Vikings Coach Kevin O'Connell Denies Using Injury Time as Strategy in Win Over 49ers

Despite controversy, Vikings' Hockenson was not found to gain any unfair advantage after Coach O'Connell told him to "go down" for an injury, reportedly intended to manage team's field personnel.

• Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell instructed tight end T.J. Hockenson to “go down” during the second quarter of the game against the 49ers, triggering controversy over the potential use of injury time to manage field personnel.
• O'Connell has denied accusations of gaining an unfair advantage, stating the intention was to ensure the right team personnel were on the field and it provided a chance to reset. He added that the clock wasn't an issue at that point in the game.
• Despite Hockenson being visibly injured, he quickly returned to the game and finished with a total of 11 catches for 86 yards, proving his resilience and effectiveness on the field.
• The Vikings did not gain an apparent advantage from the additional time, ultimately settling for a field goal that extended their lead to 10-0 at the time. Over eight minutes were remaining in the first half, and the play clock had 19 seconds left.
• Though some speculate that the move was a strategy to gain extra seconds without burning a timeout, it's clear that the Vikings still had one timeout left after the second quarter. This allowed them to score another touchdown just before halftime, extending their lead to 16-7.

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