Donatel needs the axe

[JJBreaksRecords]

For a chance at any type of meaningful playoff run, we need someone else to run this 3-4 D. It would be too hard to replace with the 4-3. Hunter is rarely even heard from with it. And the secondary is completely lost. We need something to change now. Just to win the NFCN.

[VikingLord]

For a chance at any type of meaningful playoff run, we need someone else to run this 3-4 D. It would be too hard to replace with the 4-3. Hunter is rarely even heard from with it. And the secondary is completely lost. We need something to change now. Just to win the NFCN.

Here are the things I would like to see happen on the Vikings defense (in the order I think they'd impact the defense):

1) Get way more aggressive. More and more varied blitzes, tighter man coverages, more attempt to dictate what the opposing offense does than react to what they are doing. Develop an attacking approach rather than a reacting approach.

2) Personnel changes, especially at linebacker could really help. The 3-4 asks a lot out of the interior linebackers, and for whatever reason the two interior linebackers the Vikings have are struggling to do it. The Vikings seem to need more speed at those positions, both in run defense and in pass defense. Something is wrong with Danielle Hunter. He's disappeared. Maybe give some of the younger DEs more reps at that spot. In the secondary, Bynum has been a liability most of the year. Not sure if the Vikings have an alternative to him if Smith is healthy, but I'd like to see if someone can play that position the way it needs to be played. Just something has to be shaken up on the field a little. The group that is starting isn't getting the job done.

3) Coaching changes. This is the last on the list even though it could very well be the most impactful, but that is mostly because switching a coordinator mid-season is tough, but if Donatell doesn't have some new ideas about how to alter the fortunes of the Vikings defense, KOC might want to look elsewhere on the team for someone who does. Donatell has been uninspiring as a defensive coodinator. He's a nice guy who doesn't blame people and tries to focus on the future, but right now the future looks like what kind of record his defense is going to set for the most consecutive 400+ yard games given up by a single defense in a given year. He can't honestly look at what is happening and believe he's got things on the the right track or that his defense has just been plagued by some bad breaks. It's freakin' bad and there is no reason to believe it is going to get better. He's got to show he can make some adjustments and get things headed in the right direction.

Overall, this is a time of the year when you want to be rounding into form as a team and showing progress and consistency. Offensively, the Vikings are at least a credible threat, but the defense is going in the wrong direction, and the consistency they are demonstrating is not the kind of consistency you want a playoff-bound defense to have. I think the fact the Vikings have been winning has covered over the defensive concerns a bit too much. This is one loss, so that probably won't be enough to spark big changes on the defensive side of the ball, but if the Vikings end up with another one of these 400+ yards surrendered this coming Saturday and lose again, that very well might be enough to do it. I really hope Donatell comes out with some new tricks against the Colts, and I hope KOC starts demanding some results.

[VikingsFan84]

I do not think Donatell will get fired after the season because I do not think O'Connell is willing to admit his mistake in hiring Donatell

[J. Kapp 11]

I do not think Donatell will get fired after the season because I do not think O'Connell is willing to admit his mistake in hiring Donatell

What has Kevin O’Connell done to possibly make you think he’s not accountable?

KOC deserves criticism today. He got out-coached by Dan Campbell. But I guarantee, you can’t name one thing the man has ever done or said that could lead a person of reasonable intelligence to think he doesn’t own his mistakes.

[VikingsFan84]

I do not think Donatell will get fired after the season because I do not think O'Connell is willing to admit his mistake in hiring Donatell

What has Kevin O’Connell done to possibly make you think he’s not accountable?

KOC deserves criticism today. He got out-coached by Dan Campbell. But I guarantee, you can’t name one thing the man has ever done or said that could lead a person of reasonable intelligence to think he doesn’t own his mistakes.

O'Connell did not admit that the 2 point play is a mistake so he did not think he is accountable

[TheCoolerOne]

What has Kevin O’Connell done to possibly make you think he’s not accountable?

