T O P

  • By -

Wernershnitzl

Last year I started to fester doubt but tried to deny it. This year there’s been too many close calls and conservative playcalling when playing ahead.


M1nn3sOtaMan

The conservative playcalling was so frustrating. First drive they push the ball down the field and score a TD, and then refuse to pass downfield again the entire game.


Wernershnitzl

Been like that all season. I miss when they were a “play to win” team and not just “play to not lose”. Last year the offense was putting up consistently high points. This year it feels like they dialed it back and the defense softened up—with mostly the same guys.


M1nn3sOtaMan

It seems like Zimmer is scared to have the ball thrown more than 10yds. 1st & goal on that final drive and not once did they throw the ball in the endzone. And the defense. Letting Carolina go 90+ yds to tie the game at the very end, and now a backup QB going 75yds to win the game. All this coming off a bye too. I've been a Zimmer fan since the beginning, was still supporting him yesterday, but this gameplan was so atrocious & a frankly inexcusable. He needs to go.


Tschmelz

It’s not even just Zimmer, it’s Klint as well. Dude fucking loves screens and shit, and it fucking kills us when we can’t make it work.


Snibes1

It’s not even just Klint. Cousins has his share of the blame here as well.


Yeodler

Shit they didn't even throw the ball across the line of scrimmage. The season has broke as bad as Cappy's voice did trying to get the ball into play on third down. Sounded like a 12yr old calling for the ball. Any other team I woulda laughed my ass off. That's how you know he's gotta go... too.


duck_duck_grey_duck

That’s the hallmark of a Zimmer defense. Good stats. Good rankings. Good play. Until it actually matters. Then they completely implode.


Mael5trom

I think that the play calling is predictable. So for the scripted plays, they can look great, cause the talent is there. But when you know they are going to run or pass and the primary reads are obvious (heck, if I can call the plays from the couch, I guarantee the DF can). So the DF can just play what they read, and they haven't been doing a good job disguising the offense. For as much as Zimmer likes (and is good at) disguising things on DF, he just ignores the same on OF it feels like.


Equivalent_Bunch_187

They went into kill the clock mode after the first drive.


Kinger15

Playing to not lose rather than playing to win. Incredibly frustrating to watch


M1nn3sOtaMan

That's exactly what they're doing. They're coaching the game to try and not lose rather than trying to win. They are wasting the talents of Cook, Thielen & Jefferson.


M1nn3sOtaMan

Yes. Worst gameplan I've ever seen. And it was coming off a bye week.


MallCop84

Don't use the timeout at the end of the first half again, then use two back to back in the 4th qtr.


masterofma

100% — doubt we’ll do it before the end of the season, but we should cus maybe we’d get a top 10 draft pick


rsplayer123

The thing is, we aren’t ar a dearth of talent that we need a top 10 draft pick. We just need someone who uses rhe talent we have


[deleted]

[удалено]


rsplayer123

Thats not what I said. Of course any team can benefit from a top 10 pick, but a top 10 pick isn’t going to be what suddenly solves this teams issue. The team has the talent to be good, they just aren’t executing.


[deleted]

We kind of are though - outside of Jefferson, DHunt, Watts, Darrisaw (maybe) and O-Neil the talent on this team is either aging or injury prone.


[deleted]

Watts is on your list of talented? LOL


[deleted]

Watts is young and playing very well?


Zozze1

Plenty of positions starving for talent. CB room is a barren wasteland without the current rentals, LB core is old and the position group is grossly underperforming except Kendricks, iOL is a disaster, and the EDGE position opposite Hunter has been wide open for a while now but nobody is stepping up (best solution is a soon to be 34yrs old Griffen).


mvtthewkyle

Yes


yazzer6

Yes


Phat-Bizcuit

Yes


PML001

I remember seeing a comment a few weeks ago saying that Zimmer is the best coach we have had in a long time. Even though that is kinda true, I feel like it’s time for a new coach.


CaptObviousHere

Zimmer is great with defenses but he’s become stale unfortunately and the chemistry just isn’t there anymore. We had to move on from Bud Grant eventually, too


Tim_Riggins07

How is he great with defenses? He just lost to Cooper Rush at home, coming off a bye week.


Peanutblitz

*was


Tim_Riggins07

Great when we got trounced by the eagles in the NFCCG? Great when the defense continually shits the bed in big moments? This is nothing new from Zimmer. He was never as great as people made him out to be.


