The object of the preseason isn't to win games as much as it is to improve by the time the regular season opens.
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer, who improved to 7-0 in preseason games on Saturday with a 20-12 win over Oakland, knows this and is honing in on ways to help the Vikings continue to improve.
Viking Update's Tim Yotter took a look at **Zimmer’s reactions** to several things he's seen from the Vikings during the 2015 preseason.
View exclusive images shot by the team photographer from the Aug. 22 preseason game against Oakland.
Yotter wrote:
*Zimmer is no-nonsense, hardly one to accept platitudes when he sees mistakes all over the field few others recognized. *
*He won't accept wins, especially in the preseason, without warnings about all the things his players could do better. *
"Really, all I do look for is how we play, the performance that we give, the things we're doing, if we're doing things right or wrong, because I think that will tell you more about your football team than the preseason record," Zimmer said after the rain-soaked, weather-delayed outing.
*Before that, after his second preseason win this year, he recalled a final practice at the Mankato portion of training camp when he wasn't pleased with the pace of practice, made the players run around the goal post and then called practice early because of his disgust. *
"The three fumbles (against Tampa Bay) were about the same as Mankato, I thought. We had a couple of silly penalties that we have got to get fixed," he said. "We have to stop doing these kind of things if we're going to be a good football team, but I think overall we do what we normally do. We play hard, we play with good technique, for the most part."
The Vikings did better against the Raiders. They had only one penalty for 10 yards while the Raiders had 13 for 106 yards. Still, the Vikings lost a fumble, threw an interception and had miscommunication on at least one route with Cordarrelle Patterson.
Keep on Kicking
The lightning delay, wind and rain have passed but some believe Blair Walsh still has to step through a storm cloud. Walsh was 0-for-3 on field goals and missed an extra point from the new distance of 33 yards. He did, however, make extra points from 33 and 43.
Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press has a take on Walsh **here**, and Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune *approached the topic* ****here**.
Quick Hitter
ESPN.com's Ben Goessling on how Charles Johnson has **made the most of opportunities**.
