will Reichard to make it 31-7 entering the fourth quarter.
Who knows if the Packers would have kept their starters in at that point; regardless, the stop gave Green Bay life.
Jordan Love led an 89-yard touchdown drive to open the fourth quarter. On the ensuing drive, O’Connell opened with two passing plays. On second down, Darnold dropped back and was sacked, leading to a fumble on the Vikings’ 20-yard line that the Packers capitalized on, scoring another touchdown.
Suddenly, a 14-point swing in five minutes of clock time put Green Bay behind by just six points. A Reichard field goal made it a 9-point game with 6 minutes, 50 seconds remaining.
O’Connell’s decision-making may inspire the locker room, but there’s also a time to manage a game and protect a win for your players.
The Packers committed four turnovers, missed two field goals and lost the game by only two points.
If any of those bounces went the other way, the Vikings may have faced their first loss of the season and the talk of the game would have been poor game management by O’Connell.
Former Packers RB Aaron Jones Comes to Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell’s Side
Former Packers running back Aaron Jones has become an emotional leader for a Vikings team that is off to a 4-0 start. He came to O’Connell’s defense over the aggressive play calls after the game.
“It was definitely demonstrating we’re going to put the game in you guys’ hands,” Jones said, per ESPN. “That, ‘I trust you guys that much to go out and execute.’ I think that says a lot about Coach, and the trust that he has in us, and the trust that we have in him as well.
“I love playing for Kevin. He’s been everything to me. He’s helped me so much in my short time here. I’m glad I made the decision to come here. He’s definitely a special coach.”
