What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

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Funkytown
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Funkytown »

I agree with most of your thoughts here. We'll see how it plays out! :govikes:
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Webbfann »

GBFavreFan wrote:I have maintained all year long in 2013 that the Vikings had as much talent as anybody,
You and me both.
but were being held back by the QB and the ENTIRE offensive and defensive coaching staffs. I felt 2013 was the perfect example of how coaching can literally drive a juggernaut into the ground, and the only way for that idea to be proven is for a new coaching staff to show what you can do. and in one preseason game it is OBVIOUS what a difference that made. In one offensive drive, the Turner/Cassel combo looked smoother than any drive of 2013. Without exaggeration.

The defense looked sharper all over the place too and always seemed to be in the right spots to stop or prevent bigger plays. As opposed to last year where we always seemed to be in the wrong places. (Also playing prevent defense after a 3 point lead in the 1st quarter isn't a very good defensive strategy Leslie and Alan)

I am SSOOOOOOOO happy with this new team behind the new coaches. Of course it all comes down to execution and the Vikings will have their off days, but it is clear to see that a system is finally in place to encourage success. Good riddance to that vanilla playbook we've been dealing from the past few years and SKOL Vikings!!!!

I thought the first quarter was very encouraging indeed. The rest of the game was why I don't watch preseason.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by PurpleMustReign »

After watching Ponder play the other night, it amazes me that he was handed the starting job last season with no competition. Now he's third string, and looked terrible doing that.
I am excited about this coaching staff, more so than I have been since Denny Green took over years ago.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

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GBFavreFan wrote:I have maintained all year long in 2013 that the Vikings had as much talent as anybody, but were being held back by the QB and the ENTIRE offensive and defensive coaching staffs. I felt 2013 was the perfect example of how coaching can literally drive a juggernaut into the ground, and the only way for that idea to be proven is for a new coaching staff to show what you can do. and in one preseason game it is OBVIOUS what a difference that made. In one offensive drive, the Turner/Cassel combo looked smoother than any drive of 2013. Without exaggeration.
I mean no offense but it sounds like you're eager to draw a conclusion about the offense that's premature after one preseason game, with one drive as it's basis. It actually is an exaggeration to suggest that single drive was smoother than any Vikings drive of 2013 (and if we're comparing coaching staffs, shouldn't 2011 and 2012 be in the mix too?). For example, re-watch last year's win over the Eagles and you'll see some pretty smooth drives by the Vikings offense. :)
The defense looked sharper all over the place too and always seemed to be in the right spots to stop or prevent bigger plays. As opposed to last year where we always seemed to be in the wrong places. (Also playing prevent defense after a 3 point lead in the 1st quarter isn't a very good defensive strategy Leslie and Alan)
The defense looked good, no doubt about it, and I expect it to be improved this year but again, it seems too early to draw any firm conclusions. Let's see how they look after facing Brady, Brees, Ryan and Rodgers in the first 5 weeks of the season.

I love the eagerness and enthusiasm behind your post and I think there's a good chance this coaching staff will prove to be an upgrade over the previous staff but one 10-6 preseason win against a team that's been pretty bad the past few years isn't much of a basis for that assessment. There are much tougher challenges ahead.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by NDVikeFan »

First decent coach we have had since Denny Green IMO.

Tice was ok and a middle of the pack coach. Hired cause he was cheap and McCombs was all about pinching pennies.

Childress was middle of the pack and his run was a disaster.

Frazier was just terrible and was hired because the Vikings didn't want another DC getting away like Dungy and Tomlin did.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Mothman »

PurpleMustReign wrote:After watching Ponder play the other night, it amazes me that he was handed the starting job last season with no competition. Now he's third string, and looked terrible doing that.
I am excited about this coaching staff, more so than I have been since Denny Green took over years ago.
Ponder didn't have to compete for the job last summer because they were trying to develop him, to show commitment to a plan. Once Bridgewater becomes the starter, I suspect we'll see the same approach, even if (like Ponder last year) he hasn't completely established himself as a definitive "answer" yet. It tends to be the way NFL coaches and teams do business. Few teams go into camp with a truly open competition at QB every summer.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Purpnation »

LOL @ us having "As much talent as anybody".

We could have Lombardi as our head coach, with Noll at DC, and Walsh as OC, and we still wouldn't be a "juggernaut", this team needs more talent to hang with the perennial playoff contenders.
Last edited by Purpnation on Sun Aug 10, 2014 11:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by mondry »

I expect big things from Zimmer and his crew and I agree even for one preseason game it was noticeable what kind of difference they will make for this team. It's not even so much that Zimmer has to be amazing, he can be better simply by not being a negative on the team like Frazier, Musgrave, Williams, and Ponder were. Of course I do think Zimmer will be more than that, for the first time in a long while I feel really good about the "ability" of the coaches to not get in the way of this teams success but actually be a reason for it's success.

