Quote: @Tyr said:
It's tough. I do think that Zimmer has been an excellent defensive coach throughout his tenure and I think that the combination of major roster turnover, injuries, and developing so many young players with Covid restrictions was a legitimately difficult task. I do think that even if they had made the playoffs this year, they were not in a position to contend. The defense was frustrating this year, though I chalk that up more to roster turnover and injuries than a failing with the scheme. Young players like Gladney, Dantzler, Wonnum, Dye, and Mata'afa all progressed nicely throughout the season, but they could not make up for the loss of guys like Hunter, Pierce, Barr, Kendricks, and Griffen/Ngakoue. Special teams was a mess on all levels and the offense was mostly good, but pass protection still still struggled and Cousins had issues with protecting the ball, holding onto it too long, and staring down receivers. I think with a good off-season and better luck with injuries that they can be a playoff team next year. However, I do think the fears of mediocrity are valid. I don't have a clear view on what a better direction for the franchise would be, so I'm inclined to stick with Zimmer for another year, but he doesn't get the automatic benefit of the doubt that I'd give him in the past.
but isnt scheme about tailoring your game to what you have to work with? there were times he certainly seemed to have it, but others that he was completely looking foolish. If his defense is so challenging that he needs probowlers and top tier talent to make it work, then perhaps its not so genius after all ? we need schemes that can win when things arent all going our way.
I think most of us had this team at 9-7 prior to Hunter and Pierce losses based on the roster turnover on D. Objectively, they played and won about how they should have.
Oh how fickle we fans are. Lets not forget that before Zimmer got here we floundered for 13 years with Mike Tice, Brad Childress and Les Frazier....but we want to throw Zimmer out with the wash after an injury riddled, rookie breaking in, Covid restricted season? Makes no sense to me.
Quote: @supafreak84 said:
Oh how fickle we fans are. Lets not forget that before Zimmer got here we floundered for 13 years with Mike Tice, Brad Childress and Les Frazier....but we want to throw Zimmer out with the wash after an injury riddled, rookie breaking in, Covid restricted season? Makes no sense to me.
No, we want to throw him out after a 2016 season that started 5-0 and completely melted down to 8-8, a 2017 that was built on weak regular season opponents (and an offense he was criticizing even as it carried his team) and evaporated in the playoffs), and instead of progress from the 2017 peak when we were supposed to be 1 player away (QB) and got it, we have had 1 playoff appearance in 3 seasons and are not getting better.
But all his supporters see Les Frazier in their nightmares and clutch Zimmer like a teddy bear...
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
Asked to reflect on the end of the Vikings' 2020 season on Sunday afternoon, Mike Zimmer closed his postgame news conference after a 37-35 win over the Lions at Ford Field with something of a valedictory statement.
"I'm proud of the way these guys went through all the [COVID-19] protocols and everything they had to do, and all the different changes that were made and the way we handled our business," he said. "The way they practiced. You know, it's frustrating that we had so many injuries, especially defensively. Guys opt out and [Danielle] Hunter and [Anthony] Barr and [Eric] Kendricks. Lot of times when you get injured players, it depends on who the injured players are. And we had a lot of really good ones get hurt this year. So we've got a lot of work to do. I've got a lot of work to do.
"In saying all that, I'll say two things: We probably weren't good enough of a football team this year to be in the playoffs. We weren't good enough defensively, obviously. But we missed a lot of guys. And the guys that ended up playing battled like crazy and we still had opportunities to win a few more games, probably. But, you know, with the turnover that we had, the injuries that we had on defense, we just weren't good enough. We fought like crazy and 7-9 is not great, but under the circumstances and everything that went on, maybe it's the best we could have done."
The claim's veracity will probably be in the eyes of the beholder, at the end of a year where the Vikings played six games that were decided by a field goal or less, losing to Tennessee, Seattle and Dallas before beating Carolina, Jacksonville and Detroit. And there might not be much riding on its interpretation, five months after Vikings ownership gave both the coach and general manager Rick Spielman contract extensions.
"You realize, boy, Seattle, we're a play away, Tennessee we're a play away, Dallas we might've been a play away. Even the Chicago game there [in Week 15] we might've been a play away," he said. "You could also point to some wins that we were maybe a play away from losing. You do know, golly, we were really close to being in the playoffs. If anything it just gives me an edge a little bit, and I'll want to make sure our teammates have that edge as we go to the offseason and get ready for next year. 'Hey guys, wins and losses are one play and we've gotta work and prepare and grind with that understanding."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-lion...600006372/
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
Asked to reflect on the end of the Vikings' 2020 season on Sunday afternoon, Mike Zimmer closed his postgame news conference after a 37-35 win over the Lions at Ford Field with something of a valedictory statement.
