What the Patriots can teach the Vikings about Super Bowl success

Let’s Say It Again: Offensive Line

Against Kansas City, Tom Brady was not sacked. The Patriots converted 13 of 19 third downs. His pocket, for the majority of the football game, was clean and strong.

Wow, that must be nice.

With a quick trip in the time machine, I revisited an article from Sports Illustrated about the 2016 offensive lines of the World Champion New England Patriots and the 8-8 Minnesota Vikings.

"“By this reporter’s unofficial count, New England has used 37 different offensive line combinations this season. To put that number into context, consider this: The Vikings used one lineup—the same five offensive linemen—for all but 14 snaps this season.”"

Everybody who is (or was) a fan of the Minnesota Vikings remembers the collapse of the Vikings offense in 2016.

In a word–jailbreak.

What happened in 2016? Injuries? Bad play? Did we lose a coach? How did the New England Patriots’ motto of “Do Your Job” not make it to the practice and game field of Minnesota Vikings? Where did these awful athletes come from?

An NFL offensive line is the most imperative and essential endeavor and unit of a football team. How did 2016 then become 2018? Personally, I believe Rick Spielman’s mismanagement of the Vikings O-line has disqualified him to be this team’s general manager. In that respect, he has more swings and misses than Sammy Sosa, without the home runs. You simply cannot blame the performance of this unit of the death of a coach.

If the Vikings’ front office is thinking long and hard about their 2019 offensive line coach and leader, they are going to have to make the right decision. If they don’t, it will be seen as the tragic flaw of their both Spielman and Zimmer’s legacies in Minnesota.