Mike Zimmer: Vikings' offense will 'do what Kirk Cousins does best'

After the Vikings start their work in Eagan, Zimmer said he plans to visit Cousins in the offseason, either at his home in Michigan or “where he’s at and what he’s comfortable with.”
Said Zimmer: “ go see him, sit down, have dinner with him and just talk about different things. But I figure it’s better to get the football part going first, and then start to get to know him better.”

Guess he should have done that for Teddy's two years...

@"jdr6000" said: Guess he should have done that for Teddy's two years...

Tell em about it. I know he is no longer a Viking but all I think about is missed opportunity. I just have to believe the coaches who saw him day in and day out put him and the team in the best position to win.

@"jdr6000" said: Guess he should have done that for Teddy's two years...

and how do you know that they didnt put Ted in the best position to win based on what they saw?  Kirk is a seasoned vet with plenty of experience on tape to show his strengths and weaknesses at the pro level.  Teddy in year 1 was a rookie who wasnt supposed to start and was thrust in there due to  injury.  In year 2 he was playing in  a poor situation,  but by year 3 they were turning the corner and had created a Tedcentric offense that initially looked to be playing to him and not AD.  and really nothing would have changed.. Teddy could have still been hurt in practice,  sat out 2 years and still not be ready to play and so we would still be here having this same conversation.

It concerns me that we only hear about tailoring the offense to what Cousins likes to do... without any mention of what DeFilippo likes to do (especially the part about keeping alot of terminology the same).  That tells me- in my opinion- that they don't expect "Flip" to be around very long (and,therefore, why bother to change alot of things... when we'll probably go to Stepanski in a year or 2).

@"pumpf" said: It concerns me that we only hear about tailoring the offense to what Cousins likes to do... without any mention of what DeFilippo likes to do (especially the part about keeping alot of terminology the same).  That tells me- in my opinion- that they don't expect "Flip" to be around very long (and,therefore, why bother to change alot of things... when we'll probably go to Stepanski in a year or 2).

you mean like this, "partly because of him and partly because of the things DeFilippo likes to do.”

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"jdr6000" said: Guess he should have done that for Teddy's two years...

and how do you know that they didnt put Ted in the best position to win based on what they saw?  Kirk is a seasoned vet with plenty of experience on tape to show his strengths and weaknesses at the pro level.  Teddy in year 1 was a rookie who wasnt supposed to start and was thrust in there due to  injury.  In year 2 he was playing in  a poor situation,  but by year 3 they were turning the corner and had created a Tedcentric offense that initially looked to be playing to him and not AD.  and really nothing would have changed.. Teddy could have still been hurt in practice,  sat out 2 years and still not be ready to play and so we would still be here having this same conversation.

@"pumpf" said: It concerns me that we only hear about tailoring the offense to what Cousins likes to do... without any mention of what DeFilippo likes to do (especially the part about keeping alot of terminology the same).  That tells me- in my opinion- that they don't expect "Flip" to be around very long (and,therefore, why bother to change alot of things... when we'll probably go to Stepanski in a year or 2).

I think that has been the plan the whole time.  The Vikings were fortunate that things worked out the way they did with the Colts job.  If the iggles OC had gotten that job sooner we likely wouldnt have been able to get Defillipo away from them as he would have likely stayed in philly as their OC until his HC offers came.  If he does the job we expect him to do,  he will be out of Minny very quickly and since the team block Stefanski to the Gmen I think they know they will be needing him sooner than later.  I think they thought Stefanski needed a little more time and exposure to other offensive elements and jumped at the chance to let him learn behind Flipper.  If KS isnt the OC next year I am thinking 2020 at the latest or not at all.

@"pumpf" said: It concerns me that we only hear about tailoring the offense to what Cousins likes to do... without any mention of what DeFilippo likes to do (especially the part about keeping alot of terminology the same).  That tells me- in my opinion- that they don't expect "Flip" to be around very long (and,therefore, why bother to change alot of things... when we'll probably go to Stepanski in a year or 2).

IMO coaches who can adapt their philosophy/system to the players they have are the best ones.  I don't think coaches that have to clean house and bring in 'their style' of player are necessarily good coaches they just have an effective system they are intimately familiar with.  I think coaches that can adapt are the ones that are successful long term.

I would hope that is what they are trying to do, put good talent on the roster and hire coaches that can get the most out of it.

@"NodakViking" said:

@"pumpf" said: It concerns me that we only hear about tailoring the offense to what Cousins likes to do... without any mention of what DeFilippo likes to do (especially the part about keeping alot of terminology the same).  That tells me- in my opinion- that they don't expect "Flip" to be around very long (and,therefore, why bother to change alot of things... when we'll probably go to Stepanski in a year or 2).

IMO coaches who can adapt their philosophy/system to the players they have are the best ones.  I don't think coaches that have to clean house and bring in 'their style' of player are necessarily good coaches they just have an effective system they are intimately familiar with.  I think coaches that can adapt are the ones that are successful long term.

I would hope that is what they are trying to do, put good talent on the roster and hire coaches that can get the most out of it.

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"NodakViking" said:

@"pumpf" said: It concerns me that we only hear about tailoring the offense to what Cousins likes to do... without any mention of what DeFilippo likes to do (especially the part about keeping alot of terminology the same).  That tells me- in my opinion- that they don't expect "Flip" to be around very long (and,therefore, why bother to change alot of things... when we'll probably go to Stepanski in a year or 2).

