Zimmer is on HOT SEAT!!!

[Purplepain2018]

If the Vikings defense continues to collapse these last four games and they miss the playoffs, I could see a scenario where Zimmer could be let go. This defense is not the same defense that Vikings fans have become accustomed to and they are making way too many mistakes. Here is how I see the Vikings defense:

Defensive Line: The Vikings have a lot of young talent on the line, but really no great pass rusher. Danielle Hunter is a good up and
coming player, but he is not dominant. Griffen is showing signs of slowing down and the interior play of Joseph,
Stephen, Watts, Holmes and Johnson are steady, but again no one dominant. This position again needs to be
addressed either through the draft or trade.

Linebackers: Kendricks is really the only player to talk about here as he has been good in both stopping the run and pass
coverage. Barr is too hot and cold. In most games, Barr is almost invisible. He hardly ever jumps off the screen
in anything he does. A player with his size, speed, strength and athletic ability should be making plays all over the
field, but he doesn't. Gideon is a non-factor. Wilson another young player who is inexperienced. Cameron Smith
no real playing time.

Def. Backs: Rhodes should be benched. He gets beat in coverage over and over again or makes stupid penalties. Waynes has
been steady, but not great. Hughes and Hill could be the future CB's and Alexander looks good in the slot.
Safeties: Smith is great. Harris has been pretty good as well.

Overall: This unit has underachieved and better start playing better or they could be sitting home again watching the playoffs
and put their head coaches job in jeopardy.

[Maelstrom88]

Hard to argue with this. They have a large portion of the cap tied up in defense and aren't getting the results they should. Barr should make a lot more plays for what he gets paid.

[CharVike]

He had his chance. Just promote the OC we have. Change things up. Of course if the team makes the playoffs he won't go anywhere. The owner is going to get a great return on his investment. He has a new stadium and sells tickets. It's working great for him. But if we miss the playoffs Speilman will need to do something to keep his job. Using my crystal ball we will beat this joke team Sunday. Then we hit the road for another west coast gig. That's probably a loss. The Charges actually have a good D. They kicked the Packers rear for a reason. Then we close out with the Bears and Pack. The schedule makers actually cut us a huge break giving both those games on the road early. We will probably lose one of them. So we will be 10-6. The runner up. Being a wildcard we can win the whole thing that's certainly a possibility. But if I had to bet my life I would say one and done. The bigger deal is the Packers have rebuilt very quickly. Canned McCarthy and they are back on top. Didn't take long. I'm not sure what the owners goal is. I'm sure number one is getting a great return on his investment. Then as long as the revenue in coming in from ticket sales and all the other stuff related to that he will be happy.

[StumpHunter]

If the Vikings defense continues to collapse these last four games and they miss the playoffs, I could see a scenario where Zimmer could be let go. This defense is not the same defense that Vikings fans have become accustomed to and they are making way too many mistakes. Here is how I see the Vikings defense:

Defensive Line: The Vikings have a lot of young talent on the line, but really no great pass rusher. Danielle Hunter is a good up and
coming player, but he is not dominant. Griffen is showing signs of slowing down and the interior play of Joseph,
Stephen, Watts, Holmes and Johnson are steady, but again no one dominant. This position again needs to be
addressed either through the draft or trade.

Linebackers: Kendricks is really the only player to talk about here as he has been good in both stopping the run and pass
coverage. Barr is too hot and cold. In most games, Barr is almost invisible. He hardly ever jumps off the screen
in anything he does. A player with his size, speed, strength and athletic ability should be making plays all over the
field, but he doesn't. Gideon is a non-factor. Wilson another young player who is inexperienced. Cameron Smith
no real playing time.

Def. Backs: Rhodes should be benched. He gets beat in coverage over and over again or makes stupid penalties. Waynes has
been steady, but not great. Hughes and Hill could be the future CB's and Alexander looks good in the slot.
Safeties: Smith is great. Harris has been pretty good as well.

Overall: This unit has underachieved and better start playing better or they could be sitting home again watching the playoffs
and put their head coaches job in jeopardy.

Hunter: If he were playing RDE he would be among the league's leader in sacks. His roll as the LDE does not allow him to just go after the QB on most downs and so his sack numbers are only good enough to tie for 9th in the NFL.

[VikeFanInEagleLand]

He had his chance. Just promote the OC we have. Change things up. Of course if the team makes the playoffs he won't go anywhere. The owner is going to get a great return on his investment. He has a new stadium and sells tickets. It's working great for him. But if we miss the playoffs Speilman will need to do something to keep his job. Using my crystal ball we will beat this joke team Sunday. Then we hit the road for another west coast gig. That's probably a loss. The Charges actually have a good D. They kicked the Packers rear for a reason. Then we close out with the Bears and Pack. The schedule makers actually cut us a huge break giving both those games on the road early. We will probably lose one of them. So we will be 10-6. The runner up. Being a wildcard we can win the whole thing that's certainly a possibility. But if I had to bet my life I would say one and done. The bigger deal is the Packers have rebuilt very quickly. Canned McCarthy and they are back on top. Didn't take long. I'm not sure what the owners goal is. I'm sure number one is getting a great return on his investment. Then as long as the revenue in coming in from ticket sales and all the other stuff related to that he will be happy.

