MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings, like the rest of the NFL ‘s leading contenders, have their share of mysteries to unwind in the coming weeks.
Will Sam Darnold keep hearing MVP chants down the stretch and deep into the playoffs? Can a defense that has showed some vulnerability against high-caliber passing attacks deliver a shutdown game against a star quarterback in the postseason?
This much is clear: The Vikings have passed the team chemistry test.
Just look in the end zone after one of their league-leading 20 interceptions, where the choreographed celebrations become wilder by the week. Fellow safeties Cam Bynum and Josh Metellus recently acted out a dance-off scene from the 20-year-old comedy movie “White Chicks” complete with a mid-air flip by Bynum after Metellus picked off a pass.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores was so impressed he offered unprompted praise in his news conference this week.
“I love the creativity,” Flores said. “Look, you can’t play this game at a high level unless you have peace. I think you get that from your preparation, and once you get that, you can have some joy playing this game. I like seeing that out of our group. I think that’s important. I think you put that together, that’s how you play at your optimum level.”
The Vikings wouldn’t be defying even the most optimistic of external preseason projections without top-notch talent and schemes on both sides of the ball, but they might not be 11-2 going into their game against Chicago on Monday night without these good vibes, either.
Since the arrival of coach Kevin O’Connell in 2022, the Vikings from ownership on down have drawn rave reviews as an organization where players want to play. Like any place of business, the employees will typically be more productive when they not only enjoy their work but the people they’re working with.
One glance at those turnover celebrations will show just that.
“You have to be celebrating everything the same way if it was you,” outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard said. “That way you continue to get the same blessings that everybody else gets in their time. We’re all excited to make that play. We’re all excited for everybody to make that play.”
The tone has been set at the top by the gregarious O’Connell, who got the most out of his brief NFL journey as a clipboard-clutching backup quarterback. That insight has helped him create an environment conducive to success in Minnesota, from the way he has shepherded Darnold back to relevancy with a career-altering season to the way he has taken lessons on defense from Flores and his pupils and applied that toward a better playbook for the offense.
O’Connell at 39 is only four years older than Harrison Smith, the six-time Pro Bowl safety who is still going strong in the secondary in his 13th season in the NFL.
Drawn together by age range and mutual respect, O’Connell and Smith have met each Friday in the head coach’s office over hot Americanos to talk family, fatherhood and, at times, a little bit of football.
“Half the time there’s people coming in and out,” Smith said, smiling at his impression of the job: “Just how busy he is and how many people are pulling at him at all times. I wouldn’t call it a peer relationship because he is my boss, but we’re closer in age and we kind of came into the league when it was a certain way and now it’s changed a little. I’ve definitely gotten to know more about him as a coach, player, person, the whole thing.”
Needless to say, these scenes haven’t played out nearly as much this season for the Bears. They’ve fallen to 4-9 after seven consecutive losses, and coach Matt Eberflus was fired two weeks ago.
“I feel like I’ve definitely been through a lot here. I’ve been through my fair share of losing streaks. This is definitely not easy,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “This has definitely been a mental battle, trying to grind through this from a mental standpoint.”
For a team such as the Vikings, on a six-game winning streak and playing at home in prime time, this could be the type of opponent with the potential to be overlooked with a daunting final three games waiting to determine the division title and, likely, the top seed in the NFC.
Teams with strong chemistry typically don’t let that happen, though.
“Just the maturity, people understanding how to handle success,” Greenard said. “Just making sure we give everybody the same respect as the best team in the league, because anybody can get beat on any given play or any given day, so we’re always going to give that same respect and bring that same fire.”
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