KEVIN O’CONNELL – Page 23 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Justin Jefferson Stays Humble in Spotlight

Posted on December 3, 2022December 3, 2022 by David Shama

Justin Jefferson is receiving a tsunami of recognition and praise but the 23-year-old wide receiver has his ego in check, according to Vikings teammates.

The third-year LSU alum is a game changer, and although no NFL wide receiver has ever been named league MVP, Jefferson’s resume is deserving of consideration. This week he was recognized as the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for November. And just days ago his name led all NFL players in fan voting for the 2023 Pro Bowl.

In November Jefferson’s 480 receiving yards led the NFC and he had the second-most receptions in the conference with 29. With the Vikings going 3-1 during the month, Jefferson’s 480 receiving yards was second in the NFL only to the 487 of the Raiders’ Davante Adams.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Jefferson had eight receptions of at least 20 yards during the month, the second-most in the NFL behind Adams. He led the NFC in yards from scrimmage with 490, over 100 more than Lion Amon-Ra St. Brown’s 385, who ranked second. This is the second time Jefferson has been named NFC Offensive Player of the Month.

Jefferson was also named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Bills November 10. In a Minnesota overtime win for the ages, he had 10 receptions for a career-high 193 receiving yards. That total is the most in an NFL game this season.

“He’s always played at a really crazy high level,” Harrison Smith told Sports Headliners. The Viking veteran safety is in his 11th NFL season and appreciates not only Jefferson’s talents but his character, too.

“…He’s such a big superstar (but) he doesn’t have like a standoffish personality. He likes to just be one of the guys.”

When tight end T.J. Hockenson joined the Vikings in early November after a trade with the Lions, Jefferson welcomed him. “He gets to know everybody. He builds a relationship with everybody,” Hockenson said. “It’s cool to be on the same team as him and be in the same locker room.”

Justin Jefferson image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Teammates describe Jefferson as a friendly, smiling, talkative and energetic person who is having so much fun with the game he loves. “He is one of the best people I’ve been around,” Hockenson said. “Just very fun-loving guy. Loves the game. It’s like he gets to go out at recess every day when we step onto the field. …”

Amen to that says running back Alexander Mattison. “Just a kid having fun, playing the game. And he hasn’t changed his ways since he came in (the NFL). Just that kid in love with the game and it’s rubbed off on us.

“I think he keeps some of the older guys…everyone around him, keeps everyone young. So yeah, his energy is always having fun, laughing, and enjoying the game, enjoying the life we live.”

Fans, not just in Minnesota, but across the country are on board with Jefferson. The NFL announced on Monday that his 90,313 votes leads all players in balloting for the 2023 Pro Bowl Game. He is in prestigious company with other top vote getters like Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, followed by RB Saquon Barkley of the Giants and WR Tyreek Hill from the Dolphins.

Some may consider Hill the NFL’s top wide receiver but there are plenty of observers who think Jefferson deserves that spot. The Jefferson hysteria, that includes raves over his ability to make the most difficult of catches, has led to speculation he will one day rank with the greatest ever to play at his position.

Mattison was told Jefferson is having his name mentioned in the same breath with legendary receiver Jerry Rice, considered by many the best ever WR. “It’s crazy to think about, just within three years to be having these conversations. But you just kind of take a step back and look at the facts,” Mattison said. “And they’re realistic conversations to have which is crazy to actually think about. …”

Hockenson knows how revered Jefferson is already. “I think he’s one of a kind. He’s a special player. He’s one of the best to do it in this league. I am sure at the end of this (his career) he’ll be one of the best to do it ever.”

Hill is the NFL’s highest paid receiver, reportedly with a four-deal of $120 million. Jefferson is a lock to receive a new contract from the Vikings in 2023 paying him much more, perhaps over $150 million for five years.

Mattison doesn’t expect the payoff to change his friend. “Somebody like him he’s not going to have that conversation with you (about money)…as humble as he is, but he definitely is well deserving of that.”

