The Minnesota Vikings are the best team in football right now.
Their defense has been stellar, and their offense has been surprisingly good.
Not many people expected Sam Darnold to play this way.
Most people predicted the Vikings would end at the bottom of the NFC North Division and well outside of the playoff picture.
Fast forward to today, and they’re riding a 5-0 record.
Notably, that’s not much of a surprise to Alex Smith.
Talking on SiriusXM NFL Radio, the former No. 1 pick raved about Kevin O’Connell.
"[Kevin O'Connell] is the most positive, aggressive coach that I've ever been around."
Alex Smith recently discussed the combination of @Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell and QB Sam Darnold.
? https://t.co/kDbLh5bBT0#Vikings | #SKOL pic.twitter.com/Z2CAfMNWtb
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) October 7, 2024
He revealed that they go way back to their days in high school and college, and he really likes his aggressiveness and the confidence he’s able to instill in his players.
Smith talked about how sometimes players are out there scared and lack confidence because they don’t want to make mistakes.
O’Connell, on the other hand, wants them to believe in themselves and take chances, and he goes the extra mile to make sure they’re in a position to succeed.
As Smith pointed out, Darnold has gone through quite a bumpy road throughout the course of his career, which is why it’s so refreshing to see him play this way.
Some believe that this surprisingly strong start is unsustainable for a full season, and he did look much more mortal vs. the New York Jets.
But we’re five games into the season, and there’s no reason to believe this is a fluke at all.
The Vikings are for real, and O’Connell is the leading candidate for Coach of the Year.
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