:govikes:

Purpnation wrote:LOL @ us having "As much talent as anybody".
I would say we're in the top half of the league for sure when it came to talent last year. Most team's don't have a guy on Adrian Peterson's level to begin with. That's a guy capable of winning the MVP award in any given year.

However, playing as a well oiled machine where all the pieces fit (including coaching and leadership) makes all the difference at this level. At the end of the day, in the NFL, the best TEAM wins, not the most talented one and that was the major problem for the Vikings last year. As a team we weren't very good and a big reason for that was the coaching and tactical game plans the team was forced to use.

Only time will tell if this year is different, but if it is, I hope you guys can enjoy it when the team wins 10-11 games and makes the playoffs.
Last edited by mondry on Sun Aug 10, 2014 11:18 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Funkytown »

mondry wrote:I expect big things from Zimmer and his crew and I agree even for one preseason game it was noticeable what kind of difference they will make for this team. It's not even so much that Zimmer has to be amazing, he can be better simply by not being a negative on the team like Frazier, Musgrave, Williams, and Ponder were. Of course I do think Zimmer will be more than that, for the first time in a long while I feel really good about the "ability" of the coaches to not get in the way of this teams success but actually be a reason for it's success.

:govikes:
I've had multiple friends say they noticed a huge difference, too. Hopefully we aren't all crazy. :P
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Eli »

There was a noticeable difference in the intensity of the linebackers and the secondary. Maybe it's just guys playing for starting jobs, or maybe they just looked good against a Raiders team without a lot of weapons.

I'm not sure I've seen him mentioned with the other positives like Colemen, but Audie Cole was all over the field. The guy has a nose for the football.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Funkytown »

Eli wrote:There was a noticeable difference in the intensity of the linebackers and the secondary. Maybe it's just guys playing for starting jobs, or maybe they just looked good against a Raiders team without a lot of weapons.

I'm not sure I've seen him mentioned with the other positives like Colemen, but Audie Cole was all over the field. The guy has a nose for the football.
Definitely. The secondary was the biggest difference for me. That, and the fiery attitude on the sideline. Simma, Zimma! :P
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Mothman »

Personally, I didn't see any discernible difference in intensity or a noticeably better Vikings team in Friday's win but the offensive scheme was clearly different, even in relatively "vanilla" preseason mode, and the degree to which the Vikings were blitzing and utilizing man coverage was definitely a change. I never felt like effort or intensity were issues under the previous staff but strategy and execution were certainly issues at times and hopefully, we'll see substantial improvement in both areas this season.

I'm obviously on record stating that talent has been an issue so I can't agree that the Vikings have had "as much talent as anybody" at any point in the last 3 years and I can't agree that the Vikings have a roster of talent that places them in the top half of the league either. Sure, most teams don't have a player as good as Adrian Peterson but he's one player out of 53. The Vikings have some very good players but their top-to-bottom talent level has been sub-par for years now (and in some key areas).

That said, Mondry, if you're right and the Vikes are a 10-11 win team and make the playoffs this year, I assure you I will enjoy it. I am 100% behind this current coaching staff and I hope they're successful. I'm just not inclined to heap blame for so much of the team's woes on the previous staff or to call the new staff big difference-makers after one preseason game. As I said above, this team has much greater challenges ahead than facing the lowly Oakland Raiders in early August. How they meet those challenges will tell us a lot more about them.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Viva la Vikings »

The first team defense was fun to watch with the different formations and blitz packages we are all used to not seeing. Our offense looked effective with the first couple of drives and cant wait to see AP in there when the season starts. Here's to a Wildcard spot! SKOL :thumbsup:
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by DK Sweets »

Let's not get too ahead of ourselves....this team isn't a juggernaut from a talent aspect. This coaching staff DOES seem to be more involved than any other Vikings staff of recent memory, though. Childress seemed so dead set on his system that if you didn't fit what he wanted exactly, you were worthless. Frazier ran such vanilla schemes that our teams HAD to be more talented to win. I'm excited about the teaching, experience, and passion coming out of this staff. Good things do seem to be on the way for our favorite team.
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Re: What a difference a Coach (ing staff) makes ...

Post by Funkytown »

Speaking of the staff: ESPN - Vikes hire ex-Texans special teams coordinator Joe Marciano to fill in during Mike Priefer's 3-game ban
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