Is Zimmer a part of the offensive struggles?

Despite some gaudy stats, this defense hasn't been stellar imo. Big knockers on that side of the ball aint knocking this year. OTOH, they are wearing down and a game like the Patriots? They kept us in it for quite a while. 

I think the offensive play calling has been mediocre, the running game a poor step-child and the OL is bottom 5 in the league. That OL's lack of performance halo's across the whole team, in a bad way. 

This is just one of those seasons where some D guys are having moderate success and we're probably  2 OG's from being back to a top 3 team in NFC.  They've got the QB, WR and RB.

So I ain't laying this at the feet of Zimmer completely. I think the players are highly accountable for this medicore season to date. Soon it will be time for the front office to upgrade that OL

Yeah I think he is. I wish he'd keep his hands out of the offense. I can't say for sure if he's handcuffing John but it seems that Pat had more free reign last year. Winning gives Mike less reason to question without a doubt. I just keep getting this feeling that Mike is dictating the offense more now then last year. This offense is really starting to look more and more like Norv's. There's not much imagination involved. 

I completely disagree. Zim has been clamoring for more runs, yet Flip is calling passes at a record pace. If we continue to run with the success we were having against Brady, that was the recipe for success. Move the ball and keep the clock moving, keeping QB12 off the field. Flip is trying to get cute so he can get a head coaching job, but with his side of the ball struggling, I think teams will be wary of him.

I think Zimmer wants to be more hands off on the offense,
and probably just communicates what he wants from Flip at a high level.  I do think that the offense looks different
now compared to the beginning of the year, but I’m not really sure that what we’re
seeing is what Zimmer would push for if he was being overly involved with the
offense even though I think we’re seeing similar quality of OLine play.  If the goal is less turnovers, we’re doing
the exact opposite of that, and we have been for a while now.

I do think it’s pretty clear that Zimmer has been pushing
for something and it’s not what he’s been getting

@"JoDakota" said: I completely disagree. Zim has been clamoring for more runs, yet Flip is calling passes at a record pace. If we continue to run with the success we were having against Brady, that was the recipe for success. Move the ball and keep the clock moving, keeping QB12 off the field. Flip is trying to get cute so he can get a head coaching job, but with his side of the ball struggling, I think teams will be wary of him.

This is the truth.
The only thing I'd blame Zimmer for is not being more assertive with DeFelippo and telling him he WILL run the ball more.  It's insane to me that Dalvin Cook has only had more than 10 rushing attempts in one game this season...  and that was in Week 1.
The problem with this offense is that we have no balance.  That's it folks.

I’m not sure that trying to run more = being able to run more.  it depends on who they are playing.  Lets just try and work onthe weaknesses of the other team.

@"Wetlander" said:

@"JoDakota" said: I completely disagree. Zim has been clamoring for more runs, yet Flip is calling passes at a record pace. If we continue to run with the success we were having against Brady, that was the recipe for success. Move the ball and keep the clock moving, keeping QB12 off the field. Flip is trying to get cute so he can get a head coaching job, but with his side of the ball struggling, I think teams will be wary of him.

This is the truth.
The only thing I'd blame Zimmer for is not being more assertive with DeFelippo and telling him he WILL run the ball more.  It's insane to me that Dalvin Cook has only had more than 10 rushing attempts in one game this season...  and that was in Week 1.
The problem with this offense is that we have no balance.  That's it folks.

@"Purplewhizz" said: I’m not sure that trying to run more = being able to run more.  it depends on who they are playing.  Lets just try and work onthe weaknesses of the other team.

It absolutely boggled my mind that against a poor run defense they abandoned the run. I mean seriously, what the actual fuck? And Dalvin was in a rhythm, why go away from what was working?

What position does Zimmer play again?  Guard? Tackle?
Zimmer is fine, we need some road-gradin', rock-chewin', Nasty-ass, bad-mo-fo's up front.

@"Purplewhizz" said:

I kind of wonder if Zimmer isn’t a major part of the problem with the offense. Remember how Zimmer acted basically pissed with Keenum, horseshoe up his ass, etc? He was mad that Keenum was taking chances, something we had never seen with a Zimmer-lead team. And then remember when he started reigning him in and the offense went downhill towards the end of the season? The Vikings offense started out pretty good this season and has also gone downhill. The defense was more of the problem earlier in the season. Turnovers are down but so is the offense in general. We’re seeing the patented 4 yard routes again which have been commonplace under Zimmer. Cousins has looked tentative and not looked the same as earlier in the season. Something tells me this is Zimmer’s work.   And I also wonder exactly what happened with Norv Turner. Coaches don’t quit in the middle of the season without some extraordinary reason. The offense has never been a strength under Zimmer - various reasons for that but none the less true.  I’m not saying he is the only reason but maybe they have over-corrected the turnover issues at the expense of productivity?

last year he said case had a horseshoe up his ass because he did,  keenum was putting up stats in spite of making some horrible decisions with the football and was getting away with it,  he wasnt mad at keenum,  he just wasnt willling to anoint him anything more than what he was... a stop gap QB that was playing with a lot of luck.  i dont think Zim got into keenums head IMO it was the pressure of the situation down the stretch that got into cases head,  hard to put that on Zimmer.

I agree with those above,  Zimmer likely needs to be more involved since we have an inexperienced play caller,  if it was still Shurmur I would say no... stay the fuck out of the o room,  but since flipper hasnt really shown the ability to call plays with any balance or rythym then IMO Zim needs to be stepping in and settling the situation... otherwise its time for Stefanski to get an audition.

as far as norv,  who cares,  all anybody had to say about Norvs O was it was antiquated and he was to ridgid,  maybe Zim meddled at the right time on that one if he did at all?

@"Purplewhizz" said: I’m not sure that trying to run more = being able to run more.  it depends on who they are playing.  Lets just try and work onthe weaknesses of the other team.