Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
You don’t always need to view the game through the lens of a former player to have adequate insight. However, when a former player is blown away by the X’s and O’s of a specific play, there often is a reason to take note.
Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings did a lot of things poorly in the early going on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears. They then started to gain momentum and turned things around.
The head coach remains among one of the smartest offensive minds in the game, and he blew Emmanuel Acho away.
Emmanuel Acho praises Minnesota Vikings play calling
Looking to take the lead late, the Minnesota Vikings needed quarterback J.J. McCarthy to make another play. Kevin O’Connell dialed up a pass with running back Aaron Jones as the intended target. Emmanuel Acho, a former Eagles linebacker, detailed why it was so impressive to see unfold.
Kevin O’Connell is an absolutely brilliant offensive mind. Brilliant.
With the game in the balance, O’Connell dialed up the hardest play for a linebacker to defend in all of football. 🤯#AchoAnalysis| #SKOL pic.twitter.com/Mxcq3XdDwq
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) September 9, 2025
“Kevin O’Connell is one of the smartest offensive coaches in all of football. The hardest route to cover as a linebacker, take it from me, is if a running back comes out and runs a flag route or a corner route. The running back could literally do anything. He could go out, he could go in, he could go stop, he could go vertical. That’s why Sewell right here has his feet in the mud, has no idea what’s coming. Now, if you get the right coverage, it’s literally seven every single time. J.J. [McCarthy] didn’t even have to throw a great ball. Literally it’s the best play call versus this defense. Linebacker on running back, Aaron Jones is going to win every time…Phenomenal job by KOB dialing that up. Ten out of ten.”
Emmanuel Acho
That play call put the Vikings on top for the first time all night. Up 18-17 before converting a two-point play to Adam Thielen, Minnesota grabbed the lead with 9:46 to play and never gave it back.
For three quarters O’Connell saw his young quarterback look to get comfortable in his first NFL start. The field conditions were poor. McCarthy was playing back home, in front of a bunch of family. The lights were bright. As adversity grew, the polarizing first round pick stepped up.
Related: Key Takeaways From MN Vikings Incredible Comeback Victory Over Bears
Kevin O’Connell gave McCarthy all of the tools to get things rolling as the game went on. McCarthy then did what he needed to in order to execute. On the play in question, Jones did his job and the play was executed to perfection. Not even a slight underthrow was going to stop it from being a hit.
Acho picked out a single play among 56 offensive snaps for the Vikings on Monday night. More definitely hit like this one, but it’s always fun to sit back and think about just how good of hands Minnesota is in because of their head coach.
Mentioned in this article: Emmanuel Acho Kevin O'Connell More About:Minnesota Vikings