Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is probably going to get fired. We don’t have any juicy inside information on this situation. But we do have an understanding of how things work in the NFL. And Rule No. 1 is this — don’t lose to the Detroit Lions. The winless Detroit Lions. On the last play of the game. On a terrible defensive call. Zimmer is certainly on the NFL hot seat, but which other head coaches are seeing their seats get warm?
Mike Zimmer is most definitely on the NFL hot seat
Zimmer checked all of those inauspicious boxes Sunday evening when his prevent defense allowed Jared Goff to find Amon-Ra St. Brown for a game-winning touchdown with no time left on the clock. The win was Detroit’s first in 364 days. The loss was Minnesota’s seventh of the season and arguably Zimmer’s worst ever. It was probably fatal to the team’s NFC playoff hopes.
So that should be a wrap on the eight-year Zimmer era in Minnesota. He’s the seventh-longest tenured coach but the only one of the seven not to win a championship. Sunday was the 11th one-score game the Vikings have been a part of. They’ve gone 4-7 in those games.
“You played all those close games, they’re going to come down to either win or lose,” Zimmer said. “That’s just how the NFL is.”
The Vikings failed in a lot of ways Sunday. Their two-point-play execution was near the top of the list. They failed twice in the game’s final 22 minutes, including an inside run that had no chance of succeeding. Good teams find ways to make those plays. Bad teams find ways to lose. And the Vikings, led by Zimmer in 2021, are not a good team. A change is almost certainly coming.
Bad losses for Joe Judge, Robert Saleh
Should a change be coming to both New York teams? Joe Judge’s Giants are now 4-8, and Robert Saleh’s Jets are 3-9 after losing Sunday to sub-.500 teams.
The Giants’ offense looked no different with Freddie Kitchens calling the plays in a 20-9 loss to the Dolphins.
And Saleh, the defensive guru, could only watch as Gardner Minshew — yes, Gardner Minshew! — roasted New York for 80% completions and 2 touchdowns in a spot start for the injured Jalen Hurts.
Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is already gone, and GM Dave Gettleman is reportedly unlikely to return as well. Judge is said to have strong support from ownership, but what’s the rationale for not completely cleaning house after Judge lost Sunday for the 18th time in 28 games as Giants head coach?