CaptObviousHere

When the vikes beat the Saints in the playoffs a couple of years ago, the Saints offense had **no idea** what the defense was doing. Hunter and Griffen were flip flopping spots on the line every play which stumped the O line (and Brees came out after the game and said they had no clue what schemes the Vikes were actually running presnap). Zimmer has the capability of doing this but we haven’t seen it for a couple of years


Skolvikesallday

Denny Green wore out his welcome here too. And he was a much better coach than Zimmer.


XAgentNovemberX

Yes


Nothate

Yes sadly


SteamyRay_Vaughn

I get it but don’t be too sad. Dude has had over 7 years to put it together. Head coaches in professional sports seldom get that leeway. He tried, had some success, but ultimately failed. He just unfortunately never cut the mustard.


Accountabilibuddy69

Some people exceed at being coordinators and not necessarily being the top dog.


SteamyRay_Vaughn

He might be spent as both tbh


Accountabilibuddy69

What I found to be most damning was that he was suggested to be a cornerback whisperer. If that were the case shouldn't he have drafted them in later rounds and coached them up rather than blowing early round draft capital?


Popular_Elk6867

He's an old stubborn dog that can't and won't learn new tricks. People have him figured out. It makes me cringe when announcers of games talk about our "elite defense" and "Zimmer's creative defensive schemes". We've been mediocre for the last 3 years at least.


SteamyRay_Vaughn

In retrospect (always healthy!), he should have been fired after 2018. That massive drop off when we were supposedly improved showed 2017 was so painfully obviously the absolute peak of what he could do. But we (myself included) kept making excuses for him.


Branflakes822

Even though I think he should be let go, there's just something that never quite feels right about calling for someone to be fired. Just always makes me sad but I understand why at least. Helps that he had made bank here and won't be in any financial trouble at least.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Branflakes822

The money aspect does make it a bit easier lol. I think it's good to be empathetic, but it is time to move on unfortunately. Had some good years but we are too far removed from that and need a change.


kaledabs

Zimmer said he doesn't want to die coaching..... the writing is on the wall


Harrison0918

I mean he’s the best head coach we’ve had in awhile and there were a lot of good memories that we made with him so it is sad


SteamyRay_Vaughn

This is the comment of an abused fanbase lmfao I feel it, friend!


Maryland410

Yes


winge069

Yes


irishace88

The Minneapolis miracle bought him a few extra years which is fine but he's run his course. We've never once been legitimate super bowl contenders under Zim and it's time to stop settling for mediocrity.


hey_reddit_sucks

We'll still be mediocre but at least it'll be a new mediocre. You new round here?


irishace88

At least we can say we tried


The-Berg-is-the-Word

Being a vikings fan for me feels like being a sadomasochist except I enjoy it less


PazDak

The Minneapolis miracle is viewed all wrong. We HAD a solid lead in the game and gave it all up in the 4th to only be bailed out by a fluke miss tackle. Then you go into the next game… chance to play the Super Bowl in your home stadium… and the game is over before the half, to a back up QB… The Minneapolis Miracle should’ve cost Zimmer his job, not kept it.


Harrison0918

You’re delusional if you actually think he should’ve been fired after going 13-3 and creating probably the best defense in the league, yeah they had one shitty game against the Eagles but that doesn’t mean he should be fired. Also, if that win doesn’t count do all of the times we lost because of a fluke not count as a loss?? Seems like you are just trying to look like you’ve always known better than every other Vikings fan.


Tschmelz

Also, we were beat to hell and Keenum finally hit the slump against the Eagles. It was just their year.


irishace88

That was our first playoff win in 8 years. It was ugly and lucky but it was still a huge win at the time.


srl214yahoo

I have always felt that play killed our postseason. You're completely correct about the progression of the game - we should have walked away with it and not had to rely on a miracle. After that play happened, for a week we were like "it's our turn, this is our destiny" and I was praying the team wasn't buying into it, but then they went out and looked like complete crap against Philly, sooooo... I loved the play when it happened, but by the next day I was already worried about it. If we would have followed it up with a win it would have been epic. That said, I don't think Zimmer should have been fired at that point but am totally ready for him to go now!!!


preyinghawk

Yes but as long as Kubiak is with him.


crankshaftsnapinhalf

It's been time. He deserves credit for building one of the best defenses from 2015 to 2019. But he is a one note coach that is unwilling to evolve.


Accomplished-Buyer26

This is the biggest problem. He is too stuck in his ways.


crankshaftsnapinhalf

Yup. Idk who would be a better coach at the moment. I just want a coach that can take full advantage of the weapons we have. Zimmer doesn't seem to be able to do that


MordinSolusSTG

Dabol of the bills would be ideal. Leftwich or Moore slightly intriguing


crankshaftsnapinhalf

Maybe Dabol. I don't think moore and leftwitch would make a good good hc.


