***2026 Minnesota Vikings***

[Al_4_State]

I have been a fan for a long time. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop on this team. They never blew anyone out. They liked to blow leads etc. the regular season was fun for sure and I was happy with how they were playing but I felt like they were missing something.

That being said, performances like this, last week and 2 years ago in the playoffs make me wonder a little about KOC. The Lions did us a small favor by exposing us, but we didn’t do much about it because the Rams followed the same gameplan.

Hopefully McCarthy is the real deal and hits the ground running. We need him to. Smell you later Sam.

Agreed. I really like KOC, but he's absolutely flopped in high pressure scenarios.

The silver lining in last night is that it saves us another week of having to watch them get mauled in Philly, and there will be no tough decision about resigning Darnold at market value.

 

[AuH2O]

Be better. I hate the Rams.
No way the Vikes woulda won, under any circumstances.

I grudgingly respect the Rams. What everybody thinks the 49ers, Packers and other teams viewed as great personnel teams, the Rams actually are. McVey bugs me, but he is a great offensive mind and head coach.

It’s not happening, but I would love for Purdy to play there when Stafford retires. The best drafting organization in the league by a mile.

 

[AuH2O]

I have been a fan for a long time. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop on this team. They never blew anyone out. They liked to blow leads etc. the regular season was fun for sure and I was happy with how they were playing but I felt like they were missing something.

That being said, performances like this, last week and 2 years ago in the playoffs make me wonder a little about KOC. The Lions did us a small favor by exposing us, but we didn’t do much about it because the Rams followed the same gameplan.

Hopefully McCarthy is the real deal and hits the ground running. We need him to. Smell you later Sam.

KOCs big weakness offensively has spanned every QB, and that’s No answer for pressure. Whether its inability to read it, have the right protection or route adjustments, but the risk reward proposition for defenses blitzing the Vikings is pretty incredible.

There are personnel issues on the OL, but there’s a system pr That he has to address.

 

[Cyhig]

Not sure if this was previously mentioned:

Looking back on the season, the Vikings "success" was just a mirage based on an easy interdivisional schedule. The AFC South teams were largely terrible (Houston was the best) and the NFC West teams have struggled this year. They had 7 wins against those teams

Next year they will face the NFC East and the AFC North. If this exact same team were to play next years schedule, I think we would had been closer to the 8-9 win total.

On the plus side, the Vikings likely saved themselves a lot of money from the last two games. I cannot see using a franchise tag or even offering a contract to Darnold anymore. Turn the keys over to JJ.

But I think next year will be about an 7 win season at best, just based on the more difficult schedule + the likelihood Flores will leave

 

[Marcelason78]

……..On the plus side, the Vikings likely saved themselves a lot of money from the last two games. I cannot see using a franchise tag or even offering a contract to Darnold anymore. Turn the keys over to JJ.…

The Vikes may very well hand the keys to JJ, but do they let a 14 win QB walk with no return now?

 

[NoCreativity]

Not sure if this was previously mentioned:

Looking back on the season, the Vikings "success" was just a mirage based on an easy interdivisional schedule. The AFC South teams were largely terrible (Houston was the best) and the NFC West teams have struggled this year. They had 7 wins against those teams

Next year they will face the NFC East and the AFC North. If this exact same team were to play next years schedule, I think we would had been closer to the 8-9 win total.

On the plus side, the Vikings likely saved themselves a lot of money from the last two games. I cannot see using a franchise tag or even offering a contract to Darnold anymore. Turn the keys over to JJ.

But I think next year will be about an 7 win season at best, just based on the more difficult schedule + the likelihood Flores will leave

Yep, that schedule was Charmin soft and likely inflated their win total. The only playoff teams they beat all year were GB and Houston. The Texans were also without Mixon that game.

 

[drmwevr08]

OK, so I've been sitting on this info, sworn to secrecy. Anyway, last summer Sam spent some time in Arizona. He walked into a bar in Scottsdale and bumped into Satan himself who summers there (he likes the weather

). Anyway, the devil himself offered Sam a deal. 'even though you have no soul, if you agree to serve me in the afterlife I'll make this year the best year of your life - by far!
Well, Sam's eyed widened and he said yes before he really thought it through.' maybe a super bowl' he thought.
Well, ole sneaky Lucifer already knew that wouldn't happen. As Sam went off to his table the king of the underworld thought, 'soon as 2024 expires you're going back to the career back up that holds the ball waaaay to long. Sorry, Sammy, see ya in hell.'

