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Jason Smith: Kevin O'Connell Should Win Coach of the Year

Minnesota Vikings v Las Vegas Raiders

Photo: Getty Images North America

Jason and Mike preview a juicy slate of Week 15 NFL games, starting with the Vikings taking on the Bengals in Cincinnati. Jason has been thoroughly impressed by the job Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has done this season in spite of the amount of adversity his team has faced. So impressed, in fact, that he's ready to name O'Connell his leading Coach of the Year award candidate if the Vikings can pull out another win on Saturday.

Jason Smith: "If the Vikings win tomorrow to get to 8-6, I will replace DeMeco Ryans at the top of my list of Coach of the Year with Kevin O'Connell. When you think about what the Vikings have done... they're on their fourth starting quarterback this year... You're talking about a team that lost its franchise quarterback with a three-game losing streak to start the season... they've played more than half the season without Justin Jefferson. And still, here are the Vikings in the thick of the playoff race. Kevin O'Connell squeaks into the playoffs with a season like that? Coach of the Year without a doubt."