Under normal circumstances a collapse like the Minnesota Vikings experienced this season would just be met with appeals to learn the lessons and regroup for next season. The team lost its starting quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, in the offseason with a knee injury straight out of a Saw movie. And to make matters worse, they lost running back Adrian Peterson for most of the season after a 4-0 start.
While that would have been enough to make a stalled-out season understandable, the Vikings’ problems go far beyond that. Their organization and entire coaching structure is broken and, frankly, this team may suffer through seasons like this until it’s fixed. And yes, by fixed I mean firing Mike Zimmer and his entire coaching staff.
The latest red flag is currently on fire as Minnesota’s entire defensive backfield completely defied Zimmer’s game plan and coaching strategy against the Green Bay Packers Sunday. Zimmer wanted Xavier Rhodes, his best cornerback, to shadow Packers wideout Jordy Nelson all game. Terrance Newman had other ideas, thinking he could match up with Nelson just fine. So he convinced the other DBs, including Rhodes, to just play their normal spots.
Nelson, of course, torched them for 145 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. In the second half with Rhodes shadowing Nelson, he caught two passes for nine yards.
Dug deeper on #Vikings CB situation: Xavier Rhodes told Mike Zimmer he felt compelled to listen to Terence Newman’s instructions sources say
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 26, 2016
Now, the story has changed some in the days since the loss, but that’s obviously due to players attempting to cover their asses and Zimmer being all too willing to oblige.
This should have been a shitstorm. Newman should have been cut, today and defensive backs coach Jerry Gray fired. And I love Jerry Gray. But this is unacceptable in the NFL and players not only felt comfortable enough to do it under Zimmer, but they’re all, to a man, getting away with it. And here’s the thing. The season is over. The Vikings are playing for nothing. This is the perfect time to lay down some real discipline and Zimmer is too chicken shit to do it.
“We changed a couple calls later in the week,” Zimmer said Monday. “I probably wasn’t specific enough in what I was asking them to do. And the one thing about it is, Xavier, Terence, these guys are as good a people as there is in the world. They’re going to do their best every single time. They come out, they work every single day, they study, and they’re really good kids. I could have been more specific.”
I mean, if you're going off script from a Mike Zimmer defensive plan… That just doesn't seem smart.
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 25, 2016
Zimmer even decided to psychoanalyze Rhodes, since he was the guy that spilled the beans on the DB’s gameplan mutiny.
“When I talked to him, I don’t think he really felt like that’s what he meant to say,” Zimmer said. “Xavier’s a great kid. Sometimes he gets nervous about things, and says them.”
And what does Zimmer say about ringleader Terrance Newman?
“I’ve had the guy (Newman) for however many years,” Zimmer said. “Terence and I have an unbelievable relationship. … Terence would be the last guy in the world to ever be belligerent or go against anything that we’d do.”
Yeah. Sure.
Wooooooooowwwww. The Vikings DBs flat out ignored Mike Zimmer's gameplan in the first half today. Problems in MIN much bigger than we know. pic.twitter.com/Amq2FNB1Pn
— Cian (@Cianaf) December 25, 2016
According to ESPN Zimmer is supposed to meet with Gray to maybe think about some kind of punishment for the defensive backs. I’ll believe it when I see it.
This is just the second red flag for a swooning Vikings team. Zimmer’s meddling in the offense led to offensive coordinate Norv Turner stepping down a third of the way through the season.
“We had a lot of challenges,” Turner told Albert Breer. “And for a period of time, we were able to hide some problems we had, but it catches up to you. And then we just had a difference of opinion, or what I felt was a difference of opinion, on what we needed to do to give our guys the best chance to fix it.”
At that time Zimmer insisted there was no rift and that Turner was a great friend of his. Again, sure thing, Mike.
When you add it all up, it shows a complete organizational problem that can only be fixed by razing it to the ground. This is a very desirable job. The Vikings, under the right head coach, are easily a playoff team and could contend for a Super Bowl. They have a brand new, state-of-the-art stadium and a guy like Josh McDaniels or Todd Haley could turn the offense into a scoring machine. The Vikings need a change. Do they have the guts to do it?
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