So, that my fellow Vike fans, is the only and best possible explanation for this season. Skol, see ya next year!

 

[Cyhig]

The Vikes may very well hand the keys to JJ, but do they let a 14 win QB walk with no return now?

Yes. Thank Darnold for his services and hopefully he can get paid by someone else. Vikings were smart to not resign Cousins; smart decision here is to not bring Darnold back. They can use the money to plug other needs of interest... and they have quite a few!

 

[ScottyP]

Yes. Thank Darnold for his services and hopefully he can get paid by someone else. Vikings were smart to not resign Cousins; smart decision here is to not bring Darnold back. They can use the money to plug other needs of interest... and they have quite a few!

Vikings could use the money they saved by not re-signing Darnold and get a couple servicable linemen.

 

[Kinch]

 

[Kinch]

Like to see woody do the negative hidden yardage against the Vikings.

 

[drmwevr08]

Does KOC get a pass? Lots of questionable things going on the past 2 games that weren't Sammy D looking like Ryan Leaf.

 

[AllInForISU]

Does KOC get a pass? Lots of questionable things going on the past 2 games that weren't Sammy D looking like Ryan Leaf.

I’m a Bears fan so obviously I have a different perspective than Vikings fans but I’d say KOC is a very good regular season coach. He will usually have you in contention for the playoffs, has he delivered in the playoffs? Not at all, but the first part is getting there. I’d take getting there and having a chance over whatever the Bears have been doing the past almost decade.

They were a bad decision by KOC at the end of the half and an overturned fumble away from that being tied at halftime and then who knows. But that’s how the playoffs go, razor thin margins.

 

[mapnerd]

That "pass" by Stafford that was not a fumble after all I guess still makes me salty. It didn't lose the game for the Vikings, but would have made things more interesting anyway.

 

[somecyguy]

Does KOC get a pass? Lots of questionable things going on the past 2 games that weren't Sammy D looking like Ryan Leaf.

Absolutely not and I put much of the blame on him for the Lions game and not adjusting. But Darnold was ******* right from the start of this game, like he hadn't recovered from last week. Other than pulling him, which I doubt would have magically fixed things, I don't think KOC had many options.

 

[CychiatricWard]

Does KOC get a pass? Lots of questionable things going on the past 2 games that weren't Sammy D looking like Ryan Leaf.

Someone said it earlier and I agree with what they said. KOC is a good head coach, and I want him as a Viking. When he can run his gameplan the offense can look incredible. Where he struggles is when things don’t go according to plan. He seems to really struggle when teams overload and blitz and doesn’t seem to have quick hitter or hot routes available to the QB. Some of the last two games is on Darnold, absolutely, as he was terrible, but some is on KOC, too.

When you pressure a team you have to be able to counter with hot reads and have shallow routes to get the ball out quickly. Right now, he very much struggles in this category. Do I believe he will look in the mirror this offseason and get better? Yes I do. I’ve got to remind myself and others that he is still just 39 years old. That’s a young pup by coaching standards.

 

[Kinch]

 

[CloniesForLife]

Someone said it earlier and I agree with what they said. KOC is a good head coach, and I want him as a Viking. When he can run his gameplan the offense can look incredible. Where he struggles is when things don’t go according to plan. He seems to really struggle when teams overload and blitz and doesn’t seem to have quick hitter or hot routes available to the QB. Some of the last two games is on Darnold, absolutely, as he was terrible, but some is on KOC, too.

When you pressure a team you have to be able to counter with hot reads and have shallow routes to get the ball out quickly. Right now, he very much struggles in this category. Do I believe he will look in the mirror this offseason and get better? Yes I do. I’ve got to remind myself and others that he is still just 39 years old. That’s a young pup by coaching standards.

He definitely needs to grow but he has also really overachieved with the rosters he's had. Then once you get to the playoffs those roster weaknesses are especially amplified. He certainly has to tweak some things in his coaching though

 

[3TrueFans]

I don't know who Clay Travis is so I don't know if it's rage bait or just not knowing football, but the guy leapt before Darnold was down and then didn't even land on top of him, so I don't see how it could be a late hit.

 

[KidSilverhair]

Absolutely not and I put much of the blame on him for the Lions game and not adjusting. But Darnold was ******* right from the start of this game, like he hadn't recovered from last week. Other than pulling him, which I doubt would have magically fixed things, I don't think KOC had many options.

Kwesi just needs to draft some WRs who are 11 feet tall, and Darnold will hit ‘em right in the numbers