Effort matters.

At every level of sport, it's the one thing people are convinced can trump talent when it rests on its laurels. In the NFL, where the margin for error is microscopic, a team straining for a fraction of a second longer on any given snap can be the difference in the outcome – maybe, between being 4-6 and 5-5.

Effort, however, is the farthest of problems in the Vikings locker room. Head Coach Kevin O'Connell applauded his team's fight in the 19-17 loss to the Bears in Week 11. A hard edge was evident on tape.

Unfortunately, trying too hard to do too much is what cemented Minnesota's demise against Chicago.

Michael Rand of the Minnesota Star Tribune on Wednesday leaned on an O'Connell quote from earlier this week to assess what went wrong on the kickoff with 50 seconds left that spoiled a valiant comeback attempt. To paraphrase K.O., guys wanted to win so badly that they tried making the play by themselves.

The issue there, obviously, is every play requires 11 guys on the same page, and the all-out effort to stop Bears kick returner Devin Duvernay was undisciplined – and uncharacteristic of the kickoff coverage unit.

Based on O'Connell's note and the recent sequence of events, Rand determined "the Vikings are playing hard but not smart. And more to the point, players are pressing … instead of trusting their assignments."

Rand offered 10 "things to know" in his RandBall column – namely why it's happening and whether it can be fixed – that help illustrate how that diagnosis is a key component of the club's problem this year.

Firstly, injuries, which date to training camp, when Justin Jefferson missed an extended period due to a hamstring issue, and worsened when the offensive line was bedridden by the injury bug and new starter J.J. McCarthy got bounced from the action with a high-ankle sprain after two appearances.

The quarterback play – from McCarthy and veteran Carson Wentz (five games apiece) – presumably has contributed to other aspects of the roster overcompensating, as well. Rand shared Pro Football Focus has designated Minnesota with the second-worst team passing grade, while its special teams are No. 1.

Ironically, players in that phase played with maximum effort, but greedily, with a win at stake.

Read Rand's story, which highlights improving health and proof of complementary football, here.

Redmond continuing to ascend

Showing gratitude for underappreciated players makes sense with Thanksgiving around the corner.

Voting for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games also opens on Turkey Day, so there's no better time than now to begin the discussion of guys who are deserving of individual accolades and a boost in name recognition.

Kevin Patra of NFL.com did a nice job Wednesday putting some shine on possible first-time Pro Bowl selections who 1) aren't rookies, 2) aren't QBs and 3) aren't players who regularly garner the headlines.

His list of rising players quietly standing out includes: Dolphins RB De'Von Achane and LB Jordyn Brooks, Bills S Cole Bishop, Colts C Tanor Bortolini and WR Alec Pierce, Lions LB Jack Campbell, Patriots OLB K'Lavon Chaisson, Rams S Kamren Kinchens, Broncos G Quinn Meinerz, as well as Eagles DL Moro Ojomo.

It's a versatile assortment of under-the-radar and young players (Brooks, 28, is the oldest that Patra featured) who have done well enough among peers at their positions to warrant a little extra attention.

You can read about each of Patra's nominees here.

And now … we're amending the article with a suggestion for voters to consider: Vikings DL Jalen Redmond.

The 26-year-old is in his second NFL season and has made a certifiable case as Minnesota's most consistent defender. Redmond has started nine of 10 games and leads the club with 4.0 sacks. He also is tied for third with seven tackles for losses, behind OLB Jonathan Greenard (10) and LB Eric Wilson (nine).

If you don't know Redmond yet, don't sweat it. He was undrafted out of Oklahoma in 2023 and overlooked by the entire league until the Vikings signed him last spring, following an explosion on the UFL's Arlington Renegades. In his debut season, he played sparingly but burst onto the scene with a string of TFLs in the month of December. Redmond seemed to fully emerge in training camp this year.

And now … he's looking more and more the part of a Pro Bowl defensive lineman.

Redmond is one of 38 defensive players overall this season and one of 18 who is positioned primarily along the line of scrimmage with 20 stops and 20 quarterback pressures, according to Next Gen Stats.

His 25 stops is tied for 19^th among DL, which includes players such as Myles Garrett (36), Maxx Crosby (35) and Danielle Hunter (24), per NGS. And his 21 QBPs is second most by a Vikings d-lineman, behind Javon Hargrave (22). Additionally, Redmond's 10.0 pressure percentage (on 211 pass rushes) is the 11^th best at his position among players who've handled a defensive playing time percentage of at least 70%.

Redmond collected sacks in games versus the Lions, Steelers (2x) and Falcons, and is an integral piece of Minnesota's upstart run defense, which has tightened its hinges over the past five games (since its Week 6 bye), allowing just 3.8 yards per attempt in that span; Denver's the only defense doing better (3.4 avg.).

Because the Pro Bowl Games can be influenced by popularity, it's important to start spreading word about Redmond's play.

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