Entering this season, few coaches in the NFL knew quarterbacks like Kevin O’Connell. In his first four years as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, O’Connell got the most out of Kirk Cousins, coaxed a seven-win season out of a combination of Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall, and revitalized Sam Darnold’s career.
O’Connell’s résumé generated plenty of confidence when he installed J.J. McCarthy as the starter, but the process has yielded mixed results through his first four games.
The latest frustrating chapter came on Sunday when the Vikings lost to the Baltimore Ravens. McCarthy flashed the tools that convinced O’Connell to make him the highest-drafted quarterback in franchise history, but also inconsistencies you would expect from a young quarterback.
After having McCarthy throw the ball 42 times, many are starting to wonder if O’Connell is becoming what he fears – the leader of an organization that fails the quarterback. But in reality, O’Connell may be in a learning stage similar to when the fun uncle becomes a first-time parent.
If you have kids, you probably know this process. The uncle can visit his nephew, have some fun, and return him to his parents at the end of the night. It’s a fun experience that rarely has many downsides. When that uncle considers having a kid, he might even think, Well, it’s not going to be that hard.
Of course, when the kid is yours, there’s no returning it. You have to baby-proof the whole house. There are good days and bad days. The parents learn lessons, and the kid eventually finds their way. Still, it’s a process that gave rise to the phrase, “It takes a village…”
The Vikings spent most of that offseason creating a village for McCarthy. They bolstered the offensive line to give him time to throw. They added Jordan Mason in a trade that was supposed to boost the running game. Minnesota also added Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave to give Brian Flores some game-wreckers in the middle of the defensive line. McCarthy is throwing to one of the best wide receiver duos in the league.
Minnesota gave McCarthy the equivalent of baby-proofed drawers and light socket covers. However, O’Connell has left them on the kitchen table, and McCarthy has entered an inferno.
The Vikings ran for 6.6 yards per carry on Sunday afternoon, including 5.5 yards per carry from Aaron Jones and Mason. But O’Connell only dialed up his running backs 13 times as compared to 42 throws for McCarthy.
Some of the throws worked early. McCarthy found Jalen Nailor for a long gain to set up a touchdown run by Jones on the opening possession of the game. The Vikings were also in control for most of the first half, holding a 10-3 lead late in the second quarter.
But while most coaches would lean on the running game to lessen the load for their young quarterback, O’Connell went in the opposite direction. The Vikings faced 20 third- and fourth-down plays on Sunday, with O’Connell throwing on all of them.
A third-and-six early in the game was a typical poor choice by a young quarterback. McCarthy opted to throw in Jefferson’s direction downfield instead of using his legs to pick up the first down and keep the chains moving. But the second interception was on O’Connell as he called up another bomb to Jefferson on a third-and-one.
It wasn’t just playcalling that was the issue. Jefferson had an uncharacteristically bad day, with just four catches on 12 targets. The entire offense was out of sync for most of the afternoon, with eight false starts. The defense eventually succumbed to Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry’s bruising style. Many of the things that went right one year ago didn’t go Minnesota’s way on Sunday.
In that vein, O’Connell has gone from the fun uncle who loves to hang out with quarterbacks to the overwhelmed “parent” of one. And in most cases, the new parent realizes they must make sacrifices to help the kid succeed.
So what does that look like? It starts with running the ball more. Jones and Mason’s usage has been strange since Jones came back from his hamstring injury. While returning to the Mike Zimmer days isn’t necessary, a few more running plays could lessen the burden McCarthy is facing.
It may also mean O’Connell needs to cede play-calling. Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown may lack prior experience, but O’Connell must address failures elsewhere on the team. If O’Connell is free to take a larger view, it could help the infrastructure around McCarthy and eliminate some of the issues we saw on Sunday.
Finally, O’Connell needs to get through the tough days. Patience has never been this franchise’s strength, whether it’s trying to stay “super competitive” or the Band-Aid solutions at quarterback. But the biggest thing for McCarthy’s development is getting him on the field and having him play through it.
For a game on Sunday, that means plenty of highs and lows. But O’Connell must realize there’s more to developing a quarterback than just the good times, and the Vikings need to work their way through it.
