A 6-2 record might suggest the Minnesota Vikings are in a comfortable position, but their recent performances have exposed a troubling imbalance. While Brian Flores’ defense has kept the team competitive, the offense is struggling to find answers. Now, with Kirk Cousins back in Minnesota, the pressure is firmly on head coach Kevin O’Connell to turn things around.
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Minnesota brought Cousins back from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick before the November 10 trade deadline. The Vikings made the move after Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz struggled to get the job done.
They are hoping Cousins can give their playoff push a lift. Domonique Foxworth, though, isn’t convinced that a change at quarterback will fix what he sees as bigger issues with the team.
“The Vikings should fire KOC and promote Brian Flores,” Foxworth said on the November 12 edition of the This Is Football podcast. “You look at his quarterback whispering track record. It’s Sam Darnold, and J.J. McCarthy is having some success elsewhere, which doesn’t look good.”
Foxworth also questioned why O’Connell is unable to get more out of Murray after Minnesota brought him in. He pointed to the quarterback’s previous struggles and the offense’s inability to consistently produce.
“You knew what Kyler Murray was and you had him here, but you’re not getting the most out of him. We were putting him up there with these other people because of those successes, and the last few years have been pretty rough. This team has only been competitive because of what it’s doing on defense.”
Foxworth’s argument goes beyond the quarterback decisions. He believes Minnesota has something particularly valuable in its defense, and Flores deserves significant credit for keeping it effective despite personnel changes.
“I don’t think Kevin O’Connell is a bad coach, and I’m not saying he’s the guy in Minnesota or that he’s not the guy in Minnesota,” Foxworth added. “I’m saying it’s pretty clear that even among good defenses, the reason this defense is good is important. All defenses regress. We see it. Super-talented defenses like the Texans this year regress.”
He further highlighted how Minnesota has managed to remain productive defensively without relying on one irreplaceable player. For Foxworth, that makes Flores’ work even more impressive and raises the stakes of potentially losing him.
O’Connell, meanwhile, has another reason to feel the pressure. FOX Sports’ Jason McIntyre recently suggested the coach could be in danger if the Cousins reunion fails to deliver a postseason run.
“I would give it at least a 20-25 percent chance that Kevin O’Connell is fired at the end of the season,” McIntyre said on November 11.
Cousins’ familiarity with O’Connell’s offense offers Minnesota a chance to address its biggest weakness. But the reunion also puts the head coach under greater scrutiny.
If the offense continues to struggle, the Vikings could face difficult decisions about the direction of the franchise, especially with Flores’ defensive success making him an increasingly important figure in the conversation.