In-depth interview with Zimmer

In the three years I’ve been here, we’ve been 27th in the league offensively. If we can improve to 15th and score when we have the opportunities … One of the things I always preach is don’t beat yourself. Last year, we had so many pre-snap penalties that actually killed us. Trying to get that part fixed, I think we’ll be better. I think the running game will improve with (left tackle Riley) Reiff and (right tackle Mike) Remmers and (center Pat) Eflein and our backs, now. This (Dalvin) Cook looks like he’s going to be pretty special.

Crises management, is there a textbook for that? You can lean on people, but until you’re in a storm in the NFL, do you know how to get yourself out of those things?
I guess I didn’t really feel that way until it got to be 6-5 and whatever it was there. I still felt like we could end up pulling it out the right way. Like the Chicago Monday night game. That was a bad one. Philly was a bad one. We just never really scored enough points. You look at some of those games … in Philly we got the ball inside the 40-yard line three times in the first quarter and came away with three points or something like that. We give up a kickoff return.
So what we tried to work on this offseason was red zone, inside the 5-yard line on both sides, a lot of scoring opportunity areas, end of games. We did a lot of playing games at the end. I’d just give them a situation and we’d play the game out, trying to put them in as many of those situations as we can. It’s good for them and for me and the other coaches to call a game at that time.
I’m going to try to be a little more reckless defensively this year, a little more aggressive.

Is Zimmer saying that Elflein is our C this year?

@"Canthony" said: Is Zimmer saying that Elflein is our C this year?

What happened with offensive coordinator Norv Turner and why couldn’t you guys coexist last season?
(Long pause). I’d like to tell you but I’m going to take the high road. I’m going to say we’ve moved on.

This might seem like an odd question, but can you love Teddy and Sam equally?
Well, they’re very different personalities. Yeah, I love Teddy, but I like Sam, too. We’ve gotten to the point where he’d come into my office after games. We have a really good relationship now, and I wouldn’t have said that a year ago. He earned a lot of respect from me. The toughness he showed, staying in there and taking the hits that he did. People forget he’s the first player picked in the (2010) draft, Heisman Trophy winner, scratch golfer, hell of a basketball player.
I asked him, you played basketball, right? Were you ever afraid to take the last shot in the game? He said no. I said, ‘Well that’s what you’re doing now; same deal. Game gets on your shoulders, you’ve got to go win it.’
He’s had an odd career, mostly because of circumstances he had nothing to do with. There’s so much open-ended with him. What do you think he’s capable of?
Well, he throws the ball as good as anybody. Hopefully he has a little more movement with him, to buy a little more time. He’s extremely accurate.
What does he need to be for you guys?
To win it when the game’s on the line. He did that a couple times and we (messed) it up on defense — the first Detroit game. He had a chance at Washington but it wasn’t much of a chance. Both tackles get messed up. He doesn’t throw interceptions. He’s talented throwing the football. That’s what Teddy was good at, going out and winning games. With Sam, that’s the biggest thing.
Obviously, we’ve got to help him defensively. But that’s the biggest thing where a quarterback is judged. You make the play at the end to win the game. I think he can be a dangerous thrower. He throws the (heck) out of the ball.
We just haven’t seen it downfield.
I don’t think he had the time to hit some of those shots where he had to. And it takes a toll on you when you get hit a bunch of times. That first Green Bay game, he made some unbelievable throws and took some unbelievable shots. People say he’s a dink-and-dunk guy; I don’t believe that. If you have a lot of runs and a lot of completions, you’re going to control the ball. He had a bunch of completions, we just didn’t run the ball very good. We were in so many second-and-12s. It’s hard to overcome that.

I’m going to try to be a little more reckless defensively this year, a little more aggressive.

When I read this post, I assumed he was going to dial up more Double A Gap blitzes which he went away from the latter half of the year..reading the article, sounds more like there will be more games up front with the lineman... He's got the horses to do that...looking forward to seeing what Jones can do from the 3T...D can hit another level with better play from this slot...

I have a feeling that Zimmer isn't as beloved by the players as he is by fans. Like I always said about him from the day he was hired: his act will work if they win. If not, it will get old in a heartbeat. 

Out of all of this, and there was a lot, the offense has languished for 3 years now - or 4? I hope they took some steps this offseason to improve. Looks like it on paper. 

I agree with Zimm, this is a double-digit win roster that got killed with injuries last year. 