KOC deserves criticism today. He got out-coached by Dan Campbell. But I guarantee, you can’t name one thing the man has ever done or said that could lead a person of reasonable intelligence to think he doesn’t own his mistakes.

O'Connell did not admit that the 2 point play is a mistake so he did not think he is accountable

It wasn’t a mistake. It was the correct decision. You not understand that doesn’t make it wrong.

It is more likely to make the two point conversion than it is to put together two more scoring drives, which is what they would have needed to win.

[Texas Vike]

O'Connell did not admit that the 2 point play is a mistake so he did not think he is accountable

It wasn’t a mistake. It was the correct decision. You not understand that doesn’t make it wrong.

It is more likely to make the two point conversion than it is to put together two more scoring drives, which is what they would have needed to win.

Definitely. It was exactly the right decision at that point in the game. I didn't love the play call to AT, however. It should have gone to JJ or even Reagor. AT just doesn't have the ability to run with power through tacklers like he used to.

[CharVike]

What has Kevin O’Connell done to possibly make you think he’s not accountable?

KOC deserves criticism today. He got out-coached by Dan Campbell. But I guarantee, you can’t name one thing the man has ever done or said that could lead a person of reasonable intelligence to think he doesn’t own his mistakes.

O'Connell did not admit that the 2 point play is a mistake so he did not think he is accountable

Peg isn't the best xtra point converted so why not go for 2? Some felt the onside kick was a mistake. It was a risk but sometimes you need to take a risk to get the reward.

[CharVike]

For a chance at any type of meaningful playoff run, we need someone else to run this 3-4 D. It would be too hard to replace with the 4-3. Hunter is rarely even heard from with it. And the secondary is completely lost. We need something to change now. Just to win the NFCN.

Here are the things I would like to see happen on the Vikings defense (in the order I think they'd impact the defense):

1) Get way more aggressive. More and more varied blitzes, tighter man coverages, more attempt to dictate what the opposing offense does than react to what they are doing. Develop an attacking approach rather than a reacting approach.

2) Personnel changes, especially at linebacker could really help. The 3-4 asks a lot out of the interior linebackers, and for whatever reason the two interior linebackers the Vikings have are struggling to do it. The Vikings seem to need more speed at those positions, both in run defense and in pass defense. Something is wrong with Danielle Hunter. He's disappeared. Maybe give some of the younger DEs more reps at that spot. In the secondary, Bynum has been a liability most of the year. Not sure if the Vikings have an alternative to him if Smith is healthy, but I'd like to see if someone can play that position the way it needs to be played. Just something has to be shaken up on the field a little. The group that is starting isn't getting the job done.

3) Coaching changes. This is the last on the list even though it could very well be the most impactful, but that is mostly because switching a coordinator mid-season is tough, but if Donatell doesn't have some new ideas about how to alter the fortunes of the Vikings defense, KOC might want to look elsewhere on the team for someone who does. Donatell has been uninspiring as a defensive coodinator. He's a nice guy who doesn't blame people and tries to focus on the future, but right now the future looks like what kind of record his defense is going to set for the most consecutive 400+ yard games given up by a single defense in a given year. He can't honestly look at what is happening and believe he's got things on the the right track or that his defense has just been plagued by some bad breaks. It's freakin' bad and there is no reason to believe it is going to get better. He's got to show he can make some adjustments and get things headed in the right direction.

Overall, this is a time of the year when you want to be rounding into form as a team and showing progress and consistency. Offensively, the Vikings are at least a credible threat, but the defense is going in the wrong direction, and the consistency they are demonstrating is not the kind of consistency you want a playoff-bound defense to have. I think the fact the Vikings have been winning has covered over the defensive concerns a bit too much. This is one loss, so that probably won't be enough to spark big changes on the defensive side of the ball, but if the Vikings end up with another one of these 400+ yards surrendered this coming Saturday and lose again, that very well might be enough to do it. I really hope Donatell comes out with some new tricks against the Colts, and I hope KOC starts demanding some results.

