Mike Zimmer's four-year record ranks among Vikings' best
If Mike Zimmer can go 3-1 the rest of the way, he will pass Jerry Burns by a half-game to have the second-best four-year start to his coaching career in Vikings history.Seven Vikings coaches have lasted with the franchise for four full seasons or more: Norm Van Brocklin, Bud Grant, Jerry Burns, Dennis Green, Mice Tice and Brad Childress. Mike Zimmer will join that group in four weeks.
And Zimmer is having great success. As it currently stands, his 36-24 regular-season record in his first four seasons (.600 winning percentage) trails Grant (35-18-3, .652) and Burns (38-25, .603). If Zimmer can go 3-1 the rest of the way, he will pass Burns by a half-game to have the second-best four-year start to his coaching career in franchise history.
Last year was a letdown for Zimmer, the team finishing .500 at 8-8 after a 5-0 start to the season. That came after a 2015 season when the Vikings went 11-5 and came within a missed field goal of winning its wild-card playoff game.
When the team entered this past offseason, it focused on one key issue it felt could solve a world of problems: the offensive line.
Zimmer explained how the Vikings went about that process, which has drastically changed their offense and has them one victory away from clinching a division title.
“The real story is that we tried to find the right guys, tried to find some athletic guys,” Zimmer said. “ Rick found Easton, he liked him coming out and then he was with a couple other teams and we made a trade with San Francisco. They wanted Gerald Hodges and we got .
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Now Zimmer gets ready for the Vikings’ fifth consecutive game against a quality opponent.
“A very good football team,” he said of Carolina. “Before they got beat they had won four in a row. They have a terrific defense, sixth in the league, a very good front seven. They have two ends with 8½ sacks apiece, the linebackers are extremely active, and then offensively they’re sixth in the league in running the football. They do a lot of different things.”
It will be another tough test for the Vikings, but it’s becoming clear they already have one of the best coaches the franchise has ever seen steering the ship.
Hartman is a shill as much as Wobbie, but I think he's spot on re: Zimmer. Mike's been snake bit as it gets and has still shown resilience and ability to adapt.
This is probably going to be his second division title in 3 years. Now they need to win in the post-season.
I will be deeply disappointed if this team doesn't make a deep playoff run this year. And yah, I know we still have 25% of the season in front of us (believe it or not!)
Not bad for a coach who's lost his starting QB and RB for the majority of the season 3 of his 4 years.
@"Scoog" said: Not bad for a coach who's lost his starting QB and RB for the majority of the season 3 of his 4 years.
Yeah, no kidding... It boggles my mind why some fans question his ability as a HC...
@"Scoog" said: Not bad for a coach who's lost his starting QB and RB for the majority of the season 3 of his 4 years.
QB, RB, OC, vision out of one eye...
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