Worth Noting

Offensive right tackle Christian Darrisaw (concussion) and tight end Ben Ellefson (groin) have been ruled out for Sunday’s Vikings and Jets game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Smith (ankle) indicated Thursday it’s likely he will play. “It sure seems like it. I don’t know, though. We’re not there yet.”

Fourth-year Vikings center Garrett Bradbury has often been maligned in the past but Pro Football Focus notes the former No. 1 draft choice has given up just two sacks and is responsible for only four penalties in 741 snaps. PFF gives him a respectable grade of 71.

“…With the relationship with Kirk (Cousins), their communication throughout games and in-game has been huge for us,” said head coach Kevin O’Connell. “And I think physically he’s done a lot of good things in the run and pass game, kind of fitting with what we want to do. So, I’m really happy with the type of season Garrett’s had so far, and I’m hoping to continue to just get that consistent play out of him.”

Since Kene Nwangwu’s rookie season of 2021, he leads the league in kickoff return touchdowns with three including Thanksgiving night when he scored on a 97-yard return against the Patriots. The Vikings’ specialist has the third most kickoff return touchdowns in team history behind Cordarrelle Patterson and Percy Harvin, who both had five. Nwangwu is averaging a touchdown every 13.7 return (41 career kick returns).

Disappointing news for Gophers’ fans that record setting senior Mo Ibrahim wasn’t among the three finalists announced this week for the Doak Walker Award recognizing the nation’s best running back. Juniors Chase Brown, Illinois; Blake Corum, Michigan; and Bijan Robinson, Texas; are the finalists.

Many friends and admirers attended the wake in St. Paul this week for legendary former University of St. Thomas and Cretin Derham-Hall baseball coach Dennis Denning, 76, who recently passed away. “The line was out the door to get inside, and I got to the funeral home when it started at 4 p.m. An amazing tribute to coach Denning,” per an email from former Cretin baseball player Bill Robertson.

The Wild gets a stamina challenge this weekend playing Saturday afternoon at home against the Ducks and then facing the Stars in Dallas starting at 2 p.m. Sunday. Former teammate Ryan Suter, 37, has no goals and four points for the Stars who haven’t played a game since Thursday night. The Wild is 8-7-2 in its last 17 games in Dallas.

The Golden Gophers men’s hockey team has outstanding speed on the roster and has scored five or more goals in four of their last five games including 5-0 over the Spartans last night in East Lansing.

Canterbury Park will likely have a later start to the season in 2023 than normal because of redevelopment and improvements in the stable area. The Shakopee racetrack’s expected schedule will be from May 27-September 16, as proposed to the Minnesota Racing Commission.

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QB Kirk Cousins’ Image Changes in 2022

Posted on November 15, 2022November 15, 2022 by David Shama

Kirk Cousins is on a historic personal path in 2022. The Vikings’ quarterback is being viewed as a winner after a past of mostly mediocre results by teams he led in Washington, D.C., and Minnesota.

The 8-1 Vikings are off to a start unlike anything Cousins has experienced since he became a regular in Washington in 2015. That season the Commanders finished the season 9-7. Cousins’ next two seasons in D.C. saw the Commanders go 8-7-1 and 7-9. A hefty free agent deal (reportedly three years, $84 million) brought Cousins to Minnesota before the 2018 season where he has been part of teams with records of 8-7-1, 10-6, 7-9 and 8-9-1.

That’s a cumulative record of 57 wins, 54 losses and one tie as an NFL starting quarterback dating back to 2015. Cousins also has a 1-2 playoff record with the Commanders and Vikings.

At age 34, in his 11th year in the NFL, Cousins is gaining ground in the public view as a winner and even being mentioned as a potential NFL MVP. He is flourishing in a quarterback friendly environment unlike anything he has experienced before as a professional.

Cousins is making both routine and difficult throws that have the Vikings headed to their first NFC North championship since 2017. He has been primetime this season leading the Vikings to comeback wins, with the most recent Sunday’s game for the ages overtime victory against the Bills in Buffalo.

Cousins’ performance and leadership has been questioned in the past but he’s answered critics by thriving under new head coach Kevin O’Connell who is known as a quarterback whisperer.