Donatell has nothing to come out with. We have Hunter, Smith and young Jones who was starting to show some pass rush ability so all three of those guys should be attacking the QB. That will help a below average secondary. It's too late to fire his lame a$$ so we are stuck. Letting Williams get so wide open should get you fired. We have seen that before. Williams is a speedster but it looked like our secondary was confused and nobody stayed back and protected against the home run. The Colts will tear us up. Any QB can do it at this point because we won't attack him.

[VikeFanInEagleLand]

It wasn’t a mistake. It was the correct decision. You not understand that doesn’t make it wrong.

It is more likely to make the two point conversion than it is to put together two more scoring drives, which is what they would have needed to win.

Definitely. It was exactly the right decision at that point in the game. I didn't love the play call to AT, however. It should have gone to JJ or even Reagor. AT just doesn't have the ability to run with power through tacklers like he used to.

Wait wait wait!! What am I missing here? It's the 3rd Quarter and the Vikings are down 21-7. They score a TD and with an extra point, it will be 21-14. (that;s one score) Instead, he goes for 2. I'm not understanding how going for 2 is the right call here.

[J. Kapp 11]

What has Kevin O’Connell done to possibly make you think he’s not accountable?

KOC deserves criticism today. He got out-coached by Dan Campbell. But I guarantee, you can’t name one thing the man has ever done or said that could lead a person of reasonable intelligence to think he doesn’t own his mistakes.

O'Connell did not admit that the 2 point play is a mistake so he did not think he is accountable

You have absolutely no idea how ridiculous that comment is, do you?

That’s called a difference of opinion. I didn’t like them going for two there, either, but that doesn’t display a lack of accountability on his part. It just means he interprets the analytics differently than I do.

[VikingsFan84]

O'Connell did not admit that the 2 point play is a mistake so he did not think he is accountable

You have absolutely no idea how ridiculous that comment is, do you?

That’s called a difference of opinion. I didn’t like them going for two there, either, but that doesn’t display a lack of accountability on his part. It just means he interprets the analytics differently than I do.

That is just your opinion

[TheCoolerOne]

Definitely. It was exactly the right decision at that point in the game. I didn't love the play call to AT, however. It should have gone to JJ or even Reagor. AT just doesn't have the ability to run with power through tacklers like he used to.

Wait wait wait!! What am I missing here? It's the 3rd Quarter and the Vikings are down 21-7. They score a TD and with an extra point, it will be 21-14. (that;s one score) Instead, he goes for 2. I'm not understanding how going for 2 is the right call here.

Vikings scored with two minutes left in the 3rd quarter. Down 14, if you make the 2pt conversion, you need only one stop and a touchdown to win the game.

If you kick the extra point, you now need two stops and two scoring possessions (one TD one FG) to win.

That is a scenario for any team down 14 late. None of that accounts for the Vikings specifically. When you start thinking about how awful the defense was, the decision is even more sound. Debate the tunnel screen they drew up, but not the decision to draw it up. O’Connell was playing to win.

[makila]

No you don't need two stops. You just go for two on next td. It doesn't mean they need two stops in that scenario.

Score td.
21-13

Kick xp
21-14

Get 1 stop
21-14

Score td
21-20

Go for two (or kick xp to tie)
21-22

One stop.

There was also over a full quarter of game left.

[Just Me]

Except that you're ignoring the fact that the Vikings have to attempt a two point conversion at some point regardless of when you do it (in order to force the win). If you do it when KOC did, then you still have the opportunity to try it again if it fails (assuming the aforementioned stop and second touchdown occurs) to at least send the game to OT. If you try it when KOC did you have a chance to put yourself in the driver's seat for the outright win with the safety net of still having an option for forcing OT if it fails. If you wait until the last touchdown and fail, you just lose outright. See? It's a matter of opinion...