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Mr. Ed -> RE: Vikes talk for Twins Fans (12/29/2020 4:38:31 PM)
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Zimmer blames himself...
Last week, Mike Zimmer called the Vikings’ defense the “worst one I’ve ever had.” On Monday, he shouldered some of the blame.
The Saints walloped the Vikings 52-33 last Friday in New Orleans to end Minnesota’s slim chances of squeezing into the playoffs. The Vikings gave up the most points in franchise history since 1963. And they allowed 583 yards, the most in Zimmer’s seven seasons as head coach.
“I think we had 17 missed tackles,” Zimmer said Monday. “We didn’t do a good enough job, I didn’t do a good enough job getting those young kids ready to play. … They can play way better than what they played, and I put that on me more so than on the players. That’s my job, and I need to get it done better.”
Zimmer has gained a reputation as one of the NFL’s top defensive minds while spending 21 of his 27 seasons in the NFL as a coordinator or a head coach. But his defense, not helped by numerous injuries and many rookies having to play, has fallen apart this season.
The Vikings (6-9) are No. 28 in the NFL in scoring defense and No. 27 in total defense. In Zimmer’s first six seasons, their lowest rankings were No. 11 in scoring and No. 14 in total defense.
The Vikings have allowed 440 points this season, already the fifth most in team history. If they give up 10 or more in Sunday’s season finale at Detroit, it would be at least their third most ever allowed.
Before the season, Zimmer told the NFL Network he’s “never had a bad defense.” Asked about that comment after Friday’s game, he said, “Yeah, this is a bad defense. Worst one I’ve ever had.”
After that game, Zimmer bemoaned the defense’s second straight poor performance. Minnesota gave up 397 yards in a 33-27 loss to Chicago in the Dec. 20 home finale.
Now, the Vikings head to Detroit on Sunday hoping to avoid finishing with a four-game losing streak.
“The biggest thing is when you get your nose rubbed in it, you’ve got to come out and you’ve got to come back and fight,” Zimmer said. “It’s going to show the personality of these players and what they have to do.”
One key could be which injured defensive players are available against the Lions. Linebacker Erin Kendricks (calf) has missed the past four games, linebackers Troy Dye (concussion/hamstring) and Todd Davis (ribs) and defensive end Jalyn Holmes (groin) sat out at New Orleans, and Cameron Dantzler (undisclosed injury) did not play in the fourth quarter against the Saints.
In addition to Kendricks, who was first-team all-pro in 2019, missing all four games in December, the Vikings have been without two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter all season and without four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Anthony Barr since Week 2.
Still, safety Harrison Smith, a nine-year veteran and Minnesota’s longest-tenured defensive player, said Monday the Vikings have underachieved.
“He’s had a lot of success with defenses in this league, so, as a player, you’ve got to take that stuff to heart and fix it no matter what the circumstances are,” Smith said of Zimmer’s comments last Friday. “But this is not how we want to play defense on the Vikings.”
Smith, whose five-year Pro Bowl run ended this season, also shouldered some blame. He said he “tackled poorly” against the Saints and that he could have done better this season working with Minnesota’s many young defensive players, which have included two rookie starters at cornerback, Dantzler and Jeff Gladney.
“When you’re working with a lot of new guys, the communication is a big thing,” Smith said. “I think I could have done a better job throughout this season, for sure.”
Although the Vikings won’t make the playoffs, they do have one game left to make a final impression. Zimmer obviously wants to finish the season with a much better showing than last week in New Orleans.
“We understand that wasn’t the game you want to be remembered with,” Zimmer said. “Let’s go out and let’s try to remember something good.”
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