You're right, coaching fortunes can change in the NFL pretty quickly, especially when expectations are high. If this season were to end with a resounding "clunk" and three or four more losses (especially bad losses), Zimmer might be gone. I'd be as surprised by 4 more losses as I would be by 4 more wins but all season long, this has been a team that can can go in either direction. I'm guessing they'll finish with 8 or 9 wins but who knows?VikingLord wrote: ↑Wed Dec 05, 2018 4:34 pmYou might be surprised if the Vikings lay an egg here and don't make the playoffs, or worse, put up stinkers against the Seahawks and the Bears to close out the season. While unlikely, they could lose their next 4 and finish with a losing record, or even 3 of their next 4.Mothman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 05, 2018 1:16 pm ...it was an uncompetitive blowout and 5 years is enough to get a good measure of a coach. Let's see how they finish this one but if they don't finish it strong, firing him should definitely be on the table. It won't be (and that's why you don't hear it talked about nationally—pundits know the Wilfs won't do it yet) but it should be...
No NFL head coach's job is safe anymore IMHO. Look at McCarthy in Green Bay. Did anyone think he wouldn't last the season? But he's gone with 4 games to play, and the Packers weren't even coming off a great prior season. The NFL is a "show me" league, and while I think Zimmer is probably going to make it to next season as the head coach, if the Vikes fall flat to end this season his tenure with the team could be in serious jeopardy, especially if they continue to get their hats handed to them for long stretches of games.
Spielman, I don't know. The team has some talented players, and it's easier to argue that the head coach isn't wringing the most out of that talent rather than the GM isn't finding it and retaining it. Even on the offensive line, Spielman can argue the injury to Easton couldn't have been anticipated, nor the injury or drop off with Elflein. He can argue he found O'Neill in the 2nd and he's been a value pick. I'm not sure Spielman would be under the gun even if the season is a failure.
But Zimmer sure could be. Absolutely. He needs his team to over-perform against a good team and he needs it soon.
You're probably right about Spielman. I get the impression the Wilfs are pretty sold on him (although I don't know why). A really poor finish to this season might be enough to put him on notice but I doubt it would cost him his job.