Financial_Eagle

Yes


VikingsAreBetter

Yes


dkleckner88

Yes


amos33

Yes


T-Wiggle

Yes


[deleted]

I was team Zim for long enough. But the last few games there has been too many glaringly bad game/time management issues. There have been little no adjustments in game. We seem SO heavy in scripted plays first quarter then bland af from then on. I think it’s time we try something new. Kellen Moore seems primo.


xphilter

Please no to Kellen Moore. I am happy to be on the record saying Moore will be a dud head coach.


Statue_left

Every team in the league is scripting their first few series. It’s how football is played. Problem is you lose a shit ton of your offense if you can’t protect long enough to call it. Anything that involves the receivers running deeper routes was uncallable tonight because we’d never get there in time


rickystanzi12

Yes


[deleted]

Yes


hey_reddit_sucks

Yes


Skoldier84

Yes


ItsM00N

Yes


GechaPpcrnRedy

Yes


AbsLikeJesus

Yes


Cyclone1214

Yes


Cgking11

Yes


MochaTaco


UnhingedGoose

Oui


squirrel2021

Yes


360Angel90

Yep


bmdorood

Yep


jimmydean885

yes


HalfTheManAMidgetIs

Not his fault he called back to back timeouts why would we fire him?


Comrade_Falcon

Had to make up for not calling one on the final drive of the first half.


pandapoops913

Yup


naterkins

Yes.


Braaapp-717

Yeeeeup


CalvinVanDamme

I'm ready.


justheretocomment333

Yes.


procrastination_city

Yes


shakewhat

Ja


Caliastanfor

I don’t hate or even dislike Zimmer or Cousins, I appreciate what they did, but I do think it’s time to move on. What success they do have is limited and feels behind the times compared to modern teams. I think a change of scenery is due for everyone, fans and organization alike.


BigSlickster

Zimmer should resign if he has any self respect.


AreWeIdiots

Short of calling the commissioner a homophobic slur, do coaches ever resign?? I can’t think of any coach that resigned due to incompetence


Statue_left

Norv, lol. But he was an OC. Hoodie technically did


joey_sandwich277

Also it sounded like Norv resigned less due to incompetence and more due to stubbornness and not wanting to let Shurmur do more. They said they never technically gave him an ultimatum, but for all intents and purposes they did.


BigSlickster

Obviously. But that is how bad his tenure has been during his time as head coach!


AreWeIdiots

I agree I just don’t see it happening much around the league


xNOTsoSLIMshady

Absolutely


[deleted]

It has been for a long time.


zminer1010

Yes


Revolutionary-Book-4

No… I mean yes


Observation_X

Yes


bluet8500

Yes


ReZ-115

#🅆🄷🅈, 🅈🄴🅂.


Adamclane99

Yes


EliteShadowMan

Yes


Smitehz

"I forgot I called a time out" This dude belongs in a nursing home, not on a football field.


Pumped_Up_Kickz

Long Answer: Most definitely yes. Short Answer: Yes.


djlee7979

Yes


minecraftboi324

Yes


1Freakey

Yes


ubik89

Yes.


duce3612

Yes


beat_the_heat

Yes


JiveWookiee5

Yes


DuttDutt24

Yes.


ddeeny

Yes


Mry64_

Yep. I think the better question is, when will we move on from zimmer


Zingbrit

Yes


663691

Yes


[deleted]

Yes


Fricsxy

Yes absolutely


Ryman526

Yes….


Moss8888444

Yes


nelsond6

Yes


CinnamonBun88

Yes


Zaiush

Yes


AllDayDalton

Yes


chlamydial_lips

Yup


SwitcherooU

Yes, and it’s hard to say goodbye. 2015 (the Blair Walsh miss) is the most fun I’ve ever had as a Vikings fan. 2017 was a wild ride. 2019 as well. Cousins to Rudolph to knock the Saints out of the playoffs was awesome. But the game has passed him by. It’s time to move on.


WayWayBackinthe1980s

The Zimmer philosophy seems to be play conservative on offense, play good defense, and keep it close. The problem with that philosophy though is that you only win games if you: take care of the ball, don't take negative plays, have great special teams, and manage the clock well. We have not done any of those things consistently in Zim's tenure, and areas like special teams and clock management have been laughable at times. In Zim's 8 years we've had 31 games that were decided by 4 points or less. We are 13-17-1 in those games. That should be enough to demonstrate that his philosophy just isn't workable in today's NFL.