Wait! Is this the same OC that you've been calling an idiot all year?

[CharVike]

He had his chance. Just promote the OC we have. Change things up. Of course if the team makes the playoffs he won't go anywhere. The owner is going to get a great return on his investment. He has a new stadium and sells tickets. It's working great for him. But if we miss the playoffs Speilman will need to do something to keep his job. Using my crystal ball we will beat this joke team Sunday. Then we hit the road for another west coast gig. That's probably a loss. The Charges actually have a good D. They kicked the Packers rear for a reason. Then we close out with the Bears and Pack. The schedule makers actually cut us a huge break giving both those games on the road early. We will probably lose one of them. So we will be 10-6. The runner up. Being a wildcard we can win the whole thing that's certainly a possibility. But if I had to bet my life I would say one and done. The bigger deal is the Packers have rebuilt very quickly. Canned McCarthy and they are back on top. Didn't take long. I'm not sure what the owners goal is. I'm sure number one is getting a great return on his investment. Then as long as the revenue in coming in from ticket sales and all the other stuff related to that he will be happy.

Wait! Is this the same OC that you've been calling an idiot all year?

You are correct I called him an idiot. I was wrong I think. It seems he's getting interest from at least one team, the Browns last year, so obviously he has some talent. I don't think he's ready to be a HC but I don't think Zim is ever going to get us to the show. This is his team and I realize it's not over yet but I don't think we can make the show. We probably won't win the division and it all starts there. But our OC is a younger guy and it will be a change. For the good or bad who knows. Right now we are behind that finkg Packer squad. Both them and the Bears beat us. At least a change will indicate they are serious about trying to win it all. Unfortunately for Zim he gets the blame. Just like the QB gets the win or loss. With Zim though his niche is D. Our D hasn't been that great all year. He gets the blame for that.

[StumpHunter]

I am a big Zimmer guy, but teams appear to have his defense figured out.

I don't think he loses his job after this season as they will make the playoffs and probably still win 11 games. I do think there is a good chance he is fired mid-season next year as the team regresses due to age and salary cap restraints.

He is a good coach who gets the most from his players and runs a tight ship, but he appears to have lost his edge schematically. It is a shame.

[CharVike]

I am a big Zimmer guy, but teams appear to have his defense figured out.

I don't think he loses his job after this season as they will make the playoffs and probably still win 11 games. I do think there is a good chance he is fired mid-season next year as the team regresses due to age and salary cap restraints.

He is a good coach who gets the most from his players and runs a tight ship, but he appears to have lost his edge schematically. It is a shame.

Zim is a good coach. He did a very good job getting us to the champ game. That's not easy. But as another poster pointed out this D has not been very good from the second half of the miracle game up until now. We are no longer a surprise. We are a playoff team and as some have stated anything can happen. But you need the talent level to make something happen and we lack that on D big time. I'm a firm believer in TOs others aren't. Go for the ball. Get it back. Harris made a great play scoring a TD. That's way I like TOs. When I say change something bench the stiffs and get another body in there. Can it be any worse. That won't happen. And that's a big problem with Zim. You need to change. He can't.

[CharVike]

The Bears won a big one and it looks like they can score. Will they tear our secondary apart. This score looked close but that was Dak padding the stat line. They could be a challenge for us.

[StumpHunter]

The Bears won a big one and it looks like they can score. Will they tear our secondary apart. This score looked close but that was Dak padding the stat line. They could be a challenge for us.

They already were.

[Dames]

The Bears won a big one and it looks like they can score. Will they tear our secondary apart. This score looked close but that was Dak padding the stat line. They could be a challenge for us.

They already were.

Yeah, no kidding. For most of the game last night, the Cowboys offense looked like the Vikings did in week 4. If we get that version of the Bears in Week 17 with the playoffs on the line, I think we're in big trouble.

I think we are much better on offense since week 4, but the Cowboys had been quite good and they couldn't move the ball hardly until garbage time. Of course, it should help that we are playing at home.

[StumpHunter]

I am a big Zimmer guy, but teams appear to have his defense figured out.

I don't think he loses his job after this season as they will make the playoffs and probably still win 11 games. I do think there is a good chance he is fired mid-season next year as the team regresses due to age and salary cap restraints.

He is a good coach who gets the most from his players and runs a tight ship, but he appears to have lost his edge schematically. It is a shame.

Can it be any worse.

Absolutely. It could be as bad as Hughes was his one and only start. The only guy who hasn't had a shot at improving the secondary is Hill. You could plug him in, but who for? The guy giving up 59 yards per game and 4 TDs or the guy giving up 60 yards per game and 4 Tds?

There is also no guarantee that Hill doesn't struggle after not really playing all season.

[VikingLord]

He is a good coach who gets the most from his players and runs a tight ship, but he appears to have lost his edge schematically. It is a shame.

