PurplePTSD: Simply Explosive

Press release from the PurplePTSD:

K. Joudry

2022-03-04

Kevin O’Connell met with the media while at the combine, and many of the questions centered on the offense.

One idea that’s really interesting is his desire to create “the illusion of complexity.” As Vikings.com notes, that refers to a concerted effort to make things challenging for the defense: “That mindset essentially means that while the Vikings offense might look confusing at times with shifts, motions and alignments, the offense is simply trying to misdirect the defense while focusing on basic principles.”

Even more than that, though, is the desire to make the offense simple for the Vikings players. When Minnesota’s players have a simple offense, they’ll be able to move quickly because they’re not wasting time thinking about their responsibility. When the defense is forced to think, they’ll play slowly given that they’re decoding what’s occurring in front of them.

Being good in critical situations, Kevin O’Connell elsewhere insists, will make the Vikings’ offense difficult to corral:

Being able to do different things while staying true to one’s core identity is critical:

There you have it, folks. K/O’s self-professed desire is for an offense that is explosive while remaining simple for his own side. It’s a tall order, and yet it’s the best path forward for the team. The most successful coaches are capable of making things simple for their own side while also finding a way of being highly effective on the field. Indeed, simplicity is merely a means to an end: the team has to, you know, play well.

At other times in his presser, K/O praised his offensive line, OC, and DC. The quotes about Ed Donatell really stood out:

The defense has a long way to go, so hopefully Donatell can actualize the optimism that is circulating among Vikings fans. Even getting this group back into “pretty good” territory would make Minnesota considerably more dangerous.

Over the coming days, we’ll learn about who stays and goes for the Vikings. The end result will be greater clarity about the weapons available to K/O and, in turn, greater clarity for how he’ll put together a potent offense.

This press release was produced by the PurplePTSD. The views expressed here are the author’s own.