Kevin O'Connell is showing improvement in one key area that will be key to a potential playoff run

The Minnesota Vikings have entered the bye week with a 3-2 record and a lot of questions they need to answer.

The biggest of those is getting healthy. They have been decimated by injuries, with 10 starters having missed significant time so far this year. Against the Cleveland Browns, the Vikings weren't just without three starters; they had five of their top seven offensive linemen out in the fourth quarter on Sunday and found a way to get it done.

Kevin O'Connell's play design is making things easy for the QB

One thing that head coach Kevin O'Connell has been criticized for is his play calling. He's done a really good job of finding creative ways to get the football into his playmaker's hands. One area that's been a struggle has been third and four or less.

This season, the Vikings haven't been great in third and short, ranking 26th in the NFL on third and four or less at 52.6% per Sumer Sports. The NFL average is 61.7% with a sample size of 724 attempts.

Running plays: 5/8, 62.5% conversion rate (67.9% league average)
Passing plays: 4/8, 50% conversion rate (56.1% league average)

Converting on short yardage situations was a major struggle last year, and in turn, the Vikings found it necessary to revamp the interior of the offensive line. Last year, they were 13th in the NFL at a 60.9% conversion rate in those situations, but their red zone touchdown rate was 19th, which is similar in situation.

With the issues in short yardage, they have continued to be a struggle often due to the offensive line injuries. This is where O'Connell's play calling has been taking over.