You think the issues are schematic?

I see execution issues across the board, the most glaring being in the secondary with players being in position but simply failing to make the play. Against Denver, for example, I don't believe there was a single deep pass where the receiver was wide open (or even marginally open), but in almost each case the defender who was in coverage failed to make the play.

The blown deep completion against the Seahawks wasn't schematic, either. That was Rhodes simply failing to keep coverage. Why he did that I have no idea, but it's doubtful Zimmer told him to do that.

As far as the run defense went, what I saw against the Seahawks were linemen and linebackers unable to shed blocks and hold position. One could argue that Zimmer failed to adjust to the extra OL the Seahawks consistently brought in and their running game, but it seems pretty clear that Zimmer made a conscious choice to try to limit Wilson's downfield throws, which shifted the burden of slowing the Seahawks to his defensive front, and those players largely failed to get the job done.

You could argue that was a failure in scheme, and it technically was, but I think he had to pick his poison. If the offense didn't turn it over twice in the 3rd and give the Seahawks such short fields to work off, it might have worked. It certainly was working in the 1st half.

I think if anything is hurting the defense right now, it's execution coupled with a lack of discipline. Way too many stupid penalties on 3rd downs when the defense should be getting off the field too.

On the bright side, if enough players decide to come to Jesus and hold themselves accountable as Rhodes seemed to do earlier in the week, it's fixable. Better execution and discipline on defense should result in a defense that is more than capable of a deep playoff run. The talent is there to do it, and I think the scheme is fine if the players execute it.

[VikingLord]

Yeah, no kidding. For most of the game last night, the Cowboys offense looked like the Vikings did in week 4. If we get that version of the Bears in Week 17 with the playoffs on the line, I think we're in big trouble.

I think we are much better on offense since week 4, but the Cowboys had been quite good and they couldn't move the ball hardly until garbage time. Of course, it should help that we are playing at home.

Cowboys are off. Their execution sucked. The Bears did do a good job of limiting their running game, but the Bear pass rush has really cooled and their DBs take a lot of chances IMHO. It's a good defense, but not as good as last year, especially in creating rush pressure. The last game the Bears had this season where they did get a lot of rush pressure was probably their win against the Vikings. Since then, pretty average.

On offense, two things stand out about the Bears lately. The first is Trubisky's willingness to take off and run. He's doing it a lot more, and that seems to be catching defenses by surprise. He did that all the time last year and while he's not a great runner, his ability to use his feet to extend drives is something the Bears weren't taking advantage of earlier this year and now are, and it's making a big difference. The second thing that stands out to me about the Bear offense as of late is Trubisky is really winging it. He's throwing some very questionable balls and making some questionable decisions that are paying off. I counted at least 5 passes he threw against the Cowboys that could have ended in disaster, but he managed to complete or at least avoid being picked. As long as he avoids the disaster outcome, he'll look better, but he seems willing to take more chances.

The Bears have a tough finishing schedule but I could see them win out and be in a position to make the playoffs in the final week if the Vikings collapse. It would take a Vikings collapse for that to happen, and I don't see the Vikings collapsing, but if the stars align, that final game in Minnesota could be for a wildcard spot.

[StumpHunter]

Yeah, no kidding. For most of the game last night, the Cowboys offense looked like the Vikings did in week 4. If we get that version of the Bears in Week 17 with the playoffs on the line, I think we're in big trouble.

I think we are much better on offense since week 4, but the Cowboys had been quite good and they couldn't move the ball hardly until garbage time. Of course, it should help that we are playing at home.

Cowboys are off. Their execution sucked. The Bears did do a good job of limiting their running game, but the Bear pass rush has really cooled and their DBs take a lot of chances IMHO. It's a good defense, but not as good as last year, especially in creating rush pressure. The last game the Bears had this season where they did get a lot of rush pressure was probably their win against the Vikings. Since then, pretty average.

On offense, two things stand out about the Bears lately. The first is Trubisky's willingness to take off and run. He's doing it a lot more, and that seems to be catching defenses by surprise. He did that all the time last year and while he's not a great runner, his ability to use his feet to extend drives is something the Bears weren't taking advantage of earlier this year and now are, and it's making a big difference. The second thing that stands out to me about the Bear offense as of late is Trubisky is really winging it. He's throwing some very questionable balls and making some questionable decisions that are paying off. I counted at least 5 passes he threw against the Cowboys that could have ended in disaster, but he managed to complete or at least avoid being picked. As long as he avoids the disaster outcome, he'll look better, but he seems willing to take more chances.

The Bears have a tough finishing schedule but I could see them win out and be in a position to make the playoffs in the final week if the Vikings collapse. It would take a Vikings collapse for that to happen, and I don't see the Vikings collapsing, but if the stars align, that final game in Minnesota could be for a wildcard spot.

Trubiskey looking serviceable against these bad teams late in the season is fantastic news for the Vikings. It probably means one more year of them trying to make Turdbiscuit work as a starter.