People have long feared artificial intelligence. Thirty years ago, Kevin O’Connell was part of a resistance movement against a rogue AI that took control of a space station. The AI started killing off resistance members and created an army of cyborgs. O’Connell was one member who didn’t make it off the station.
That was a different Kevin O’Connell, a fictional character in the 1994 video game System Shock. Still, it’s jarring for anyone who follows the Minnesota Vikings to hear O’Connell’s name while playing System Shock, which influenced many modern games.
Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell is starting to make a name for himself in his third year as Minnesota’s head coach. People knew him as a Sean McVay disciple when the Vikings hired him off McVay’s staff after winning the Super Bowl in 2021. However, after beating the New York Jets 23-17 in London, O’Connell has led Minnesota to a 5-0 record in a year where Vegas had them winning 6.5 games.
The Vikings have wins over the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, and the Green Bay Packers. Still, their most difficult challenge may have been Aaron Rodgers. “He’s a supercomputer back there,” O’Connell said at practice on Wednesday. “Totally big field vision, sees everything, has the ability to check and get to whatever he wants to get to.”
Minnesota got out to a 17-0 lead. However, Brian Flores’ defense kept the Vikings from losing the first game Vegas favored them in since their Week 1 win over the New York Giants.
“[The defense] definitely helped us out today,” said Justin Jefferson. “I definitely was not surprised. The way that they attacked the ball, the turnovers, the pick-six, definitely something that we needed in this game, especially the way the offense played. Wasn’t happy about how the offense played as a whole. We definitely left yards, points out there.”
Minnesota’s defense had to hold things together in a game where the offense only scored six points in the second half and special teams gave up a long reception and took undisciplined penalties. Xavier Gipson returned Ryan Wright’s 58-yard punt from the 38-yard line to the Vikings’ 31, setting up New York’s first touchdown. Jay Ward also had an illegal block in the back, and Ivan Pace Jr. roughed the punter.
Still, Minnesota’s defense held Rodgers to 29 of 54 for 244 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Vikings have confounded Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, and Jordan Love this year. However, they are all 25 or younger. Rodgers, 40, is a 10-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl winner who has played in the league for two decades.
“The thing is, with Flo’s defense, we don’t give you time to figure it out,” said Jonathan Greenard, who had three tackles and three quarterback hits. “Some teams can’t figure it out. A-Rod [Aaron Rodgers] is one of one, and probably very few that’s going to pick it up and say, ‘Okay, well this is going to here,’ and throw darts.”
Harrison Smith, 34, is a six-time Pro Bowler in his 13th season. Still, Rodgers used his eyes to fool Smith and hit Allen Lazard in the back of the end zone for New York’s first touchdown.
“Him going to his right, my left. Yeah, I took one step, and I was like, ‘Man, he can’t make that throw,” said Smith, smiling incredulously and shaking his head. “Right when I did it, I was like, ‘Bad move.’
“Most quarterbacks aren’t going to do that. They can’t, but he can.”
Still, the Vikings forced Rodgers to throw three interceptions. Andrew Van Ginkel’s pick-six was Minnesota’s first touchdown, putting them up 10-0 after Sam Darnold fumbled on the previous drive. Camryn Bynum picked him off when he overthrew Bynum three plays later. Perhaps fittingly, the 13-year veteran Stephon Gilmore, 34, made a sliding catch off Rodgers to seal the game.
“That’s one of the greatest to ever do it,” Bynum said, raving about Gilmore. “We were talking on the sideline, I think he’s the last starting DB to have a pick. So we were not making fun of him, but we’re like, ‘Come on, you’ve got to get it today. This is your one.’
“But to have a game-winner, and especially in a time where it’s GOAT-on-GOAT, Aaron Rodgers versus Gilly, I don’t think you should test people like that. I don’t care what type of game you had in the beginning. To have the guts to throw it to Gilly in the clutch is pretty risky. He showed why he’s one of the greatest.”
The Vikings have 12 games left after the bye. No doubt fans will remember that they finished 8-8 after a 5-0 start eight years ago. Still, this year’s team is more talented and playing more sustainably. They have a stout defense because O’Connell hired Flores, and they added to the defense in free agency. Thirty years after one Kevin O’Connell perished fighting a rogue AI, Minnesota’s O’Connell has defeated a supercomputer who believes in a lot of artificial intelligence.
After beating the odds to start 5-0, Kevin O’Connell is beginning to make a name for himself.
