Vikings HC Zimmer Is Losing It

[chargertom]

After the Minnesota Vikings routed the Texans during Week 5 to improve to 5-0 on the season, head coach Mike Zimmer wanted to make sure his team*did not get complacent during their bye week.

To teach this lesson, Zimmer decided to scatter several slaughtered stuffed animals — replete with red paint — at the team's practice facility, Winter Park. He also hung up a sign to really hammer home the point.

As the Star Tribune explained on Sunday:
"Before dismissing his 5-0 team for the bye week, coach Mike Zimmer scattered stuffed animals of the feline variety throughout Winter Park. Their throats were slashed, with some of the white stuffing within seeping out, and were then splattered with red paint.

Hanging on the larger cat in the locker room was a sign that read “Fat Cats Get Slaughtered.”

On Sunday, in their first game since the kitten massacre, the Vikings looked extremely complacent and lost to the Eagles, 21-10. It's safe to say that Zimmer's macabre motivational technique did not work.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl...7Kz&ocid=edgsp

[Caslon]

The Vikings are finally coming down to earth. Their offensive line is showing they're not that great (at least as of yesterday). Sam Bradford struggled with the Eagles when not given time to throw. The Vikings might be in for a slide, revealing just how much losing Bridgewater and Peterson means. Their defense is still pretty good.

[marion butts]

Probably norvs idea. Thought it would help connect the coaches to the players through stuffed animal insides.

[Caslon]

He's trying to ward off their upcoming collapse with voodoo doll efforts.

[rcali bolt hed]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...ve-coordinator

Longtime NFL coach Norv Turner, the offensive coordinator of the 5-2, first-place Minnesota Vikings, has resigned in the middle of the season.

The stunning news, confirmed by the club on Wednesday morning, leaves one of the league's brightest Super Bowl contenders without one of their most important architects. The Vikings have long-time coordinators Tony Sparano and Pat Shurmur on the coaching staff as position coaches. Shurmur was Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford's offensive coordinator at two different stops in St. Louis and Philadelphia.

Shurmur will take over as offensive coordinator, according to the team. Scott Turner, Norv's son, will remain as the Vikings' quarterback coach, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said that Shurmur will also be taking over the play-calling duties.

Turner issued a statement through the team following his resignation:


"I have tremendous respect for (head coach) Mike Zimmer, our coaching staff, and our players and at this time I think it is in the best interest of the team to step down. I thank the Wilf family for my time here in Minnesota and want to see our players and coaches achieve success."

Speaking to reporters, Zimmer said he was "very, very surprised" when Turner notified him Wednesday morning he was resigning.

"He decided it was in his best interest to do this and I accept the reasons, and they are personal, and I won't get into the reasons of why he did," said Zimmer, who underwent a minor surgical procedure Tuesday to repair a torn retina.

"We talked about a lot of things and I told him about how much respect I have for him ... I think Norv is a great coach, a great teacher, a great person."

Zimmer emphasized that Turner told him simply he was resigning and didn't say whether he was retiring from coaching.

Turner, 64, has been in Minnesota for the entire Mike Zimmer era, which saw the Vikings rise to power in the NFC North behind the development of a brutal defense and young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. With expectations at their highest in 2016, the Vikings have played some of the league's best football save for a stagnant performance against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football this past week.


Minnesota is currently 31st in total yards per game (293.3) and 23rd in points per game (19.9).

Speculation will likely run rampant in Winter Park this week. Was it a coincidence after the team's second-worst offensive output of the season? Was it a reflection of the scheme not covering for a deficient offensive line? Was it a nod to Shurmur, who has more experience with Bradford? Was Turner simply tired of the grind?

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo noted Wednesday that a potential resignation has been rumbling for some time. The initial plan was for Turner to say one season in the new stadium, though its ultimately unclear why the decision was made in the middle of arguably the most important year in recent franchise history.

Turner has been a pro coordinator or head coach since 1991.

[JoeMcRugby]

Originally Posted by Caslon

The Vikings are finally coming down to earth. Their offensive line is showing they're not that great (at least as of yesterday). Sam Bradford struggled with the Eagles when not given time to throw. The Vikings might be in for a slide, revealing just how much losing Bridgewater and Peterson means. Their defense is still pretty good.

The Vikings offensive line had lost both of their starting tackles for the season by that time (former top 6 picks Andre Smith and Matt Khalil). Now Alex Boone is (at least temporarily) joining them on the bench with an injured hip and concussion.

They are going to struggle to keep Bradford on his feet from this point forward. The defense will have to carry them.

[21and500]

Bradford to IR in 10, 9, 8....

[JoeMcRugby]

Originally Posted by biggestfan

Fortunately for them they have a defense capable of carrying them IF the offense can just manage the game

Don't know if they can do it with their defense having no running game, no offensive line and Bradford as their QB lining up behind no offensive line.

The Detroit game this weekend should give us a good clue as to what direction they are heading.

[AFBoltFan]

The only thing going for the Vikings this week is that they are playing at home.