It’s 3 a.m. at a Las Vegas casino. Mike Zimmer is tired. His eyes are bloodshot. To his left, there’s a pile of cigarette butts. To his right, there are several water bottles filled with tobacco spit.
He’s been sitting at this slot machine for what feels like an eternity. He’s lost a lot of money. But with each pull, he feels like this could be the one that wins.
Unfortunately, the pit boss decides he’s been here long enough. Two large men grab Zimmer by the shoulders and drag him out of the casino.
“You can’t do this to me,” Zimmer screamed. “I was just about to hit!”
But just as Zimmer name-dropped Bill Parcells in an effort to save himself, two men walk into the casino.
Kevin O’Connell and Sean McVay look at the blackjack tables. After scouting for a few moments, O’Connell high fives McVay and allows him to enjoy the rest of his bachelor party.
When O’Connell sits down at the table, he’s gambling just as much as Zimmer did with the Minnesota Vikings. But while Zimmer pressed his luck playing slots, O’Connell is counting cards at the blackjack table.
Mike Zimmer took over the Vikings in 2014 with a specific plan in mind. He knew the type of players that he wanted on defense. He also hired Norv Turner to run the offense. By establishing these baselines, Zimmer felt like the Vikings would always be competitive. But he forgot to take into consideration the variables that each season presents.
In 2014, it was Adrian Peterson‘s child abuse case. A year later, it was a missed kick by Blair Walsh. In 2016, it was Teddy Bridgewater‘s knee injury, Turner’s resignation, Zimmer’s eye injury, and having his corners go rogue in Green Bay.
Zimmer pulled the lever again and hit the jackpot in 2017.
One of the greatest draft classes in NFL history matured. Stefon Diggs, Danielle Hunter, and Eric Kendricks became impact players. The Vikings had the NFL’s No. 1 defense. Aaron Rodgers and Carson Wentz got hurt. The Super Bowl was in Minneapolis. Everything was there until the Vikings got blasted in the NFC Championship game.
That taste of success fueled Zimmer to hit the jackpot again. But each time he pulled the lever, something else went wrong.
In 2018, the Vikings hired the wrong offensive coordinator. A year later, the roster got old. In 2020, Hunter got hurt, and the roster was too young. In 2021, they lost too many close games.
Players get hurt. Things go wrong. But as the variables changed, Zimmer never adapted. He just kept pulling the lever hoping to hit big. Eventually, he was hauled out of TCO Performance Center.
Normally when the next coach comes in, they play the same game as Zimmer. They establish their own system. And they find their own guys. They do what’s best for themselves.
But O’Connell has elected to work with the same roster that Zimmer left behind. Instead of overhauling it and establishing his foundation, O’Connell is taking the information he has and is using it to his advantage.
Consider what O’Connell sees on offense. Kirk Cousins is a top-10 quarterback who gets flustered in big moments. Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen are two of the best receivers in the game. Dalvin Cook is one of the best running backs in the NFL. Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw anchor the offensive line.
With the exception of Darrisaw, these pieces helped the Vikings rank fourth in total offense during the 2020 season. Instead of doing things in non-negotiable terms, O’Connell is growing these elements into an even bigger strength.
He’s trying to put Cousins in the best situation of his career. He could use Justin Jefferson like Cooper Kupp and the running game as a complement rather than the foundation. A scheme tweak could help the interior offensive linemen.
The defense is a more daunting task. It was one of the worst units in the league during the final years of the Zimmer era, and O’Connell has plenty of reason to tear it all down. But instead of looking at what he doesn’t have, he’s focused on what he already has.
Harrison Smith is a play-making safety. Hunter is one of the best pass-rushers in football. Kendricks and Patrick Peterson are veteran leaders. Even Anthony Barr was effective when healthy last season.
Again, this isn’t about shaping the roster to his liking. It’s working with what you have and playing it in the best way possible.
O’Connell mentioned Harrison Smith as a versatile player. The Vikings signed Za’Darius Smith as a complement to Hunter. Jordan Hicks should man the middle of the field with Kendricks. Peterson can be a mentor for the Vikings’ young corners.
In each case, O’Connell sees a strength and turns it into a bigger advantage. For a roster that will figure to have weaknesses, it might be his best chance to survive a competitive rebuild.
O’Connell has chosen to use this knowledge in hopes of getting on a heater. It could also result in him bleeding money and getting beat up in a back alley. But even if it means getting his ass kicked by a guy named Butch, it’s a gamble he’s willing to take. He might not need a cigarette, he’s ready to ride this thing out.
