Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell called Sunday’s 27-24 win over Detroit the kind of performance his team needed. It was not perfect, but it showed that the Vikings are beginning to play the complete football he has been demanding. Speaking to reporters Monday, the fourth-year coach emphasized how complementary play across all three phases helped Minnesota secure its second divisional road win and move back to .500 on the season.
Minnesota Vikings Coach on Progress and Preparing for Baltimore
O’Connell said the Vikings’ victory came from executing the exact plan they discussed throughout the week.
“It was the type of performance we needed,” O’Connell said. “Not necessarily perfect, but finding a way in a tough road environment to play complementary football.”
He pointed to the blocked field goal, improved field position from the return unit, and the defensive line’s 10 tackles for loss as defining moments in the game.
Minnesota’s ability to control the line of scrimmage, O’Connell said, reflected real progress. “Watching the tape, you saw the physicality we played with and the core principles we’ve tried to improve on as the season has gone on,” he said. “Now we’ve got to carry that momentum and show consistency.”
He also praised his team’s toughness in the run game and on defense.
“It’s still about knock back, defeating blocks, setting edges,” O’Connell said. “You could see four or five purple hats arriving at the football. Even if it was a short gain, it felt like we were playing on their side of the line.”
Looking ahead, O’Connell said the next challenge, a home matchup with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, will test that same physical edge.
Head Coach Kevin O’Connell provides an injury update on Aaron Jones Sr. pic.twitter.com/dWFcqXhNjc
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 3, 2025
“Baltimore is one of the more talented teams in the league,” he said. “They force you to play total team defense. The rush plan has to be ironclad, and we’ve got to defend the run with discipline.”
Minnesota Vikings Injury Update
O’Connell closed with injury updates and called the news “mostly positive.” Running back Aaron Jones was sore but avoided major injury, while Christian Darrisaw, Brian O’Neill, J.J. McCarthy, and Andrew Van Ginkel “came out in a really positive place health-wise.” He added that fullback C.J. Ham is expected to return to practice in a limited capacity this week and that tight end Josh Oliver has started rehab work.
Jones left the game early in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. He seems to have a fair shot at playing this week after totaling nearly 100 total yards against the Lions. In all, the Vikings are getting healthy at the right time.
Minnesota, now only one game behind first place in the NFC North, has quadrupled its playoff chances with a victory over the Lions, according to PFSN’s NFL Football Playoff Meter.
“Now that we’re into November, it’s about consistency,” O’Connell said. “We’ve seen growth. Now it’s time to stack performances.”