Norv Turner shocked the Minnesota Vikings when he suddenly resigned a couple weeks ago. Apparently the shock extended to his own son, Scott Turner, who is the team’s quarterback coach.
“I knew that he was dealing with some issues, or whatever,” Turner said, via the Pioneer Press. “I thought that it was a possibility. I didn’t ever think he was actually going to do it, and then he told me about one minute before he told coach Zimmer. “I didn’t think he was, and he said he was going to. And I said, ‘Hey, he’s got to do whatever he thinks is right.’ I gave him a hug and then he went in there and he did it.
“He felt like it was something that was the right decision for him at the time,’’ he said. “I don’t know, I just feel like, to me, he just felt it wasn’t going the right direction and he felt like the best thing for him to do was to move on.”
Minnesota’s offense is reeling. It was already in trouble before Turner abruptly left, but at this point it has the potential to free fall during the second half (more on that here).
Talent on the offensive line, or lack thereof, has a lot to do with the offense not “going the right direction.”
Without an offensive line to protect Sam Bradford, who was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles at great cost, things have gotten ugly. Bradford isn’t tremendously mobile, and he’s been struggling to get the ball to his playmakers down the field without much time to pass. As a result, he’s been dinking and doinking down the field, which isn’t conducive to leading an explosive offense.
Making matters worse, Minnesota’s offense lacks a strong rushing attack. That also stems from the offensive line failing to produce.
It’s going to be interesting to see if interim offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur can get things going in a positive direction as the Vikings cling to first place in the NFC North.