"I'm proud of the way these guys went through all the [COVID-19] protocols and everything they had to do, and all the different changes that were made and the way we handled our business," he said. "The way they practiced. You know, it's frustrating that we had so many injuries, especially defensively. Guys opt out and [Danielle] Hunter and [Anthony] Barr and [Eric] Kendricks. Lot of times when you get injured players, it depends on who the injured players are. And we had a lot of really good ones get hurt this year. So we've got a lot of work to do. I've got a lot of work to do.
"In saying all that, I'll say two things: We probably weren't good enough of a football team this year to be in the playoffs. We weren't good enough defensively, obviously. But we missed a lot of guys. And the guys that ended up playing battled like crazy and we still had opportunities to win a few more games, probably. But, you know, with the turnover that we had, the injuries that we had on defense, we just weren't good enough. We fought like crazy and 7-9 is not great, but under the circumstances and everything that went on, maybe it's the best we could have done."
The claim's veracity will probably be in the eyes of the beholder, at the end of a year where the Vikings played six games that were decided by a field goal or less, losing to Tennessee, Seattle and Dallas before beating Carolina, Jacksonville and Detroit. And there might not be much riding on its interpretation, five months after Vikings ownership gave both the coach and general manager Rick Spielman contract extensions.
"You realize, boy, Seattle, we're a play away, Tennessee we're a play away, Dallas we might've been a play away. Even the Chicago game there [in Week 15] we might've been a play away," he said. "You could also point to some wins that we were maybe a play away from losing. You do know, golly, we were really close to being in the playoffs. If anything it just gives me an edge a little bit, and I'll want to make sure our teammates have that edge as we go to the offseason and get ready for next year. 'Hey guys, wins and losses are one play and we've gotta work and prepare and grind with that understanding."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-lion...600006372/
Well Zimmer, maybe you should take on some of the blame. If you managed the clock better, could you have won another game of two? Maybe some better decision-making, play calling? or fielding an NFL caliber offensive line? I see no mention of any of that.
Winners find a way to get it done despite the challenges and losers make excuses. Every team had hardships and obstacles this year to deal with, we were not the only ones. Tired of hearing all the excuses of why we are not in the playoffs. Bottom line is with a playoff birth on the line we lost to the Cowboys and Bears and in both games we had the ball at the end of the game down by 3 with a chance to tie or win the game and could not even get a first down. That had nothing to do with any of the injuries on defense. Same team that we saw the previous two years that consistently wilted when they needed a win or played a good team.
Quote: @Jor-El said:
@ supafreak84 said:
Oh how fickle we fans are. Lets not forget that before Zimmer got here we floundered for 13 years with Mike Tice, Brad Childress and Les Frazier....but we want to throw Zimmer out with the wash after an injury riddled, rookie breaking in, Covid restricted season? Makes no sense to me.
No, we want to throw him out after a 2016 season that started 5-0 and completely melted down to 8-8, a 2017 that was built on weak regular season opponents (and an offense he was criticizing even as it carried his team) and evaporated in the playoffs), and instead of progress from the 2017 peak when we were supposed to be 1 player away (QB) and got it, we have had 1 playoff appearance in 3 seasons and are not getting better.
But all his supporters see Les Frazier in their nightmares and clutch Zimmer like a teddy bear...
The NFL is a league of parody, its just the way its built now days. The 49ers went to the Super Bowl last year and didn't even make the playoffs this year. That's standard. Zimmer has proven he can win and had this team in playoff contention until late into the season with a practice squad type roster and a bunch of rookies on defense. We lost two games by 1 point this season. A play or two goes our way in those games and we are in the playoffs. I think you have to be realistic with expectations and understand all the difficulties we had to overcome this season. If he ends up 8-8 or worse next season I'm open for discussion on canning him but I don't see that happening.
They are better than the Lions, that's the bar to keep the status quo for many Viking fans.
At least we beat the Packers - SKOL! B)
Quote: @supafreak84 said:
Oh how fickle we fans are. Lets not forget that before Zimmer got here we floundered for 13 years with Mike Tice, Brad Childress and Les Frazier....but we want to throw Zimmer out with the wash after an injury riddled, rookie breaking in, Covid restricted season? Makes no sense to me.
Supa, I'm not ragging on you but I will rinse and repeat:
2/8 against Nagy and LaFleur
Division Winners just 2 of 7 Seasons
Missed the playoffs 2 of the last 3 seasons
This ain't about jumping ship after 1 injury riddled, Covid season. Zimmers mediocre record is pretty clear and spans seasons.
Coming up short at big moments has been more the norm than not. And all of this against an embarrassment of riches in resources from ownership.
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