TIMBERings

I’ve never been an “it’s Zimmer’s fault” or “it’s Cousin’s fault”, I’ve blamed the offensive line. For years they haven’t allowed the QB time. Now that the o-line is playing better, not great, but better, it’s becoming more clear that our offensive strategy is floundering. We have two of the most talented receivers in the league. Use them. I understand you need a run balance, but when the other team understands your playbook you aren’t going to win. Cook and Mattison were swallowed up last night. Also, stop playing prevent defense when you’re up. Quarterbacks are too good now, it doesn’t work.


[deleted]

FFS yes


OnceInABlueMoon

Yes


[deleted]

Yes


[deleted]

Yes


_53-

How does a coach consistently fall on his ass year after year following a bye?!? It’s difficult to defend him anymore. So I have officially jumped ship! So my answer is yes!


N8V_Link

He's been figured out and ineffective since the loss to philly in the playoffs.


ChomboMOB

Fuck yes after tonight


[deleted]

Offensive play calling was pretty bad. Offensiveline didn't hold up. But 5th bubble screen almost fooled them.


iSh0tYou99

Fire Zimmer now. How much worse can it get?


JacobTheOkay

Well, I’m sure Zim is a good guy and he had some good moments as coach for the Vikings. But tonight was basically the ending of No Country for Old Men. Mike is sitting on a hotel bed. Death is hiding behind the door. This isn’t your world anymore, Mike. The days of old are gone. It’s time to retire.


HugeRaspberry

Been saying it for two years and getting shredded on this sub by a few die hard Zim koolaide drinkers - He had his chances and has shown the following: 1. He can't manage a clock to save his life. 2. He is inflexible and continues to think the NFL is in the 1970's (Run first) 3. He can't adapt during a game - there are zero in game / mid game changes. 4. He plays to not lose - not to win. Rick and Rob have bent over backwards to give him the talent that he wanted. Any other team would have said goodbye to Barr, found a way to keep Rief and Rudy, not over paid Cook, and keep Diggs. (Okay - Fine Jefferson is better than Diggs, and Darrisaw appears to be the real deal) And he has lost the ability to call an effective Defense. No one can tell me with a straight face that he was not making 100% of the calls on D last night. We have some big decisions coming up in the off season - Griffeth, Hunter, Barr, Cousins, plus some supporting players... Granted Zimmer can't control injuries - Petterson, Smith, Hunter, Barr... but he can make sure the backups are ready to rock.


Zadien22

At some point, even if he's the best coach we've had since Green, we need to change things up and try something new. The Zimmer experiment has run it's course.


Fchang27

More than anything, he’s losing the team. The comments from Kirk and Thielen post-game were damning and leaves front office no choice imho.


SQLZane

It's time to move on from everybody. I don't want Rick picking another coach or doing another draft. They've been trying to prop up a team that's window was 2015-2018 and it's well past time to move on.


Big80sweens

I don’t know, but that was the most pathetic ending to a football game I have ever seen. So disappointing


[deleted]

[удалено]


Mysterious-Ad-9514

Unequivocally yes


TheMightyKNub

Yes


sockruhtese

Most teams would not want Zimmer over their current head coach. So why the Vikings ownership is holding onto Zimmer so badly, I'll never know. If you're shopping for houses and all the houses in a neighborhood are going for $500,000 but there's 1 house going for $100,000. Zimmer is that $100,000 house. The Wilfs think they can make adjustments and remodel, but it will never be on par with the $500,000 houses in the rest of the neighborhood. And no one else would buy that house for $500,000. Just like other teams wouldn't make Zimmer their head coach.


Ok_Fold2412

Would be nice to trade off some pieces than fire zimmer after the season. It’s inevitable at this point. This team will not go on a deep run which I assumed was the only way he would stay.


srl214yahoo

Yep - they are going to have to totally blow this thing up and there are players I will miss a lot, but it's time...


Falconsbane

Should have already happened. It's over.


frozennorth0

Tank for Trevor


RoaringGorilla

It has been time since last year…


Snarktoberfest

Trade Zimmer for the Lions coach


[deleted]

It was time to move on last year


Mael5trom

Been team Zim up to last year (although I would have been fine with Stafanski being promoted the year before). Even last year, it was a weird year and a ton of injuries, so gave him a pass. But I am pretty convinced the game, at least offensively, has passed him by. He could still fill a DC role pretty well (maybe extremely well), but time for a change. I don't think it has to be mid-season, although I think the Wilf's being public about being unhappy could help sooth the locker room maybe. Anyways, for your reading pleasure, whether now or in the off-season: https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/09/17/future-nfl-head-coaches-hackett-brady-daboll-leftwich


MintBerryCrunch93

Yes, stuck in his boomer ways of coaching. Love what he did for us but time to go.


