Zimmer’s job is safe after the team’s 26-20 overtime win in a game that nobody thought the Vikings could win.
The coach found it a little odd in the first place that his job safety was being questioned to begin with.
“Quite honestly, I think it’s silly that people were talking about it on a 10-win team, 60 percent wins,” Zimmer said via the Pioneer Press. “So whatever happens, happens.”
In six seasons with the Vikings, Zimmer has amassed a 57-38-1 record (.599) and has made the playoffs three times with two playoff wins. He’ll go for No. 3 on Sunday against the 49ers.
Zimmer has been with the Vikings since 2014 and has compiled a record of 57-38-1.
We can probably put the Mike Zimmer to the Cowboys rumors to rest.
Per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, Vikings ownership has said that coach Mike Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman will be back in 2020, regardless of what happens on Sunday against the Saints in the wild card round.
From #Vikings ownership. Coach Mike Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman will be back next season. “We value Mike and Rick’s leadership and we have every intent of Mike continuing as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings and Rick leading our football operations, next year and beyond.”
Zimmer has been with the Vikings since 2014 and has compiled a record of 57-38-1, advancing to the postseason three times. The team made it to the NFC Championship in 2017.
Spielman has been with the Vikings since 2006. The team has advanced to the NFC Championship in both 2009 and 2017 under Spielman.
This is probably a good move from the Wilf family to avoid the distractions of who could lose their job if the Vikings lose on Sunday. It’s been a successful run as of late for both Spielman and Zimmer, but eventually, they’ll have to get over the hump.
The Minnesota Vikings finished the 2019 season with a 10-6 record, good for sixth place in the NFC playoff picture.
The Minnesota Vikings finished the 2019 season with a 10-6 record, good for sixth place in the NFC playoff picture.
That gives the Vikings the second wild card spot.
History isn’t on Minnesota’s side. Only 10 wild card teams have made the Super Bowl. Of those 10, six have won it. And only four won three road games to make it to the Super Bowl, something the Vikings would have to do.
Only two six seeds – the 2005 Steelers and 2010 Packers – have won the Super Bowl.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer isn’t intimidated.
“I know it’s been done before,” Zimmer said after Sunday’s game against the Bears. “Why not us?”
It won’t be an easy ride for the Vikings, especially with how stacked the NFC is with the Packers, Saints, 49ers, Seahawks and Eagles. Minnesota’s combined record against those teams this season is 1-3.
We’ll know who the Vikings’ first opponent will be after the 49ers and Seahawks play on Sunday night. If the Seahawks win, the Vikings will play them in Seattle. If the 49ers win, Minnesota will play the Saints in New. Orleans. If there is a tie, the Vikings will head to San Francisco
Cousins threw for just 122 yards, one touchdown and one interception while completing 51 percent of his passes.
The Vikings fell 23-10 to the Packers on Monday Night Football in Week 16.
If you haven’t heard, Kirk Cousins is now 0-9 on Monday Night Football, the worst mark in NFL history.
While that stat isn’t always fair (for example, Cousins was not the reason why the Vikings lost three weeks ago against the Seahawks), Cousins was part of the problem on Monday night.
He threw for just 122 yards, one touchdown and one interception while completing 51 percent of his passes. Cousins was also sacked five times.
While the offensive line wasn’t great (we’re looking at you, Garrett Bradbury), Cousins looked lost from the beginning. He held onto the ball too long and when he did throw it down the field, it was into coverage or nowhere near his receivers.
The Vikings are already in the playoffs, but Mike Zimmer and Co. would feel a lot better heading into the postseason with Cousins playing well. We’ll see if he’ll get that opportunity in Week 17 against the Bears with the Vikings already guaranteed to be the sixth seed in the NFC.
The Vikings will play the third seed in the wild card round to open the playoffs.
The Vikings went into Monday night’s game against the Packers with a chance at getting a No. 2 seed in the NFC and a chance to win the NFC North.
After an embarrassing 23-10 loss in which the offense was non-existent, the Vikings will be the No. 6 seed regardless of what happens in Week 17 against the Bears.
The Vikings will now play the third seed in the NFC.
We don’t know who the Vikings will play in the wild card round yet. That will figure itself out in Week 17. It will not be whoever wins the NFC East. That team will be the No. 4 seed.
It will be interesting to see if the Vikings play their starters in Week 17 and if they do, for how long. With how off Minnesota’s offense looked against the Packers, you get the feeling that Mike Zimmer will want to see his offense get some rhythm before postseason play.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is getting ready for another matchup against the Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is getting ready for another matchup against the Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The matchups between Zimmer vs. Rodgers over the years have been entertaining. And it’s also been even.
