please for the love of god let this be zimmers last year

[Guest]

I don't think Zimmer is going anywhere. I was ticked off that he said there was no issue with clock management though in the presser.

[Guest]

I agree that Zimmer has proven to be outclassed by "top level" coaches in key games, but when the hell is Saint Ricky gonna start feeling the heat?

Jaysus Christmas, this dude has had 100% control of BOTH College and NFL scouting since he was named VICE PRESIDENT OF PLAYER PERSONNEL in the Spring (or early Summer) of 2006. 

Since L'il Ricky came aboard, there have been :

3 Head Coaches
5 Offensive Coordinators
5 Defensive Coordinators 
17 ( yes, SEVENTEEN) starting QB's
3 Home stadiums
2 Training camp locations 
Literally HUNDREDS of players and assitant coaches

And.... A grand total of TWO playoff wins (both, btw, with mercenary F/A QB's, despite spending 5 draft picks including THREE FIRST ROUND PICKS on QB's between April 2011 and September 2016). 

Just to put that pathetic total of playoff wins in perspective, the Jacksonville Jaguars EQUALLED that total in the span of 2 WEEKS this past January. The Rex Ryan/Mark Sanchez Jets DOUBLED that playoff win total over the course of 2 years, all 4 of those victories on the ROAD.

Is it ALWAYS everybody elses fault except the guy that's "buying the groceries"!?

I understand that the Midwest Middle School contingent that rules this board will attack me for having the AUDACITY to state FACTS, but numbers don't lie.

At SOME point the Wilfs are going to realize the common denominator for this current LOSING stretch of Vikings history and FINALLY cut ties with this unbelievably over-rated personnel "guru" (cough-yak-erp). 

I have no doubt that the Vikings will make the playoffs this year. I also have no doubt that they will, once AGAIN, shit the bed, whether it be on the road or at home. The only question remaining is : Will they find yet ANOTHER unique way to lose a close game, or will they simply get steamrolled? I'm guessing that they will reach into their apparently inexhaustible bag of tricks-to-fuck-over-their-fans, and come up with yet ANOTHER doozy of a finish. 

12 men in a huddle? Perfect kicker missing a FG? The original "Hail Mary" play? Ridiculous, soul-crushing, head-scratching interception or fumble? Running out of bounds instead of going down and running crucial time off the clock? Dropping a game winning reception or interception? Your guess is as good as mine. I'll go with the ol' crucial fumble/interception being the scapegoat that once again saves Ricky's ass. 

Wash, rinse, repeat. Vikings tease their fans, then choke and serve up endless excuses why they fail while OTHER teams succeed. 

[Guest]

People are over-reacting because they know the end result.  If the Vikings would have lost, while playing more conservative, we'd have seen posts about how "Zimmers so out of touch and way too conservative, we need a young aggressive HC like Pederson, someone who's not afraid to make the ballsy calls".
This game came down to the two turnovers by Thielen and Diggs.  We played a great game given the players we were missing, but we just didn't have the horses to overcome those two crucial turnovers.

[Guest]

@medaille said:

People are over-reacting because they know the end result.  If the Vikings would have lost, while playing more conservative, we'd have seen posts about how "Zimmers so out of touch and way too conservative, we need a young aggressive HC like Pederson, someone who's not afraid to make the ballsy calls".
This game came down to the two turnovers by Thielen and Diggs.  We played a great game given the players we were missing, but we just didn't have the horses to overcome those two crucial turnovers.

This. 

[Guest]

Vikings were the better team. You could see it. Really thought we were going to go up big as we headed for the end zone before the half, set to get the ball again after the half. They couldn't stop us and Brees was largely ineffective.

Thielen's fumble changed everything.

It gave them the lead and the momentum. And for whatever reason, our defense with a lead and our defense from behind are two totally different defenses.

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:
Vikings were the better team. You could see it. Really thought we were going to go up big as we headed for the end zone before the half, set to get the ball again after the half. They couldn't stop us and Brees was largely ineffective.

Thielen's fumble changed everything.

It gave them the lead and the momentum. And for whatever reason, our defense with a lead and our defense from behind are two totally different defenses.

I really don't put this loss on the defense. I would say it was more about how conservative the play calling on offense was after that fumble. That and the lack of urgency. Treadwell was the only one trying to get the team to hurry up. The defense can only do so much when they have to stay on the field so long. 

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:
Vikings were the better team. You could see it. Really thought we were going to go up big as we headed for the end zone before the half, set to get the ball again after the half. They couldn't stop us and Brees was largely ineffective.

Thielen's fumble changed everything.

It gave them the lead and the momentum. And for whatever reason, our defense with a lead and our defense from behind are two totally different defenses.

And for those saying the Game has passed Zim by, what was Brees stat line in the first half?  Less than 100 yards a touch and his first int.  Yeah, that turnover hurt bad.  Then Diggs stopping was the nail.

We had the game in control, Brees wasn't throwing deep. Then a turnover took away our points and gave them points.  Huge swing.

[Guest]

deep breath everyone... this is hardly a game to be making knee jerk decisions on,  down 6 starters and to have some uncharacteristic breaks going against us... this was one of those games that has to happen a few times a year to remind us that we are Vikings fans.

and it gives njvike a chance to come back and piss and moan about spielman (hard to do after a win right?)

[Guest]

@JimmyinSD said:
deep breath everyone... this is hardly a game to be making knee jerk decisions on,  down 6 starters and to have some uncharacteristic breaks going against us... this was one of those games that has to happen a few times a year to remind us that we are Vikings fans.

and it gives njvike a chance to come back and piss and moan about spielman (hard to do after a win right?)

Al least we know the headhunters are alive and well...

[Guest]

I've been critical of Zimmer for plenty of things. Too conservative, the game has passed him by, he is a defensive coordinator not really a head coach, can't manage the clock, etc.  But the Vikings were without a lot of key players against a really good Saints team.  Still, we were winning and driving at the end of the first half and we were getting the ball back to start the second half. Then the fumble. And later a pick 6.
Knowing it is the Saints, he goes for it on fourth and goal on the first drive. That's not conservative.  It was the right call. They mixed the run and pass well. (The early challenge was silly and costs us a T.O. and a challenge.) Going for it on 4th and one around midfield was risky, but not incompetent.  I doubt it was Zim's call to go empty backfield.
The reality is that our front 4 could hardly pressure Brees. Their O-line is really good.  And our O-line could not really protect Cousins.  Whether that is because of injuries (Reiff, Easton, Compton) or talent hardly matters. The Saints have a great QB, great RBs, a great receiver, and have really good Offensive and defensive lines.  That and the turnovers is why they won. 
Zimmer did not lose this game. The players did.