MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Vikingslike the rest of NFL The main contenders will have their share of mysteries to solve in the weeks to come.
Will Sam Darnold continue to hear MVP chants throughout the playoffs? Can a defense that has shown some vulnerability to high-caliber passing attacks deliver a stopping game against a star quarterback in the playoffs?
It’s clear: the Vikings have passed the team chemistry test.
Just look into the end zone after one of their league-leading 20 interceptions, where the choreographed celebrations get wilder by the week. Fellow safeties Cam Bynum and Josh Metellus have played roles recently dance scene from the 20-year-old comedy “White Chicks” with a mid-air flip by Bynum after Metellus snagged a pass.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores was so impressed that he offered spontaneous praise during his press conference this week.
“I love creativity,” Flores said. “Look, you can’t play this game at a high level without peace. I think you get that through your preparation, and once you get it, you can have some joy playing this game. I like to see that outside of our group. I think it’s important. I think you put that together, this is how you play at your optimal level.
The Vikings wouldn’t defy even the most optimistic external preseason projections without top-notch talent and schemes on both sides of the ball, but they might not be 11-2 heading into their game. game against Chicago Monday night without those good vibes either.
Since the arrival of coach Kevin O’Connell in 2022, the Vikings have done well. rave reviews as an organization where players want to play. As in any place of business, employees will generally be more productive when they enjoy not only their work, but also the people they work with.
One look at these turnover celebrations will show.
“You have to celebrate everything the same way if it was you,” outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard said. “This way you continue to receive the same blessings as everyone else in their time. We’re all excited to make this game. We’re all excited to have everyone in this game.”
The tone was set at the top by the gregarious O’Connell, who made the most of his brief NFL run as a backup quarterback. That insight helped him create an environment conducive to success in Minnesota, from how he brought Darnold back to relevance with a career-altering season, to how he took defensive lessons from Flores and his students and applied them to a better playbook for the offense.
O’Connell, 39, is just four years older than six-time Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith, who is still going strong in the secondary in his 13th NFL season.
Brought together by their age group and mutual respect, O’Connell and Smith met every Friday in the head coach’s office around hot Americanos to talk family, fatherhood and, sometimes, a little football.
“Half the time there are people coming in and out,” Smith said, smiling at his impression of the job: “How busy it is and how many people are there at any given time.” I wouldn’t call it a peer relationship because he’s my boss, but we’re closer in age and we kind of came into the league at one point and now it’s kind of exchange. I definitely got to know more about him as a coach, a player, a person, all of that.
Needless to say, those scenes haven’t played out as much this season for the Bears. They fell to 4-9 after seven straight losses and coach Matt Eberflus was fired two weeks ago.
“I feel like I’ve been through a lot here. I’ve had quite a few losing streaks. It’s definitely not easy,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “It’s definitely been a mental battle, trying to get through it from a mental standpoint.”
For a team like the Vikings, on a six-game winning streak and playing at home in prime time, this could be the type of opponent likely to be overlooked with a daunting final three games waiting to determine the division title and, likely the top seed in the NFC.
However, teams with strong chemistry usually don’t allow this to happen.
“Just the maturity, people understanding how to handle success,” Greenard said. “Just making sure we give everyone the same respect as the best team in the league because anyone can get beat in any given game or on any given day, so we’re always going to give the same respect and bring the same fire.”
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