Kelvin O’Connell’s Heartfelt Praise: Vikings are a…
After a 23-13 win over the Titans that improved the Vikings to 8-2 for the second time in his three seasons as head coach, Kevin O’Connell got to give another one of the post-victory locker room speeches that have become weekly appointment viewing for fans.
“Through ten football games, you guys are 8-2,” O’Connell said to his team. “You showed up today — gritty, gritty win. Responses on either side when we had to have them, plays in the kicking game. All three phases with immediate impact when we needed you. That’s what this football team is all about: response. Next play, does not matter what’s happened, good or bad, we are just gonna go f***ing play and play and play.”
It wasn’t a dominant win for the Vikings on Sunday in Nashville, but they did enough to get a third consecutive victory. With seven games left, they’ll take wins however they can get them. Next up is a trip to Chicago for their third divisional matchup of the season.
“Now we go hunt for some more, back in our f***ing division,” O’Connell said. “You guys understand? You gotta start having that look and feel, every single day we go to work, to improve. To chase it. Because I told you last night, we’ve got all the ingredients to be everything we’ve ever wanted to be in this room. A special group.”
Gam balls went to Sam Darnold, Andrew Van Ginkel, Pat Jones II, Harrison Smith, and Justin Jefferson. “So proud of this guy,” O’Connell said of Darnold, who had a much-needed game without any interceptions.
“You guys are in a nice little rhythm right now,” O’Connell said. “We’re getting into the grind now. Middle of November, pushing forward. Everything is out in front of us. Everything we want as a team is out in front of us, but it’s right at this moment where you gotta decide ‘what else can I do? Can I do a little more?'”
“My expectation is I got the right guys in this room. I love this team, I love where we’re at, let’s go hunting right back in the division next week, boys.”
