Top 5 defensive coordinator options for the Minnesota Vikings
MINNEAPOLIS (BVM) – The 2022 season was a strong one for the Minnesota Vikings. Despite a few bumps in the road, the team went an impressive 13-4 while winning the NFC North and claiming the NFC’s No. 3 seed in the postseason.
However, Vikings fans were left with a bitter taste in their mouths after Minnesota lost a home wild-card round game to the sixth-seeded New York Giants. For a team that had gone a perfect 11-0 in one-score games during the regular season, the luck finally ran out in a 31-24 defeat.
Although the offense certainly takes some blame in the loss while Kirk Cousins continues to be criticized for throwing it short of the first-down marker on 4th-and-8 to end the Vikings’ season, it’s the defense that was gashed not only against the Giants, but throughout much of the second half of the year. Seeing that, Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell released a statement on Thursday that officially announced the firing of defensive coordinator Ed Donatell.
Statement from Head Coach Kevin O’Connell pic.twitter.com/ntRqd4cr4A
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 19, 2023
Donatell only spent one season with the Vikings, but held over 30 years of NFL coaching experience, and had previously been a defensive coordinator with the Packers, Falcons and Broncos. However, his defense in 2022 did not get the job done. The Vikings allowed the second-most passing yards and total yards in the league, and were third when it came to most points allowed.
Down the stretch of the season, it was clear the Vikings’ defense could eventually be their downfall. After allowing 40 points to a solid offense in the Cowboys, they faltered against struggling offenses like those of the Patriots, Colts and Packers, giving up 26 or more points to each of those teams.
Against the Giants in the playoffs, they allowed 31 points and 431 yards, seemingly letting quarterback Daniel Jones do whatever he wanted whether that was with his arm or with his legs.
There is no doubt a change needed to be made, but the question now becomes who will the Vikings bring in? Here are the top five candidates to become Minnesota’s next defensive coordinator.
