Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer
Okay, big challenge this week. Philadelphia is an excellent football team, we're going to need this place as loud as it's ever been and go out and play with the same intensity and effort that we always do.
Q: Dakota Dozier was seemingly up and down in the Chicago game. What does he need to do to play better?
A: I don't know, did you evaluate him?
Q: That's why I said seemingly. Did you think he played well at Chicago?
A: Yeah, he plays good.
Q: Both of these defensive lines have been together for a while. How important is chemistry for defensive linemen playing together?
A: I think the two biggest things are, number one, it helps with they're running games, because they've been working it together for so long. But the other thing is that they can communicate way better, they see certain splits, they see guys sitting back, they see guys leaning forward, the splits cut down, those things, and they're able to communicate it during the game.
Q: You've gotten a snapshot of this offense each of the last four years by playing Philadelphia. How has it evolved under Doug Pederson?
A: It's hard for me to think back four years. You know, they're very similar to how they have been really the last three years. They got the RPO's, the got the zone bellies, the shots down the field. Wentz is a great player, so I think he's added a lot to them. The things they do, the way he can scramble and move. They got a lot of no-back formations, so it's similar to a lot of things. They always add a few things like everybody does.
Q: When you're playing a defensive line that has the chemistry that this one does, what's the key to neutralizing that?
A: Well this team is a team that is going to come and attack you defensively. They're not going to sit back and catch, and so we're going to have to come off the ball with authority in order to neutralize that.
Q: In the 2018 offseason Rick Spielman discussed using a defensive line rotation model similar to what Philadelphia uses. Do you feel like you're at that level with your defensive line?
A: I don't know what Rick was talking about, but they always try to rotate guys the best we can. But when the game is on the line or they get down in scoring position, the good guys are going to be in there all the time.
Q: I know Adam Thielen is not on the injury report, but do you expect him to be weakened at all or be 100 percent?
A: He'll be fine.