Couple breaks last year, we get 10 wins despite the MASH unit OL...

@"BarrNone55" said: Couple breaks last year, we get 10 wins despite the MASH unit OL...

MB, gotta upload your photo!

@"StickyBun" said: I have a feeling that Zimmer isn't as beloved by the players as he is by fans. Like I always said about him from the day he was hired: his act will work if they win. If not, it will get old in a heartbeat. 

Really?  What makes you say that?

@"StickyBun" said: I have a feeling that Zimmer isn't as beloved by the players as he is by fans. Like I always said about him from the day he was hired: his act will work if they win. If not, it will get old in a heartbeat. 

as far as hard ass coaches go,  if they are fair they are the best coaches because they usually dont really play favorites or mix words,  most adults will appreciate that approach.

I'll tell you what, that was an excellent interview by Murphy.  Very pointed questions that revealed a lot of Zimmer's thought-process.  

Many like to bash the media at every opportunity but this interview was excellent and revealing.

Strange, but I came away feeling sorry for Zimmer.  He builds this beautiful 8,000 sq/ft mansion/ranch that he can't spent much time at but his neighbor's take care of for him.  His wife passed away 8 years ago and his youngest daughter just got married.  The ending question when he answered I "hope" my kids (not grand kids) come and hang-out at the ranch and this might not be where he retires.

Then you add his personal health issues, the personal issue with Turner, the two Lions game coaching losses, and to me (just my opinion) but he seems kinda down.

Being an NFL coach is a job most of us could never do.  The lifestyle is brutal with all the moves and the pay along the way is not good.  If you have a family it must be brutal for the spouse and children because you are rarely home.  I know everyone is going to say but he made a ton of money....but that is recent, not when the kids and family are young and really need you there.  

Zimmer seems very lonely to me! I say we make up a profile on match.com or ranchersonly.com.  Have to include the patch, chicks dig that :)  He reached his dream job late in his career and is now entering his 4 year as HC.  I think and hope that last year just knocked-the-wind-out of him and that he is ready to rebound.

@"Wetlander" said:

@"StickyBun" said: I have a feeling that Zimmer isn't as beloved by the players as he is by fans. Like I always said about him from the day he was hired: his act will work if they win. If not, it will get old in a heartbeat. 

Really?  What makes you say that?

@"NorthernCalVike" said:

@"Wetlander" said:

@"StickyBun" said: I have a feeling that Zimmer isn't as beloved by the players as he is by fans. Like I always said about him from the day he was hired: his act will work if they win. If not, it will get old in a heartbeat. 

Really?  What makes you say that?

Yeah - what makes you say that? I feel the exact opposite - that the players really do love there coach. I don't think he has an "act". That implies he's being phony. I think he is the exact opposite of phony - and as real as it gets with players. That does not mean there won't be disagreements between him and a player, thats going to happen between adults. But I think the team is extremely loyal to Zimmer.

@"StickyBun" said: I have a feeling that Zimmer isn't as beloved by the players as he is by fans. Like I always said about him from the day he was hired: his act will work if they win. If not, it will get old in a heartbeat. 

@"BarrNone55" said: I’m going to try to be a little more reckless defensively this year, a little more aggressive.

When I read this post, I assumed he was going to dial up more Double A Gap blitzes which he went away from the latter half of the year..reading the article, sounds more like there will be more games up front with the lineman... He's got the horses to do that...looking forward to seeing what Jones can do from the 3T...D can hit another level with better play from this slot...

Zimmer mentioned that teams know where they will be at defensively because they are so disciplined.  I think Zimmer's D gets lots of attention from offensive coaches, especially in the division.  So he needs to keep evolving.  He has lots of movement and stunting, but everyone else is going to stay home and do their job.  Read an excellent piece on Harrison Smith last year and how he is used, but it seemed a bit predictable.  He was always lined up opposite Barr, I think on the short side of the field mostly.  So Zimmer recognizes some of the "flaws" in his scheme and self scouts quite well.  Love that about him, he doesn't rest on success. 

Like last year, everyone is expecting lots of Double A since it worked so well the year before, but it seemed he didn't do it nearly as much, even early on. 

I think Zimmer is going  to surprise us again, with more fluidity to the D, more people playing in multiple positions.  Hope our nickle is solid, we may miss Cap more than most realize. 

yes,  excellent point Minny,   as much as I bag on the Vikings beat writers,  I have to give a hats off on a nice interview.