IMO coaches who can adapt their philosophy/system to the players they have are the best ones.  I don't think coaches that have to clean house and bring in 'their style' of player are necessarily good coaches they just have an effective system they are intimately familiar with.  I think coaches that can adapt are the ones that are successful long term.

I would hope that is what they are trying to do, put good talent on the roster and hire coaches that can get the most out of it.

nothing for nothing but didnt Zim bring a system in and is drafting and signing free agents to fit his scheme?

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"NodakViking" said:

@"pumpf" said: It concerns me that we only hear about tailoring the offense to what Cousins likes to do... without any mention of what DeFilippo likes to do (especially the part about keeping alot of terminology the same).  That tells me- in my opinion- that they don't expect "Flip" to be around very long (and,therefore, why bother to change alot of things... when we'll probably go to Stepanski in a year or 2).

IMO coaches who can adapt their philosophy/system to the players they have are the best ones.  I don't think coaches that have to clean house and bring in 'their style' of player are necessarily good coaches they just have an effective system they are intimately familiar with.  I think coaches that can adapt are the ones that are successful long term.

I would hope that is what they are trying to do, put good talent on the roster and hire coaches that can get the most out of it.

nothing for nothing but didnt Zim bring a system in and is drafting and signing free agents to fit his scheme?

@"NodakViking" said:

@"pumpf" said: It concerns me that we only hear about tailoring the offense to what Cousins likes to do... without any mention of what DeFilippo likes to do (especially the part about keeping alot of terminology the same).  That tells me- in my opinion- that they don't expect "Flip" to be around very long (and,therefore, why bother to change alot of things... when we'll probably go to Stepanski in a year or 2).

IMO coaches who can adapt their philosophy/system to the players they have are the best ones.  I don't think coaches that have to clean house and bring in 'their style' of player are necessarily good coaches they just have an effective system they are intimately familiar with.  I think coaches that can adapt are the ones that are successful long term.

I would hope that is what they are trying to do, put good talent on the roster and hire coaches that can get the most out of it.

@"Riphawkins" said:

@"NodakViking" said:

@"pumpf" said: It concerns me that we only hear about tailoring the offense to what Cousins likes to do... without any mention of what DeFilippo likes to do (especially the part about keeping alot of terminology the same).  That tells me- in my opinion- that they don't expect "Flip" to be around very long (and,therefore, why bother to change alot of things... when we'll probably go to Stepanski in a year or 2).

IMO coaches who can adapt their philosophy/system to the players they have are the best ones.  I don't think coaches that have to clean house and bring in 'their style' of player are necessarily good coaches they just have an effective system they are intimately familiar with.  I think coaches that can adapt are the ones that are successful long term.

I would hope that is what they are trying to do, put good talent on the roster and hire coaches that can get the most out of it.

I agree, Norv Turner wanted to fit square pegs into round holes. Didn’t matter that the O line blocked like shit, or didn’t block at all, but dammit my QB is taking a 7 step drop and slinging the ball downfield!

Good coaches use the skills of individuals and tweak their schemes to go with those players.

I think it's a great fit. I think I read where Cousins was the most effective play action QB in the NFL? Just sounds to me like an OC who will want to do a lot of play action, RPO, and zone runs will fit really well on a team with Cousins, Cook, and RAC receivers like Diggs and Thielen. 

@"MaroonBells" said: I think it's a great fit. I think I read where Cousins was the most effective play action QB in the NFL? Just sounds to me like an OC who will want to do a lot of play action, RPO, and zone runs will fit really well on a team with Cousins, Cook, and RAC receivers like Diggs and Thielen. 

I haven't had this much anticipation about a Vikings offense since Bert was here...

Im pretty stoked to see the new offense.  I think it should be very good.

 I was at a skins board recently and someone pointed out that Cousins is 4-19 against teams with a winning record. They said he padded his numbers to get 4,000 yards vs bad teams in garbage time.  Thats a little eye opening.

Anyone hear this before?

@"Poiple" said: Im pretty stoked to see the new offense.  I think it should be very good.

 I was at a skins board recently and someone pointed out that Cousins is 4-19 against teams with a winning record. They said he padded his numbers to get 4,000 yards vs bad teams in garbage time.  Thats a little eye opening.

Anyone hear this before?

2017 Skins rushing: ypg 90.5 (27th) ypc 3.6 (30th) Rush defense ypc 4.5 (29) ypg  134.1 (32nd)
2016 Skins rushing: ypg 106 (21st) ypc 4.5 (9th) Rush defense ypc 4.5 (27th) ypg  119.7 (24th)
2015 Skins rushing: ypg 97.9 (20th) ypc 3.7 (30th) Rush defense ypc  4.8 (31st) ypg 122.6 (26th)

Considering the Skins couldn't stop anyone from running it and couldn't run it themselves, no wonder Cousins was:

A: Behind a lot, particularly against winning teams.
B: Chucking it.  30th in ypc twice in 3 years? Bleeach.  The year they were 9th in ypc, they were 27th in rush attempts. 

I'm not saying Cousins didn't get some garbage-time yards, but he sure wasn't getting much help those 3 years either.

@"Poiple" said: Im pretty stoked to see the new offense.  I think it should be very good.

 I was at a skins board recently and someone pointed out that Cousins is 4-19 against teams with a winning record. They said he padded his numbers to get 4,000 yards vs bad teams in garbage time.  Thats a little eye opening.

Anyone hear this before?

Sounds like...

... to me!   ;) B)  

I think it will be interesting to see what they come up with for an offensive scheme.  I dont expect it to be as vertical as some expect.  And Zimmer has shown he gets very conservative in the second half.