The Vikings-Chargers game was touted to be one of the more intriguing matchups of Week 3. Would the Chargers, the long-cursed chokers, come out on top of the Vikings, last year's biggest playoff pretenders?
In terms of drama, the game absolutely delivered. In terms of sound coaching decisions.... let's just say both Kevin O'Connell and Brandon Staley are sitting squarely on their respective hot seats this season.
Staley appeared to make the most head-scratching call of the game when he went for it on a 4th-and-1 from the Chargers' 24-yard line. But O'Connell said, "Hold my beer" and ended up fumbling the game with his questionable clock management at the end of the fourth quarter.
With less than a minute left in the game and down four points, Minnesota had the ball on a 1st-and-goal and no timeouts. In the play before, Kirk Cousins had just completed a pass to T.J. Hockenson. Rather than spike the ball to stop the clock and give themselves time to set up for a game-winning play, O'Connell told Cousins to play hurry-up football and had the Vikings line up for an immediate snap, perhaps hoping to catch the Chargers' defense off-guard.
This backfired in the worst way possible as Cousins ended up throwing a goal-line pick to lose the game. Between Hockenson's catch and the Vikings' next snap, Minnesota drained 23 seconds off the clock. The self-created urgency may have led the Vikings to shoot themselves in the foot on that final play, and after the game, O'Connell admitted he made the wrong call.
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell rues end-of-game clock management in Week 3 loss
O'Connell said of that moment, "I wish I would've clocked it and not tried to steal one there."
Him and the rest of the Vikings' fanbase.
Kirk Cousins also spoke out about that play and said there were headset issues that may have caused some confusing communication on the final drive.
The home crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium was reportedly so loud that Cousins couldn't hear O'Connell's play call, leading Cousins to rely on his instincts and go for the aggressive hurry-up play.
Week 3 marked the third-straight one-score game the Vikings have played in and the third-straight loss they've recorded. Compared to last season, when Minnesota won 11 one-score games en route to an NFC North title, the Vikings have stumbled to a 0-3 hole and are watching their playoff hopes slip through their fingers. Since 1990, only four of 158 teams to start 0-3 have made the postseason (2.5 percent).
It's easy to look back and comment on what a team should've done (just ask the Cowboys in the last two postseasons). It's a much more challenging feat to actually improve one's decision-making in those clutch scenarios and show development as an offensive play-caller. With O'Connell's ugly track record, maybe it's time for some change in Minnesota.
