EAGAN, Minn. -- It's easy to blame the Minnesota Vikings' acute offensive struggles on the young quarterbacks they have used for the majority of their games. Of the 50 NFL quarterbacks who have made at least one start this season, J.J. McCarthy, 22, ranks No. 47 in QBR and Max Brosmer, 24, ranks No. 50.
Full answers are rarely that simple, however, and in Minnesota the scrutiny has risen all the way to the top.
For years, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell has been the darling of NFL analysts and the envy of opposing front offices because of his work as an offensive strategist, playcaller and quarterback tutor. But his offense has hit an unparalleled rut in the franchise's recent history, having gone scoreless in its past six quarters.
The Vikings (4-8) absorbed their first shutout, 26-0, since 2007 on Sunday in Seattle, producing their worst offensive showing in a game since at least 1978, via DVOA. Their 22-6 Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons is the ninth worst on that list, and overall their offense has been one of the NFL's worst this season. By DVOA, they are ranked No. 29.
McCarthy (six starts) and Brosmer (one) have played well below standard, but O'Connell this week acknowledged his role in the crisis. During a moment of introspection, he implied that he has been too ambitious in implementing his scheme and crafting game plans -- despite cutting back in some areas and pivoting to the run game more than ever.
"The biggest thing," O'Connell said, "is what you're seeing coverage-wise needs to take a backseat to what is the best thing for our offense in that moment ... Things that I may see -- chances to maybe get an in-cut screaming, or high crosses running, or vertical chances -- that have kind of always gave us the lift in games."
The Vikings hired O'Connell prior to the 2022 season, and he immediately installed an offense centered on maximizing receiver Justin Jefferson with "chunk" passing plays that help move the ball into scoring position. Leveraging O'Connell's skill in matching routes and concepts to the way opponents are playing defense, the Vikings ranked No. 7 in EPA per pass play from 2022 to 2024.
Over that period, Jefferson and others produced the NFL's fifth most plays of 10 or more yards, largely by corralling downfield throws from a mostly veteran cast of quarterbacks that included Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens and Sam Darnold. This season, with McCarthy, Brosmer and Carson Wentz, who made five starts before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, the Vikings rank 25th on such plays.
O'Connell has increased his use of the run game to help take pressure off his quarterbacks, calling designed runs on 45.1% of plays when the score was tied or the Vikings were leading. From 2022 to 2024, that rate was 38.9%. In addition, he and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips both said this week they have worked to simplify their play selection. But without the explosive plays, and with an offensive line that has experienced injuries at four of the five starting positions, the offense has ground to a halt.
"I want to make very clear that this is not players," Phillips said. "This is us. I want to make very clear that we look critically at every playcall and say, 'Hey, did we put these guys in good position to succeed or to have success?' So it's just been up and down.
"We've had some shuffling at some positions that has maybe contributed to some of the inconsistency. But we've got to put together a plan and make sure that everyone on the field is on point and knows exactly what they're trying to do on every play."
The meltdown has been jarring for a team that committed nearly $350 million to the 2025 roster in anticipation of supporting first-year starter McCarthy through a playoff run. While neither the defense nor special teams have been perfect -- special teams, in particular, has made some game-changing mistakes -- it's hard to blame them as much as the offense. By DVOA, the defense and special teams both rank No. 11 in the NFL.
This week, it was clear that O'Connell is still coming to terms with the collapse of his scheme, at one point ticking off the various micro-adjustments he has already made. He also noted the strength of the Green Bay and Seattle defenses that have shut down his offense the past two games.
But as he faces the most significant adversity of his tenure, O'Connell is recognizing the chasm between what he believes his scheme can achieve and what it has proved capable of getting.
Having previously defended his playcalling in short-yardage situations amid fierce blowback from fans and some media members, he admitted that his fourth-and-1 call against the Seahawks -- which resulted in an immediate pressure by defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and a wild pass from Brosmer that was intercepted and returned 85 yards for a touchdown -- was a poor call.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED‼️ 85 yards to the house.#ProBowlVote + @ernestjones
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 30, 2025
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/AHKHvIhouE
"In that moment," he said, "we better have a schematically more sound play, and that's totally on me."
Discussion regarding the nature of O'Connell's scheme and his preference for aggressive playcalls will carry over into the offseason, when the Vikings will have to determine McCarthy's short-term future. Can O'Connell's approach work with a young and inexperienced quarterback? Or does it need a veteran who is more equipped to handle its nuances?
Wednesday, O'Connell seemed to recognize that he overloaded McCarthy with an emphasis on his footwork and mechanics. Moving forward, O'Connell said he wanted McCarthy to focus on his decision-making.
"My job as a coach is to acknowledge [the offense's performance] and understand how to coach it better," O'Connell said. "And still try to strive to see the improvement and try to stay true to who, or really what, our offensive philosophy is.
"But at the same time, you don't really get mired down in the in the feelings of it, as much as just what's the best path moving forward. ... We've tried to put together plans that did that.