Zimmer achieves needed continuity in Vikings coaching staff decisions amid Super Bowl week (& a prediction)
By Jeff Diamond, former Vikings GM who co-hosted Monday Night Purple and Purple Sunday Postgame this past season on News Talk 830 WCCO
It’s Super Bowl week but before breaking down the close matchup between the 49ers and Chiefs, let’s stick close to home and analyze Mike Zimmer’s decisions on his Vikings coaching staff that I think are positive for the team’s 2020 outlook.
The best news on the coaching front was Gary Kubiak’s decision to accept Zimmer’s offer to replace Kevin Stefanski as offensive coordinator after Stefanski was hired as Cleveland’s head coach.
In his offensive advisor role and working in conjunction with Stefanski and offensive line coach Rick Dennison, Kubiak was very involved in the implementation of the Vikings zone blocking scheme that improved the running game from No. 30 in 2018 to No. 6 last season. He also helped Kirk Cousins to the best season of his career with a 10-5 regular season record plus the playoff win in New Orleans and the NFL’s No. 4 passer rating of 107.4.
Kubiak has 12 years experience as an NFL offensive coordinator including two Super Bowl wins in Denver where he also won Super Bowl 50 as head coach. Last November Zimmer said hiring Kubiak was “the “best thing that’s ever happened to me since I’ve been here.”
Zimmer said after the season that keeping the current offensive scheme was his plan. “It’ll be the same system,” he said. “I think it’s important not just for Kirk but for the entire offense to have the same offense, the same calls so when they come in here on day one, it’s not completely foreign to them.”
Having Kubiak as the new OC means that stability and continuity for the offensive players, especially Cousins and Dalvin Cook, the two most important players on offense. We know the receiving corps is excellent so now the team needs to see continued improvement along the offensive line that was much better than in 2018 except when facing the Packers and 49ers late in the season. That improvement could come from development of returning players, perhaps a free agent signing or adding a top offensive tackle high in the draft and then perhaps moving Riley Reiff to guard.
Other offensive coaching changes involved shifting Andrew Janocko from assistant O-line coach to wide receivers coach and hiring Phil Rauscher, who had worked with Dennison in Denver, to assist with the O-line.
There was less concern about who would be the new defensive coordinator after George Edwards was let go since Zimmer is the de facto DC who runs the Vikings defense. I like that one of the NFL’s best defensive line coaches—Andre Patterson—is being promoted to co-defensive coordinator and will continue his work with the D-line, an area that is one of the team’s strengths. The development of Danielle Hunter from a third round pick and Everson Griffen from a fourth rounder into two of the league’s top pass rushers was aided immensely by Patterson. He’s also played a big role in helping players such as Ifeadi Odenigbo and Stephen Weatherly become key contributors.
Adam Zimmer will be the co-defensive coordinator with Patterson while still coaching his excellent group of linebackers. Zimmer has done a fine job helping the development of Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr into Pro Bowlers and also has assisted in Eric Wilson’s rise as an ascending player.
The other change is new secondary coach Daronte Jones who was hired from the Bengals to replace a top coach in Jerry Gray who has joined the Packers staff. Jones will be asked to continue the development of young corners Mike Hughes, Holton Hill and Chris Boyd. He’ll also likely have some draftees in the secondary to break in as there will be some veteran departures from among last year’s group which likely will include Xavier Rhodes and possibly free agents-to-be Anthony Harris, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander. Harris should be a priority for GM Rick Spielman to re-sign after a terrific season in which he led the NFL in interceptions with seven.
The good news is there will be continuity on both the offensive and defensive coaching staffs and I think that is a huge plus for players as they don’t have to spend time learning new schemes and they can get better and better with more time playing in the existing schemes.
Super Bowl LIV
I love championship games between teams of contrasting styles and at its core, the 49ers-Chiefs matchup certainly qualifies.
The league’s best quarterback in Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and his superfast and highly productive receivers will go up against the best defense against the pass that is led by an outstanding front four (as Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers just experienced first-hand with nine sacks by the 49ers over their two playoff wins).
Then there’s the San Francisco running game led by Raheem Mostert (220 yards vs. Green Bay in the NFC title game) and Tevin Coleman (105 yards against the Vikings the week before). They’ll try to control the clock and keep Mahomes off the field against the Chiefs rush defense that improved a lot over the last six games of the regular season and stopped league rushing champ Derrick Henry in the AFC title game win over the Titans.
Key questions: can the 49ers defensive line that boasts five first round picks--led in postseason by expected Defensive Rookie of the Year Nick Bosa--keep Mahomes from scrambling and buying time to find Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce and deep threats Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins and Mecole Hardman downfield?
And can the Chiefs rush defense contain the 49ers run game and force QB Jimmy Garoppolo to make enough plays in the passing game to win the game? Note: Garoppolo threw only eight passes against the Packers and he has been interception-prone (13 in regular season and one vs. the Vikings in the divisional playoff game). But he does have an all pro tight end George Kittle and a pair of fine receivers in Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders.
The coaching matchup of young Kyle Shanahan of San Francisco vs. long-time coach Andy Reid in K.C. adds an element of intrigue with both coaches very creative offensively. Special teams always are a factor and both teams have solid kicking games but the Chiefs an edge in the return game with explosive Pro Bowler Hardman and possibly Hill (a past Pro Bowl returner).
The game is a virtual toss-up with the Chiefs favored by 1.
I see Mahomes as the difference maker in a close game. I think his escapability and ability to buy time will allow him to run for some key first downs and make big plays against the San Fran secondary. I also think the Chiefs will do a better job against the 49ers rushing attack than the Vikings and Packers. And I think Garoppolo will make a couple mistakes under pressure from an underrated Chiefs pass rush led by Frank Clark and Chris Jones.
I’m picking Kansas City 34-27 in an exciting Super Bowl with Mahomes as the game MVP.
Other Vikings/NFL Observations:
1. I was very sad to hear of the passing of Vikings Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman this week. Doleman had battled cancer for several years. He was one of the greatest pass rushers in team history and I saw up close his fantastic 21 sack season in 1989. I was at Chris’ Hall of Fame enshrinement in 2012 which was a thrill for me to see a great player and great person honored.
2. The Hall of Fame class of 2020 will be selected on Saturday and I hope former Vikings all pro guard Steve Hutchinson makes it this year. He’s another great player and great guy who is well deserving.
Jeff Diamond was the NFL Executive of the Year in 1998 after the Vikings' 15-1 season. He also is former president of the Tennessee Titans. He does sports/business consulting, media and speaking work including corporate and college speaking on Negotiation, Management, Leadership and Sports Business--contact him at diamondj4@comcast.net
