Daily Norseman
Preseason is a time of year when NFL football is happening, kind of. Kevin O’Connell mentioned briefly in his post-game press conference that there isn’t a whole lot of game planning in the preseason. So, what we are watching is the most primitively basic version of the league there is. Regardless, there are still things that we can learn about what this team’s identity is going to be. My impression is that this is a very well-coached team with a methodical approach to each and every single day. I may not be the first person to say this, but I think KO might be a literal genius. I’m not saying that in any sort of pompous manner, but because the Vikings Head Coach just seems to be incredibly intelligent. Maybe I’m blinded by my fandom, even though O’Connell is the reigning, defending coach of the year. The way he speaks in press conferences is so transparent in many ways, where he knows exactly how to convey what he is thinking when fielding interview questions from the press. He is a big picture guy who exudes a cool confidence in his abilities as well as the potential of the team he has assembled, alongside Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Brian Flores.
This is an era of the Vikings, the likes of which I have never witnessed in my lifetime. I don’t concern myself with the opinions of people who claim to be or have inside sources. There are no insiders in the Minnesota Vikings organization who have juicy insights about the struggles of the team; it is only speculation from outsiders. Anybody who says that McCarthy has been struggling in camp needs to check their sources. I have high expectations for the Minnesota Vikings this upcoming season, even if the media jabronis want to doubt them. Like I’ve said before, I am here for the doubters. Keep sleeping on this team!
There were a few things that stood out to me in the past weekend’s preseason game. The first thing is the massive increase in size of our offensive line. I mean, it looks nothing like it did the previous season. We are moving out of the zone running scheme era that was tailored to one of the Vikings’ greats, Dalvin Cook, and upgrading to a powerful line that can bully opposing defenders. Bradbury and Risner are gone and have been replaced by a couple of guys who probably crush beer cans on their own heads at Sunday Brunch. Blake Brandel isn’t a small dude, but in comparison, Donovan Jackson looks like a giant over there at left guard.
Watching later in the game, I found myself wondering if the Vikings have similar plans from Michael Jurgens as the Eagles did for his brother Cam. Ryan Kelley is only locked up for two years, so Jurgens is a player to watch this preseason and next, as a candidate for full-time center replacement...
