For years, the talk surrounding the Minnesota Vikings is that they have a quarterback whisperer calling the shots. Even some Green Bay Packers fans compared Kevin O'Connell to Matt LaFleur and included him in 'offensive guru' talks.
They also said Justin Jefferson was a quarterback-proof guy, citing his ability to torch defenses regardless of who was behind center. It's been two miserable years for the Vikings' offense, yet both of them still preserve their reputations... Or they did.
The fact that the Vikings traded for Kirk Cousins all but defies those notions. Clearly, O'Connell isn't the quarterback guru talking heads and fans said, and as it turns out, Jefferson does need someone to throw him the ball.
Kevin O'Connell might be a fraud, but the Vikings are a real threat to the Packers
The Vikings didn't want to pay 35-year-old Kirk Cousins, so the fact that they gave up a third-round pick to pay him at age 38 is hilarious and reeks of desperation. It also makes perfect sense when you watch the Vikings' offense.
O'Connell's team ranked 12th in total offense with Sam Darnold at the helm. He got all the credit for 'fixing' Darnold, who went on to lead the Seattle Seahawks to the Vince Lombardi Trophy as soon as he left the Twin Cities.
Notably, things haven't gone that well for him since. The Vikings have ranked 28th and 31st in total offense over the past couple of seasons, respectively, with a revolving door of quarterbacks including J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Kyler Murray.
Of course, this isn't to say that O'Connell isn't a good coach. He has a quarterback-friendly system, and the Vikings are legitimately a good team, but maybe it's time to pump the brakes on all the praise and compliments when history suggests otherwise.
This trade might not move the needle that much, but it surely makes the Packers' loss to the Vikings sting even more. The offense couldn't get anything going until the Packers' shaky offensive line crumbled to pieces and allowed the Vikings' defense to make a late-game rally.
Now, the Packers will have to face the Vikings with a better quarterback who's already familiar with the offense and who has more weapons now than he did in the past. The NFC North just got a bit tougher, and that should be yet another reminder of why early-season divisional games are so crucial.
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