EAGAN, Minn. – If there's anything we've learned this season, it's to trust in Sam Darnold's ability to bounce back.

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell noted Monday that Darnold's mindset and mechanics can intertwine, and the power of negative outcomes may expand into subsequent plays if the high-level pitch-and-catch that's occurred all season doesn't come to fruition – like on Sunday Night Football.

Obviously, that was magnified at the Lions in the team's regular-season finale.

Darnold ended the win-and-clinch-the-division game 18-for-41 with 166 yards passing, his fewest in a start since Week 18 of the 2022 slate. He was sacked twice for a loss of 24 and completed 1 of 9 throws inside the Lions 10-yard line. Under pressure, he fared 4-for-18 (22.2%) according to Pro Football Focus.

But none of what happened has deterred O'Connell's complete faith in his quarterback.

"There were some plays that could have changed the rhythm and the momentum of that game, especially in that kind of environment," O'Connell reiterated what he expressed in the aftermath of the 31-9 defeat at Ford Field. "But specifically regarding Sam, the kind of year he's had and the way he's responded from any moments of adversity, I'm really excited to get to work with him this week.

"My confidence level that we can get him right back on track is as high as it could be," O'Connell added. "I know our coaches feel the same way, and I know, most importantly, his teammates feel the same way."

Darnold's resilience following adversity has been a recurring theme throughout Minnesota's 14-3 campaign.

After tossing three interceptions in the win at Jacksonville in Week 10, he went on a spree of four straight games without a pick and capped that run with five touchdowns in Week 14 against Atlanta.

Perhaps there's one more four-game splurge of such a caliber in Darnold's tank.

Granted, the Vikings must trek West to play the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams next Monday night, but there are experiences from Sunday that can translate into necessary improvement with the proper approach.

It's a process that begins with brutal honesty in film review sessions Monday and channeling negative energy toward positive reactions. Plus, the setting at Detroit provided a playoff feel and a chance for Minnesota to study the man in the mirror, then extract ways to become an even better version of itself.

"We've gotta prepare our team. Get our guys turned over, get them tactically ready to go and go compete like crazy," O'Connell remarked. "By the time we leave here today, it's full steam ahead on the Los Angeles Rams and how we're going to go do whatever it takes to win a game."

Here are four other takeaways from O'Connell's weekly Monday session with the media:

1. O'Connell reflects on his play-calling

On Sunday, Darnold had his second-most pass attempts in a game this season, despite the marriage of his eyes and feet clearly being out of sync and affected by Detroit's consistent and palpable pressure.

Also, the Vikings averaged 6.3 yards per rush – yet only utilized a ground attack on 19 plays.

It's an instance of two figures not belonging with each other, especially considering Minnesota netted zero touchdowns on four trips to the red zone; O'Connell said there were areas he could've been better.

"I think from a standpoint of, at different times when maybe we didn't make a play that could have changed the game, sometimes, I've got to make sure I don't let that previous play affect the way that I'm calling the game, and attempt to try to find [an explosive outcome] on the next play, or two or three plays later, whatever it is," O'Connell said, adding a lack of overall execution hurt the Vikings efforts to discourage Detroit's balancing of pressure and focused coverage on Justin Jefferson in specific situations. "There's no question, there's certain circumstances in that game where I've got to do a much better job.

"The smallest little things, the one play here or there, could maybe change the outcome of the whole day, or at least the feel of it, all the way down to the very end," he continued. "And [we] just didn't make any of those plays, really, when you go back and look at it, and I certainly didn't do enough to help our guys, and that's where I'm starting today, is making sure that I am much more involved in the positive aspects of the plays we do make, but also taking a taking a deep look at the plays we didn't figure out."

2. Prepping for playoffs after playoff atmosphere

Going strictly off the environment at Ford Field Sunday night, one might forget it was the regular-season finale and not a postseason contest.

O'Connell said the Vikings can utilize that experience as it pivots to prepare for a playoff game on the road.

"That's what every game in the tournament will be. We know we're going on the road for one game to start off the Wild Card round and playing a team we went on the road on a short week and played against earlier this year, and they got the best of us," O'Connell reminded. "So, there's a lot of aspects from yesterday, going into this game, that — I think we've got the type of people and type of [work] environment and team here that we're gonna accept the challenge and go compete like crazy. Try to get this thing done against, like I said, a really good team that gets to play at home, [they rested] some of their guys … All these things that can be evaluated as how this game is going to go, in my opinion, don't really matter."

3. Evaluating Hockenson against former team

Tight end T.J. Hockenson struggled to get into a rhythm at Detroit, recording just two catches on eight targets during the contest. A couple of the passes from Darnold were over-throws and at least one — an attempt over the middle — against Alex Anzalone appeared to be a no-call by the officials; but regardless, the connection wasn't there for the former Lion.

O'Connell said he'd expected some opportunities for Hockenson in the game and noted "some really competitive plays" between him and Lions defenders. He specifically pointed to the Vikings second third-down attempt, an incompletion that ended the drive.

"You know, I'd be willing to bet that's pretty close to the 9-out-of-10 completion right there and we've got a new set of downs in [Detroit territory] with our defense getting a stop early," he said. "Those are the plays in a game like that that you've got to find a way to make, one way or the other. And maybe that gets T.J. going. And then we had a chance on a third-and-long. They were backed up on a very similar play to [the] massive explosive [play] to start the 2-minute drive against Green Bay, and we just don't connect. And that's kind of how the game was.

"What we've got to do is figure out, it's OK to say, 'Hey, it wasn't our day' or, 'That's not us.' But we've got to figure out what caused those things — technique, fundamentals, scheme, presentation of plays, player, understanding of intent. That's our job," O'Connell continued. "I will never rest on 'It just wasn't our day.' Although, I do think that our guys have demonstrated over the course of 17 games now that we should — and will — have a lot of confidence that our execution level will be better."

4. Remaining confident in Reichard

O'Connell was asked about his confidence in rookie kicker Will Reichard, both in regard to a missed 51-yard field goal attempt (after earlier making one from the same distance) and a second-quarter kickoff that went out of bounds. Due to the league's kickoff rules, the ball was then placed at the 40, giving the Lions favorable field position.

"It was just a mis-hit ball," O'Connell said of the kickoff.

He noted he has "a ton of confidence" in Reichard despite the two errors Sunday and pair of missed field goals (57 and 43 yards) against the Packers in Week 17.

"He's come off that injury that he had, got healthy, and it's just getting back into a flow of consistency," O'Connell said. "I know Will is as confident as any kicker I've ever been around and holds himself to an incredibly high standard. So when results don't happen for him as a young player, I think it shows sometimes — and that's OK, because I know the team has confidence in him, and I have confidence in him, [as does Special Teams Coordinator] Matt Daniels, but I want to make sure that doesn't waver. Because if we all have the confidence we do in Will, I know he's not going to flinch, and he's going to go out there and keep doing his job at a really high level.

"It was a 51-yard kick and he had just made one and then came back and missed one. And that's going to happen, but we're going to make sure he keeps swinging and makes the next one," O'Connell added.