Since 2014 when Zimmer took over as coach, the Vikings are 5-5-1 against the Packers. Over the last eight matchups, the Vikings are 5-2-1.
Even with some recent success, Zimmer doesn’t seem all the excited about facing off against Rodgers.
“Some of the throws he makes are unbelievable,” Zimmer said via Ryan Wood. “You guys should try to talk him into retiring.”
Mike Zimmer recalled Aaron Rodgers' 1-yard TD pass to Richard Rodgers that traveled some 40 yards across field in 2014. I asked if Rodgers is still capable of those plays: "Yes, he is. Some of the throws he makes are unbelievable. You guys should try to talk him into retiring."
The Vikings have actually held Rodgers in check since Zimmer took over. Rodgers has thrown for more than 300 yards just once and three or more touchdowns twice. There have been five occasions out of eight in which Rodgers has thrown one or fewer touchdowns.
We’ll see how things go in Week 16 on Monday Night Football in a game that is pretty crucial for both Rodgers and Zimmer.
The NFC East doesn’t have a team with a winning record, but it’s the most compelling division in Touchdown Wire’s weekly Power Rankings.
The NFC East is the worst division in the NFL. It also is the most entertaining.
Even though no team in the division currently has a winning record, the playoff scenario got more intriguing in Week 15. Plus, there’s all sorts of speculation about which head coaches might be fired, and a New York icon may have played his last game for the Giants.
The Cowboys finally played the way a team with that much talent is supposed to play, improving to 7-7 with a 44-21 shellacking of the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles also climbed to 7-7 after a 37-27 win over the Redskins. Dallas plays at Philadelphia in Week 16, and the Cowboys can clinch the division title with a victory.
Even though the Cowboys are in the playoff race, coach Jason Garrett’s job doesn’t appear safe. Rumors are swirling that owner Jerry Jones is considering Urban Meyer as a replacement for Garrett.
Things got even more interesting when Meyer showed up at the Redskins game on Sunday. Can you imagine a bidding war for Meyer between Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder?
New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur also could be on the hot seat, even though he got a win against Miami. But Shurmur wasn’t the Giants’ most interesting story of Sunday. Instead, that was Eli Manning. The veteran quarterback played what might have been his final game for the Giants, while filling in for injured rookie Daniel Jones.
Here’s where the NFC East teams — and the rest of the league — stand in Touchdown Wire’s Week 16 Power Rankings.
32. Cincinnati Bengals
David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
(1-13. Last week: 32)
A 34-14 loss to New England was expected, but the Bengals actually kept the game close until the third quarter. But in the end, they lost to one of the league’s best teams. More importantly, the Bengals remained on pace to earn the top pick in next year’s draft. That means it appears as if newly crowned Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow will wear a Cincinnati uniform next season. After briefly benching veteran starter Andy Dalton in favor of rookie Ryan Finley, the Bengals have been sticking with Dalton. That’s somewhat inexplicable, because Dalton threw four interceptions Sunday. Dalton has no future with the Bengals. But he’s doing his part to make sure Cincinnati gets Burrow.
31. Washington Redskins
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
(3-11. Last week: 30)
The Redskins lost to Philadelphia, 37-27. The game meant nothing to the Redskins aside from impacting their draft position. The real story here is that Urban Meyer was spotted in a luxury box at FedEx Field with injured Washington quarterback Alex Smith, who played for Meyer at the University of Utah. Let the speculation grow that Meyer, who won national championships at Florida and Ohio State will be the next coach of the Redskins. Of course, current Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins also played for Meyer, at Ohio State. Meyer’s sighting could foreshadow an off-field showdown in the NFC East. There is widespread speculation that Dallas owner Jerry Jones covets Meyer. Given the personalities and egos of Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder, there could be a bidding war for Meyer.
30. Miami Dolphins
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
(3-11. Last week: 29)
The only real highlight of Sunday’s 36-20 loss to the Giants was that it likely was Eli Manning’s final start for New York. Injured rookie Daniel Jones is expected back in the lineup next week, and Manning probably will retire or play for another franchise next year. But there were a few bright spots for the Dolphins, too. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and receiver DeVante Parker hooked up on two touchdown passes. More significantly, the loss keeps the Dolphins in the race for an early draft pick, where they can seek a long-term answer at quarterback — because there is no long-term future with Fitzpatrick or backup Josh Rosen.
