The illusion of complexity has been the calling card for Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. 

It’s a simple concept: take something simple and make it appear complex. It’s something that defenses have done for a long time. Think about how defensive coordinator Brian Flores uses a lot of cover-0 looks then drops back in coverages like quarters and Tampa-2. That kind of window dressing is a huge part of why the Vikings are as successful on defense as they are.

Kevin O’Connell’s playcalling brilliance shines on third down

On offense, it’s no different. You want to create havoc on the defense by using your own window dressing. Motion, different formations and personnel groupings can cause issues for the defense.

The key to using these elements is having a play to maximize it. That is something that O’Connell does really well. He uses some core concepts and finds different ways to get there. He loves doing so with the dagger concept and this screen/post/wheel concept they have tried to score with nearly every weel since they hit it against the Giants in week one.

When you look at the two plays, they are slightly different in setup while running the same concept. That is the epitome of using the illusion of complexity. 

Another element of how O’Connell is a next-level playcaller is how he maximizes third-down situations. The Vikings are 11th in the NFL in third-down offense with a 41.7% conversion rate. The other interesting element is the Vikings have the seventh-least third down attempts with 163.

O’Connell has two main approaches to third and long: attack downfield or create a yards after catch opportunity.

One play after a sack that set up a third and long, O’Connell called a deep in route for Justin Jefferson against Tampa-2 on third and 16 and Sam Darnold hit Jefferson for a first down.

The other element is more about hitting the easy button for the quarterback and trusting your athletes to make plays in space. They converted a simple drive concept for a first down by hitting Aaron Jones on the shallow cross with three blockers positioned ahead of him. What made this even better was this was the one throw Nick Mullens made in temporary relief of Darnold.

The key to this play was the three wide receivers that ended up being blockers. If they don’t sell the vertical routes, the defenders will know something is up and they will crash and stop the play from developing. The little nuances matter in plays like these.

O’Connell called a very similar play on third and 17 against the Chicago Bears on Monday night but structured it a bit different.

This looks like a four verticals concept with the four outside receivers running deep routes and Jones is running a shallow crosser. Just like the first play against the Bears, the receivers running their verticals sell the route and become blockers right when they need to.

Having the same general concept but using it differently is a great way to keep defenses on their toes. The one thing to remember about defenses. If they have to think, you have already won.

O’Connell has done a great job in keeping things varied for the Vikings over the course of the season and those elements will continue.