Look at Bears to see why Vikings are mediocre

[Jor-El]

Chicago hired an offensive-minded coach in Nagy...and then, even though they had been improving their defensive personnel, they used their #1 pick for a defensive player, and traded for one of the best defenders in the league. After all, their new HC was supposed to be great on OFFENSE, so he should be able to turn lower draft picks and free agents, like Trey Burton or Taylor Gabriel, into greater productivity than they had elsewhere, and tailor his offense to his inexperienced QB. They balanced their team because, even though their HC likes the offensive side of the ball, he did not demand "prime beef" to fuel his offensive plans.
Minnesota, OTOH, hired a defensive coach in Zimmer - but since then, has given preference to acquiring talent for the same side of the ball - defense. Has Zimmer brought in many "bargain" pieces for his defense? I can only think of Terence Newman as a veteran FA acquisition, and only a few day 3 picks have become key defensive players (a bit more this year with Weatherly and Kearse). It's as though Spielman said to himself, "This is my third try hiring a coach, I promised he's a great defensive coach - we gotta overload the defense so at least defense is OK". So he got all the draft picks he wanted and some expensive DT free agents.

And our defense is good. But is it truly great? Some Vikings fans proclaim Zimmer a defensive guru on the lines of Buddy Ryan...I don't see that. His defenses always look good on paper, minimal yards, etc...but they don't scare opponents because they don't cause turnovers at a high rate. So just keep chipping away at our defense until you figure it out, because we won't make you pay with a pick-six. Zimmer doesn't tell his DBs to jump routes and gamble for INTs, or tackle the ball to force fumbles, because he's afraid of mistakes leading to big plays. Before Minnesota, he was effective in Dallas, where the team was loaded with talent on both sides of the ball (thanks the the Herschel trade), and in Cincinatti, he similarly got plenty of top defensive picks.

Then, how has he added to offensive production? Best response would be, "undetermined", but the Vikings have churned through offensive coordinators and first-round WRs at a scary rate during Zimmer's tenure.

Spielman picked Zimmer, after half a dozen other teams interviewed him and passed, and after Spielman had picked (or helped pick) Brad Childress and Leslie Frazier. Which of those facts fill you with confidence over Zimmer's credentials as an NFL head coach?
I know they will both be back for 2019, but I would fire Spielman and let a new GM evaluate Zimmer for a year.

[Guest]

To me, the concern with the D is that against good teams, our D is not a momentum shifter, but we've invested in them as if they are. When the O closed in to make it 13-10, we needed someone on the D to make a turnover or sack or TFL.  What we got instead was an over 8 minute drive to put the Bears up by 10 with 9 minutes to go.

[Guest]

@Scoog said:
To me, the concern with the D is that against good teams, our D is not a momentum shifter, but we've invested in them as if they are. When the O closed in to make it 13-10, we needed someone on the D to make a turnover or sack or TFL.  What we got instead was an over 8 minute drive to put the Bears up by 10 with 9 minutes to go.

The defense was also gassed because they were on the field more. The offense was having trouble moving the chains in the first half so there was a lack of balance. Also there have been times when the defense got turnovers and the offense didn't capitalize. I know the defense needs to hold them but the offense needs to do their part as well.