29. Detroit Lions
Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
(3-10-1. Last week: 28)
The Lions lost 37-17 to Tampa Bay on Sunday. That means they now have suffered 10 losses in consecutive years with Matt Patricia as coach. They also ran their losing streak to seven games. Does all that mean Patricia is on the hot seat? There are two ways to look at it. First, Patricia’s record in Detroit (9-20-1) has been unimpressive, and coaches have been fired for less. The fan base probably wouldn’t be too upset if Patricia gets canned. But on the flip side, Patricia still has his team playing hard even though the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough and are dealing with a rash of injuries. For the sake of continuity, I would give Patricia one more season.
28. New York Giants
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
(3-11. Last week: 31)
A 36-20 victory against the Miami Dolphins may not seem like much. But there was a big storyline for the history of New York’s franchise. This almost certainly was the last start of Eli Manning’s tenure with the Giants, as he threw for two touchdowns and Saquon Barkley ran for two more. Daniel Jones is New York’s quarterback of the future. Jones has been out with an ankle injury, and that’s the only reason Manning has been back as the starter. But Jones returned to practice on a limited basis last week and is expected to return as the starter for the final two games of the season. This win was important for Manning, who could decide to retire after the season. It got his career record back to .500. Manning is a borderline Hall of Famer. A .500 record sounds a lot better than a losing record to Hall of Fame voters.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(5-9. Last week: 27)
The Jaguars went to California and beat the Raiders in their final game in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas next season. But the win doesn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things. Prior to the game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that significant changes will be made in Jacksonville in the offseason. That could mean coach Doug Marrone, executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin and general manager Dave Caldwell are on the hot seat. Any or all of them could be gone after two disappointing seasons since a berth in the AFC Championship Game. The other big question in Jacksonville is who will be the quarterback next season. Rookie Gardner Minshew has outplayed the high-priced Nick Foles. Minshew has earned the right to at least compete with Foles in the preseason.
26. New York Jets
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
(5-9. Last week: 24)
Thursday night’s game against Baltimore went exactly as expected. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the likely NFL Most Valuable Player, threw for 212 yards and five touchdowns and also ran for 86 yards. That’s no surprise, since Jackson has put up huge numbers all season. What is surprising, and concerning, is that the Jets suddenly seem to be a team in turmoil. During Sunday’s game, coach Adam Gase and quarterback Sam Darnold had a heated exchange on the sideline. They downplayed the incident after the game, but it still wasn’t a good sign. Running back Le’Veon Bell, the source of controversy in Week 14 when he supposedly missed the game with the flu but was seen bowling the previous night, returned and rushed for a season-high 87 yards. Maybe Bell should go bowling more often. The Jets also clinched their fourth straight losing season. That’s their longest such streak in the Super Bowl era.
25. Carolina Panthers
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
(5-9. Last week 23)
On the surface, a 30-24 loss to Seattle isn’t embarrassing. The Seahawks are one of the best teams in the NFL, after all. But this one was embarrassing when you look at it from another perspective. The Panthers now are 2-5 at home this season. That’s embarrassing because the Panthers have good fans, and Bank of America Stadium has given the team a home-field advantage in the past. But the Panthers have lost six games in a row, and their future has more questions than answers. Will Kyle Allen, who threw three interceptions Sunday, be the starter next year? Or will it be longtime franchise quarterback Cam Newton? The bigger question is who will be the coach next year? Don’t be surprised if Urban Meyer’s name surfaces. Carolina owner David Tepper has the funds and the desire to compete with the big boys — Dallas’ Jerry Jones and Washington’s Daniel Snyder — for Meyer’s services.
Rhodes played just 14 snaps in Week 15 against the Chargers.
Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes was limited in Sunday’s game against the Chargers. He was dealing with an ankle injury going into the game and suffered what appeared to be a calf injury during the game.
However, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said those weren’t reasons why Rhodes wasn’t on the field as much as he has been previously this season.
“No,” Zimmer said Monday. “That was just the plan going in.”
Rhodes was on the field for 14 plays on Sunday. To put that into perspective, a month ago, he was on the field for 79 plays in a game.
This is directly connected to Rhodes’ inability to guard anyone. Rhodes has a Pro Football Focus grade of 47.9 this season, the worst mark of his career and a mark that ranks 111th out of 122 ranked corners in the league.
It’s hard to imagine Rhodes as a Viking in 2020. Rhodes is due $10.5 million next season, but the Vikings can cut ties with him for a penalty of $4.8 million. That price seems steep, but it’s probably worth it. The way Rhodes is playing right now, you actually have to wonder if his career is nearing the end before he’s hit 30 years old.
