Kevin O'Connell trying to normalize week for Vikings ahead of London trip
Vikings start preparing to face Jets in London
The Vikings are 4-0, are getting national attention for their hot start and will head across the pond on Thursday to face the New York Jets in London on Sunday. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell held his weekly session with reporters on Wednesday before practice at TCO Performance Center.
EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - Kevin O’Connell is trying to make this week as normal as humanly possible, which is tough to do as the Minnesota Vikings get ready to head across the pond.
The Vikings are 4-0 for the first time since 2016. They have a normal practice day Wednesday, and an altered day Thursday before flying out to London. They’ll face Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur. It’s their second London game in three seasons.
Vikings players talk Jets, heading to London
Vikings players T.J. Hockenson, Christian Darrisaw, Shaq Griffin, Ivan Pace Jr., Josh Metellus, Stephon Gilmore, Andrew Van Ginkel and Byron Murphy Jr. spoke from the locker room Wednesday at TCO Performance Center about facing the New York Jets in London on Sunday.
The goal is for players to sleep on the plane, and hope they’re ready to go right to practice after they land.
"Friday is always a tough day. Making sure we’re up and we’re present. It’s about what we do right now, hydration, sleep, nutrition leading into that flight. Once they close the doors on that flight, there’s no coming back," O’Connell said.
Embracing 4-0
The last time the Vikings started a season 4-0, it was 2016 and they finished 8-8, missing the NFC Playoffs. The Vikings are one of two undefeated teams left in the NFL, joining the Kansas City Chiefs. The team isn’t paying attention to the outside world, which had low expectations for the season.
"I didn’t pay a ton of attention to it so I don’t know what necessarily the worthy opinions, everybody is entitled to them. But I do think the greatest thing about this league is we get to roll a ball out for four quarters and figure it out together," O’Connell said. "Sometimes we figure those things out on a little bit different timetable than maybe you guys do. I luckily have a lot of moments where I get to talk to the team long before the result, and I try to get out in front of this with my confidence with the team, feeling their confidence and seeing if we can trigger that."
Practice window for T.J. Hockenson opens Friday
O’Connell said the Vikings will open T.J. Hockenson’s practice window on Friday. He’ll have three weeks to get back on the field, whether it’s against the Detroit Lions out of the bye week or on Thursday Night Football at the L.A. Rams on Oct. 24.
Hockenson will travel to London with the team to start practicing. He was five receptions short of his first 100-yard catch season last year, and 40 yards short of his first 1,000-yard season before suffering a knee injury.
"I’ve been pushing to get out there as fast as I can. I told them at the beginning I’m going to do everything times two that you’re going to tell me to do. You’re going to have to put the reigns on me and pull me back," Hockenson said.
Revenge game for Sam Darnold?
For the second time this season, Sam Darnold will face a former team. The Jets drafted him No. 3 overall in 2017, but he was 13-25 in 38 starts there. He spent two seasons in Carolina, and was Brock Purdy’s back-up last year. O’Connell was asked if this week provides Darnold any extra incentive.
He currently leads the NFL with 11 touchdown passes.
"I’m not really thinking about that to be honest. A lot of new faces over there," Darnold said.
Does he feel the Jets failed him as a rookie?
"No. I think I had a lot of opportunities in New York and I always felt like I could’ve played better there," Darnold said.