Dear Minnesota Vikings,
As you may be aware, you are the most disrespected 6-0 NFL team that I have seen in my lifetime. Despite the fact that you are 2-0 in divisional games and have a defense that is allowing the league’s fewest points per game at 12.3, people are still calling you frauds. Those voices have only grown louder over the past few weeks, and now there are comparisons between your starting quarterback and the one you let go to New York. The promises of Kevin O’Connell in locker room speeches
saying that this offense is going to improve reverberate off of a concrete wall into thin air. Yes, Kyler Murray is protecting the football and not committing costly turnovers. He has also been inconsistent at times and has missed quite a few throws due to poor timing or inaccuracy.
We thought this year was going to be different. Heck, Max Brosmer was 1-1 last year in games where he produced almost zero (if not negative) offensive value. Meanwhile, this season’s offense has to scratch and claw for 60 minutes just to score ONE TOUCHDOWN! We are witnessing the same problems with stagnancy (which seems to be a prevalent theme in your offensive scheme, Kevin) every time we have possession of the football. Every drive feels like ten steps forward with two steps back, culminating in a 50-yard Will Reichard field goal. I don’t even want to watch when you have the ball in between the 40s, because I know you aren’t going to get anywhere near the endzone. For example, this past week, Myles Price set you up with immaculate field position, and what did you do with it? You ran the ball four times and failed to convert on fourth down, turning the ball over on downs. RIDICULOUS.
The lack of production on offense is why everybody and their mamas with a microphone and a camera are posting their very loud opinions on the internet. This week you play a divisional rival in the Detroit Lions. This is a chance to prove that your team is elite in all three phases and a true Super Bowl contender. You cannot rely on the defense to hold teams to fewer than 13 points every game. The silver lining is that I believe this defense CAN hold ANY team to 13 points or fewer, but still, you cannot rely on their dominance every week. The tension in my soul wants the confirmation that this offense can score 30+ points when called upon. Nothing would make me happier than for you to shut up all of these armchair analyst CLOWNS who think they know everything about football even though they probably haven’t watched one snap of a Minnesota Vikings game.
However, at the end of the day, I am a Minnesota Vikings fan. I know this is a franchise built upon the foundation of excellence on defense. I am also starting to understand why all of these talking heads are so low on you, the Minnesota Vikings. It’s because when they watch you play, they’re bored. They don’t care about history; they just want to be entertained. Nothing is less entertaining to faux media jabronis than elite defense and low-scoring games. Maybe it is a personal problem that has compelled me to write this letter. Why do I expose myself to these opinions on social media and the internet? Part of it is so I can write informed pieces about the narratives surrounding this Vikings team. The other reason is that it fuels my passion. I see the potential, and I know that if this offense can start executing, this is going to be an incredibly scary team. Please, just shut the critics up. Please, please, PLEASE!
I now want to speak directly to you, Kevin. You need to get it together. I believe in your ability as a head coach in the NFL; I really do! You have cultivated a winning culture with this franchise, and the results have shown in the regular season. As I am sure you are aware, you have failed to lead this team to a single playoff victory in your tenure at the helm. Your system failed a young quarterback before he failed you (in some eyes), and as a coach brought in for your offensive prowess, you have not delivered on the expectation of efficient and effective offenses. So, what is the deal? Are you calling the right plays and your players just aren’t delivering the results? Are you lacking more explosive playmakers? Are you making the wrong decisions in certain situations, leading to uninspiring results? Do you need to focus more on managing the game and let someone else call the plays? What is it? All I’m going to say is, whatever the issue(s), please fix it. Figure it out so we can all stop asking these questions.
To the offense: you need to be better. I’m looking directly at you, Will Fries. You’ve done a nice job cleaning up some of the penalties we were seeing in the first few weeks of the season, but that’s not enough. You need to start scoring some touchdowns. Just know, the whole world is laughing at you and sees you as the downfall of an otherwise dominant team. You frequently start with great field position only to squander it. You have possessed the ball more than any other offense in the NFL, yet you’re in the bottom 5 of points scored (probably lower if you’re only counting touchdowns). Things just aren’t adding up, and you better start materializing the vision of your head coach.
You very well know the strength of your team is the defense. Blake, Eric, Jalen, Caleb, Dominique, Dallas, Andrew, Josh, Byron, Isaiah, and Harrison, I see the work you are putting in. Your excellence is not going unnoticed. You are part of an excellent and potentially historic defensive unit. You wreak so much havoc and create so much chaos that opposing offenses don’t know what to do to attack you. Sure, you’ve given up a few big plays this year and some touchdowns. However, you make the adjustments to thwart any offensive game plan. We saw it against Green Bay, New Orleans, and Indianapolis. You let Green Bay score 22 first-half points and then shut them out in the second half. You let New Orleans march down the field on a long drive and score a touchdown in the first quarter, only to hold them to 6 points for the rest of the game. You allowed Jonathan Taylor to break a long touchdown run, only to turn Danny Dimes into Danny Schillings and dominate the rest of the way. You are not the problem here, and I pray you continue to do what you do. Take care of your bodies and stay healthy, because we need you.
I will leave you with these parting words. I believe in the 2026 Minnesota Vikings. I have high hopes and expectations for this team. You will be playing meaningful football in January and possibly February. You have the leadership, drive, and determination to bring Minnesota its first Lombardi trophy. You just have to not get in your own way. Believe in yourselves, believe in each other, believe in the Minnesota Vikings’ culture. You have thousands of fans rooting for you, and we will be here with you until the possibly bitter, but hopefully glorious, end. You have my support and the support of many others. I speak for many when I say I love this team and only want the best for you.
Until Next Skol.