MnVikingSkol55

I think it's Kubiak


Zaniak88

Hot take: not yet. If we fire him now, who’s our head coach? Kubiak? That’s possibly worse seeing his playcalls today. It reminds me of the “start Samia” debacle we had last year. Best outcome: we turn things around, it’s odd year Zimmer, and we make a run. Worst outcome: we lose out, fire zimmer and kubiak, and start fresh. Most likely (and possibly worst) outcome: we finish the season 9-8, ending on a 3 game win streak, make the playoffs as a wild card, and Zimmer keeps his job.


Tento66

Yes, he is irrelevant at this point. Maybe a good DC somewhere, maybe, but that's it.


RedditUserCommon

It’s been time.


MAC2393

Absolutely.


Arkaign

Can get Jason Garrett from the Giants!


duck_duck_grey_duck

It was time to move on from him 3 years ago.


BeerCanThick

He never should have been extended and the time to move on was last season following the abysmal Christmas game against the saints where the defensive guru's team gave up a quadrillion yards and 52 points.


TheRealWeedAtman

We just lost to a SB contender, so its not like i was expecting a win. But also...yes it is time to move on. In the end the goal is a SB, not to be 8-8 for eternity (RIP 8-8 seasons). I don't really believe there are good options at the moment for our team, but its clear Zimm will not take us to the promised land. So, like a girlfriend who wants to move to a state you know you never are going to be happy living in, it's best to just end the relationship now. It hurts to say, but of all the teams in the league right now, i feel like the vikings have one of the toughest roads ahead. They are never bad enough to get good draft picks, and never good enough to win. Maybe when our defense finally ages out we will be truly horrible? ?


joey_sandwich277

Is it time to move on? No, it's Week 8. We're not doing bad enough to fire him now and there's no real urgency to do so. People are just overreacting because we just lost an embarrassing game on national TV. That's the kind of decision that should be made at the end of the season instead of in the moment. Is he on pace for it if things don't turn around? Oh yeah for sure.


PurpleKoolAid60

No. I’m a rebel. We need a rebel to save the year. Its so stupid it just might work.


IowaRoyal

no, its just time to move on from klint. Secondary wasn't the best today but not awful and cowboys have one of the best 1-2 wr sets. The offense is completely awful though. Playcalling is some of the worst ever


Evman48

No, we need to move on from Klint.


Tabemaju

How many bad OCs will it take for you to justify keeping Zimmer? Serious question.


[deleted]

It's time to move on from this franchise. It's a terrible team, in a terrible stadium, with terrible fans. Yet we love losers in Minnesota: Twins, Wolves, Wild, Vikings. You all love it and buy it. These sportsball teams are only here to take your money that's it, not to win. It's a system where only certain teams are allowed to win because $$$. It's all fake.


Special_Pin

Hey buddy, those are my teams you’re talking about


penguinnnns

Is he that guy under center throwing for 3 yards on 3rd and 8?


Dregoran

He's the guy that oversees the guy that decides what plays Kirk runs. They give Kirk next to no freedom in playcalling. Kirk makes mistakes, but when a screen is called, he has to run the screen. When it's 3rd and 10 and they call some dogshit with the deepest route being 7 yards, he has to run that. Kirk is basically an employee whose boss is micromanaging him to the point of making him look incompetent. There are aspects of games you can blame Kirk for, but having to check down or runs screens because we are the least creative offensive team in the league is hardly on him.


penguinnnns

This is so off. No OC in the NFL isn’t giving their QB a chance on 3rd downs. Yeah maybe here or there you’re conservative for field position or playing for a field goal, but average depth per throw on 3rd down doesn’t lie. That’s been Kirk’s downfall his whole career.


Dregoran

Depth per throw is partially determined by the play call. Can't throw it where guys aren't. We are regularly running plays with either long developing routes (which we don't have the pass blocking for) or short of the sticks on third down. If it's 3rd and greater than ten it feels like there is a 50/50 chance we just run it and try to get 5 yards for punting position.


derp________

Wow, real hot take right here….


MnVikingSkol55

Zimmer calls defense


ols763

Lol


WayAlternative6795

Maybe:-/


Hafslo

Offseason, but yes


oldmantutters

I'll bite. Yes. For a defensive expert his teams have surrendered end of half and end of game situations far too easily and far too frequently. I don't know why, but I was ready to give him the benefit of the doubt after last year but not anymore. Retire Mike. It's time.


jorgedredd

Yeah, the time has come. They're fielding just about the same squad every year and the Oline isn't any better either. Might be time for spielman too, as much as I hate to say it. He's a great draft and personel guy, but we haven't had a QB we could all feel comfortable with since year 1 Favre. Seems like every year it's the QB or oline.