Mike Zimmer

[Husker Vike]

I believe there are 8 coaching positions open , but not one GM position. This tells me that GM's must get a lot longer leash ,or owners do not feel that there are very many qualified candidates available.

[PurpleMustReign]

I believe there are 8 coaching positions open , but not one GM position. This tells me that GM's must get a lot longer leash ,or owners do not feel that there are very many qualified candidates available.

I think GM is harder to replace. It could potentially affect a lot more people than just a HC.
They could find someone if they really needed to. Apparently they don't think they need to though.

[Texas Vike]

I believe there are 8 coaching positions open , but not one GM position. This tells me that GM's must get a lot longer leash ,or owners do not feel that there are very many qualified candidates available.

I read that the Raiders are hiring Mike Mayock to be their GM.

[PurpleMustReign]

I believe there are 8 coaching positions open , but not one GM position. This tells me that GM's must get a lot longer leash ,or owners do not feel that there are very many qualified candidates available.

I read that the Raiders are hiring Mike Mayock to be their GM.

Really?

[Texas Vike]

I read that the Raiders are hiring Mike Mayock to be their GM.

Really?

Yeah, it was on ESPN’s front page, so I didn’t bother linking it. Pretty crazy, eh? The guy’s a great talent evaluator, no doubt about it... but is that enough?

[Mothman]

Yeah, it was on ESPN’s front page, so I didn’t bother linking it. Pretty crazy, eh? The guy’s a great talent evaluator, no doubt about it... but is that enough?

We'll find out!

[Mogvet]

In its simplest form I watch this team and give the D so much credit because they’re on the field 80% of the game because our offenses ineptitude. That is tough on any defense.

That said, I completely agree. At some point, tired, on the field a ton, injuries, anything.....you simply MUST find a way to make a play on 3rd down! It doesn’t have to be every time. But it sure as hell better be more than 1-2 times in a game.

My simple take is I might be more bummed about our D because they’re supposed to be great! Our offense was lousy but I kind of expected them to be average. I thought our defense would be dominant.

I realize this isn’t rational. It takes 3 phases to win. All three let us down this season. But I too was very frustrated with our defense and I don’t know how anyone could be super happy with any aspect of this team tonight!

Then please explain out of the 71 yard scoring drive 62 yards was on the ground for the Bears first score, like swiss cheese. You talk about burned out but the Bears ran it right down our throats first drive.

[808vikingsfan]

I mentioned it in the game day chat. That's just the read I get on Zimmer: he seems fed up with it all, tired, and profoundly frustrated. Then again, that's sort of his standard default mode. He kind of has that Clint Eastwood, constant simmer with a treat of boiling over thing going on. Very interesting to see that there may be some substance to my / our intuition.

I would be somewhat bummed out though, to be honest. I like Zimmer, but I do question whether he's got a global-enough of a vision as HC to lead us to the Lombardi. I wish we could retain him as D coordinator. I almost feel like he'd enjoy that more.

When I look around the league at the coaches that have 'IT' ... they share that trait that Zimmer doesn't have (joy). Pete Carroll, Doug Pederson (last year), Nagy this year, McVay. They all seem to enjoy what they're doing a heck of a lot more than Zimmer. That kind of energy is crucial.

I agree. It is crucial and it seems lacking on the Vikes.

There are a lot of good, talented players on the team but as a whole, they seem pretty tightly wound. Maybe that's a reflection of their coach but I wonder about player leadership too. How do they keep showing up for big games and playing flat? From the very beginning of yesterday's game, it looked to me like the Bears were the team that wanted it more, the team with energy. Under the circumstances, we should have seen the opposite (or at least an equivalent degree of energy from the Vikings). How much of a leadership gap might the loss of a noted team leader like Robison or a veteran like Newman have created on the team this year?

So how do you explain 2009? Childress was so tightly wound, conservative, but the team wasn't . IMO, the true leader when it counts is the QB. Ultimately, he's the one that's going to make it happen. Look at Trubisky. He didn't play that well, but he made those cruicail 3rd down throws, something that Cousins cannot do (or at least hasn't shown in his career).

[Mothman]

So how do you explain 2009? Childress was so tightly wound, conservative, but the team wasn't . IMO, the true leader when it counts is the QB.

I think leadership from both positions (HC and QB) matters. The answer regarding 2009 is obviously Favre. I think Keenum helped keep them loose last year too. Cousins is wound so tight he looks like he could spring apart at any second.

Nevertheless, I think Texas Vike has a point.

[Texas Vike]

So how do you explain 2009? Childress was so tightly wound, conservative, but the team wasn't . IMO, the true leader when it counts is the QB.

I think leadership from both positions (HC and QB) matters. The answer regarding 2009 is obviously Favre. I think Keenum helped keep them loose last year too. Cousins is wound so tight he looks like he could spring apart at any second.

Nevertheless, I think Texas Vike has a point.

Yes, Jim and I are on the same page... It was absolutely Favre.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Really?

Yeah, it was on ESPN’s front page, so I didn’t bother linking it. Pretty crazy, eh? The guy’s a great talent evaluator, no doubt about it... but is that enough?

Uhh, yes. Spielman is a bad talent evaluator, and we have been stuck in neutral since he join the Vikings (I curse the day).

[808vikingsfan]

So how do you explain 2009? Childress was so tightly wound, conservative, but the team wasn't . IMO, the true leader when it counts is the QB.

I think leadership from both positions (HC and QB) matters. The answer regarding 2009 is obviously Favre. I think Keenum helped keep them loose last year too. Cousins is wound so tight he looks like he could spring apart at any second.

Nevertheless, I think Texas Vike has a point.

LOL. Good one on Cousins. To be fair to Zimmer (compared to the other coaches TexasVIke mentioned), it easy to look happy after a win.

[Mothman]

LOL. Good one on Cousins. To be fair to Zimmer (compared to the other coaches TexasVIke mentioned), it easy to look happy after a win.

... and coaching looks exhausting and stressful.

[vikeinmontana]

In its simplest form I watch this team and give the D so much credit because they’re on the field 80% of the game because our offenses ineptitude. That is tough on any defense.

That said, I completely agree. At some point, tired, on the field a ton, injuries, anything.....you simply MUST find a way to make a play on 3rd down! It doesn’t have to be every time. But it sure as hell better be more than 1-2 times in a game.

My simple take is I might be more bummed about our D because they’re supposed to be great! Our offense was lousy but I kind of expected them to be average. I thought our defense would be dominant.

I realize this isn’t rational. It takes 3 phases to win. All three let us down this season. But I too was very frustrated with our defense and I don’t know how anyone could be super happy with any aspect of this team tonight!

Then please explain out of the 71 yard scoring drive 62 yards was on the ground for the Bears first score, like swiss cheese. You talk about burned out but the Bears ran it right down our throats first drive.

Why would I explain that? I'm agreeing with you. I was VERY disappointed in our defense this year. I must be missing something...

[VikeFanInEagleLand]

Then please explain out of the 71 yard scoring drive 62 yards was on the ground for the Bears first score, like swiss cheese. You talk about burned out but the Bears ran it right down our throats first drive.

Why would I explain that? I'm agreeing with you. I was VERY disappointed in our defense this year. I must be missing something...

I think what he was trying to say is that you gave the defense credit and said that they get burned out because of our lack of offense, BUT they got shredded on the very first drive. They weren't burned out at that point.