Cousins’ disconnect with previous head coach Mike Zimmer is well documented but now the veteran has found a productive relationship with O’Connell whose skills include superb play-calling and creativity in adjusting offensive schemes. O’Connell said Monday, while praising Cousins, that his quarterback has been tasked with a new system this year and “we’re asking a lot out of him.”

Putting labels on football players is dicey business. For critics to label the Cousins of the past something other than a winner really depends on perspective. Just being able to quarterback an NFL team year after year can be viewed as enough to gain respect with fans and media. Cousins has been a regular starter for the last eight seasons and along the way earned a reputation as a top 12 to 15 pro quarterback.

Not bad. But the 2022 version of Cousins looks better than ever and he is surrounded by coaches and players that can do their share of the heavy lifting. Whether it’s the phenomenal WR Justin Jefferson, the explosive RB Dalvin Cook, the improved offensive line or timely playmakers on defense, the vanquishing Vikings are far from a one-man show.

Give the Vikings credit for winning seven consecutive games since losing to the Eagles on September 19. But four of their eight wins are by four points or fewer and their schedule has not been daunting. Their nine opponents have a cumulative record of 42-43. Only three opponents, the Eagles, Dolphins and Bills, have winning records.

And that stat brings up one of the beefs that has dogged Cousins’ quarterback career. He has long been criticized for his performance against teams with a winning record.

He has lost about two-thirds of such games as the Vikings’ quarterback (per Fanduel), but in fairness remember that football is a team game and a lot can go into outcomes and records (Rams QB Matthew Stafford won a Super Bowl last winter after a dreadful record of wins and losses with the hapless Lions). If the Vikings finish with a gaudy regular season record and make a deep playoff run, even that Cousins wrap of not beating teams with winning records will lose some of its sting.

Cousins believes lessons from the past help his leadership now. “…Sometimes when you’re not winning, those are the times where you have to come in with a smile on your face, upbeat, still bring energy, make sure practice is still fun,” he said. “That’s really, I think, the test of leadership, is when it’s not easy to do things, that you still bring energy and focus and preparation. And so, certainly, when you’re winning, there’s a little more wind at your back, but you can’t really let it change the way you approach things and not ever get too high or too low.”

Worth Noting

Former University of Minnesota and Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz talking about Harvey Mackay’s 90^th birthday: “He doesn’t count his years. He makes his years count.”

Mackay hosted a birthday celebration in Phoenix last weekend. Mackay, the Minnesota-born, UM alum and New York Times best selling author, is close friends with Holtz who coached the Gophers in 1984 and 1985 before going to Notre Dame and winning the 1988 national championship.

“The Amazing Hondo,” St. Paul’s John Hughes, is a Mackay favorite and he entertained with his magic tricks at the birthday celebration. Hondo, 70, is still playing recreational basketball in the Twin Cities with pals including Dennis Fitzpatrick, the former St. Thomas star.

Hughes took his nickname years ago from legendary Celtics great John “Hondo” Havlicek.

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Vikings’ Offense with New Dimension Now

Posted on November 5, 2022November 7, 2022 by David Shama

How much will the Vikings’ acquisition of tight end T.J. Hockenson improve the offense? “I would say it adds…probably 25 percent dimension to the offense,” analytics expert Daniel House told Sports Headliners.

Hockenson, 25, was traded by the Lions to the Vikings Tuesday and is expected to play in Sunday’s road game against the Commanders. A 2020 Pro Bowl selection, the former Hawkeye and Iowa native was the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

This season Hockenson has started all seven games for the Lions, totaling 26 catches for 395 yards. That’s the most receiving yards in his career through the first seven games of a season, and he has three touchdowns. His 15.2 yards per catch is the most in the NFL among all qualifying tight ends in 2022. He is also considered a capable blocker, but it’s his pass catching ability, including on deep balls, that is most attractive.

House is a well-known sports journalist in Minnesota whose analytics and other football knowledge draws online readers following the Golden Gophers and Vikings. He’s been impressed with the new front office and coaching of the Vikings, including the Hockenson deal.

“I think it’s one of those moves that takes the Vikings offense to another dimension,” House said.. …”If you take away (WR Justin) Jefferson, you’re going to give Hockenson some good matchups. If you give coverage attention to Hockenson, that will free up some of the other playmakers too. Also, (RB Dalvin) Cook running the football. He’ll run into wider boxes, which is good as well.”

Kevin O’Connell photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Head coach Kevin O’Connell has been impressive with schemes and play calls to keep the offense effective for the 6-1 Vikings, but the addition of Hockenson is expected to make that job easier. While it may have been difficult to put the deal together obtaining Hockenson, it’s a no-brainer to see why the move (that included exchange of draft choices for both teams) was put together. Starting tight end Irv Smith Jr. is injured and out indefinitely. Then, too, his pass catching has been underwhelming. Opposing defenses have been focused on stopping Jefferson, the team’s superstar receiver.

“I just like the way that the offense is built,” House said. “I feel like it’s very modern. Kevin continues to tweak it and now we’ll see sort of what it looks like with Hockenson because he’ll sort of fill that Tyler Higbee (Rams tight end in a similar offense) type of role.”

This is part of what House wrote on Twitter when the Vikings acquired the 6-5, 248-pound Hockenson who was a three-star recruit coming out high school: …”Still on rookie deal w/ fifth-year option next year, gets separation at the top of routes, great hands and creates mismatch possibilities.”

O’Connell said his defensive coaches, who had to prepare for Hockenson in the past, acknowledge what a talent the Vikings are acquiring. “They were more excited than anybody to get him on our roster and know what he can do for us,” O’Connell said.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins has targeted tight ends on 18.9 percent of his passes so look for that to change in coming weeks. Hockenson needs to assimilate the offense and learn to play with his new teammates so don’t expect him to be on the field a lot Sunday. But his acquisition has sent a message to the team and fans the Vikings are serious about winning.

Vikings Notes

In an email to Sports Headliners, a former NFL front office executive pointed out that without acquiring Hockenson, and with Smith injured, the Vikings likely would be starting reserve Johnny Mundt. He wrote Mundt “is ok on short routes and a good blocking tight end but not a down field threat.”

Jefferson has caught 63 passes of 20+ yards since entering the NFL in 2020—the most in the league by 12 catches during that span (Cooper Kupp and Mike Evans have 51 each).

Observers believe starting WR Adam Thielen, 32, has diminished speed from earlier in his career and is unlikely to be with the Vikings next year. Look for Minnesota to prioritize a wide receiver or two in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Cousins made a 17-yard touchdown run last Sunday against the Cardinals, although his speed has been clocked at a pedestrian 4.9 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

BTW, Cousins is a fan of fast food and made that known early in his Vikings days when he talked about patronizing Portillo’s.

O’Connell, with a win Sunday against the Commanders, can become the fifth NFL head coach since 2000 to win seven of his first eight career games, joining Jim Caldwell (2009), Jim Harbaugh (2011), Matt LaFleur (2019) and Mike Martz (2000).

Although it’s early November, Sunday’s game is only Minnesota’s third in an opponent’s home stadium. The Vikings have a loss at Philadelphia and a win at Miami, and a neutral site victory over the Saints in London.

The NFL season is about at the midway point and the final average score margin (9.52) as of last Tuesday was the lowest through the first eight weeks of a season since 1970. Fifty-five games had been decided by a touchdown (six points or fewer), the most such games through week eight in NFL history.

Brooks Bollinger, the former quarterback who played with multiple NFL teams including the Vikings, is the latest guest on “Behind the Game.” He talks with co-hosts Patrick Klinger and Bill Robertson about his playing and coaching career that included leading the high school football programs at Hill-Murray and Cretin-Derham Hall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiFEhXuMwBc

The Commanders franchise is being shopped for sale. Forbes values the franchise at $5.6 billion but Front Office Sports newsletter speculates the final price could be $6 billon, making the transaction the largest ever in the world for a pro team. Chelsea FC sold for $5.3 billion earlier this year.

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