Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer
Okay, after watching the tape from last night I thought there was a lot of good things. I thought the return game was much better. I thought defensively we played much better technically, much more fundamentally sound. Offensively, we had a great two-minute drive before the half. I thought we were efficient throughout most of the ballgame and had a little bit of a lull there at the start of the third quarter, but we controlled the game, controlled the time of possession and did the things we needed to do to win.
Q: What did you like about the defense's improvements this week compared to Seattle?
A: Just like I said, we were technically sound. We were fundamentally sound. We did things that I'm trying to get them to do.
Q: What are some of the things you'd like to see improvement in?
A: I don't really want to talk about it. I don't think the media needs to know. We're working on some things and we have to improve.
Q: What do you like about the way the reserve defensive linemen have progressed?
A: I think really all of them have done a good job in there. I thought Jaleel Johnson did some nice things. Ifeadi (Odenigbo) continues to do some really good things. I thought he rushed well in some of the subgroups and I thought (Stephen) Weatherly played a lot better this week.
Q: What is the challenge Stephen Weatherly has faced while learning so many different roles this season?
A: He's a really bright kid. He went to Vanderbilt. He's a bright kid. He really is not a tough mental thing for him, but he's a very good athlete. We can use him as a drop or we can use him as a rusher. We can use him as a defensive end. I think it's pretty easy for him, learning-wise.
Q: Is the benefit of a cornerback rotation exploring certain matchups?
A:No, it's just something that we decided to do last week. We may not do it this week, just felt like it was the best thing to do at this point.
Q: Do you feel like the rotation accomplished what you were hoping it would?
A: Yeah, we played better. There was only like one or two things that during the course of the ballgame that we did not do like they're being coached to do. Hopefully that continues to improve, maybe take a little wear a tear, where they have to be thinking all the time, off their plate. I don't know, we'll see what this week holds.
Q: After watching the secondary on tape, what's different the last two weeks than the previous four?
A: Doing the things I'm asking them to do really, whether it's being in a certain position on a receiver, making sure that we're playing this area, that area. I don't want to get too technical, but they're doing things a lot better.
Q: What has allowed Stefon Diggs to become a viable deep threat over the course of his career?
A: I think the big thing with him is he's got big, strong hands and he's got really good acceleration. I think he does a nice job at the line of scrimmage when people are trying to press him and then he can accelerate and run away from them. He does a nice job of getting the defender on his back hip a lot of times on these go balls.
Q: How have you seen Kirk Cousins open up and trust new receivers this season?
A: I think for Kirk (Cousins), it's just he's been extremely accurate for quite a while now. He's getting the ball out quickly. Most of the time, it's in the right place. I think just the continue of working in practice, throwing the ball to guys, trusting that they're going to be in the right place, right space. I think he's playing with a lot of confidence right now, so that's a big thing for him or any quarterback.
Q: Have you been around a running back that can hurdle people like Alexander Mattison?
A: I don't remember any really that did that very much. It was a heck of a run.
Q: He's a trained track hurdler. Is hurdling something you'd recommend to someone who didn't know how to do it?
A: Well, sometimes, I don't know if you saw, what was it, the Detroit game against Chicago when (T.J.) Hockenson hurdled, came down with a concussion. You have to be careful about it.
Q: How has Alexander Mattison looked as a pass catcher in recent games?
A: Yeah, he's done well.
Q: What does this team's ability to bounce back after losses say about its character?
A: I like this team. They come in here and they work. I think they understand what's at stake every single week. The games that we've lost, they've been close ballgames but we found ways and it seems like we find different ways to win all the time. This week we got some turnovers and we played really good on defense. Offense was just okay, really, most of the day. There's been times when the offense has been great and the defense has been just okay. The more ways that we can find way to win I think is important. I think they have confidence that, like the Denver game, we're down 20 to zip and we're able to come back, or whatever it was. Find ways to keep fighting and keep trying to score points and win games.
Q: Were there any consistent themes when the offense was struggling on third down yesterday?
A: I guess a couple things. They changed some coverages from what they'd been doing in the past, and so that was a little bit of it. We had some calls based on a couple other converages that they were giving us and they got us in some other ones. We didn't get to the other guy quick enough probably.
Q: Laquon Treadwell has played well in recent weeks. What's different this time around?
A: He's getting more opportunities to make plays, and he has made them when he's had the opportunities.
Q: Do you think Xavier Rhodes' ankle injury will keep him out?
A: I don't, but it's hard for me to say .These guys just came in today, and I got a report from the trainer. They don't think so.
Q: Does Linval Joseph look like he's returned to pre-injury form?
A: Yeah, he played really well yesterday afternoon. Played with really good technique, made some plays on the perimeter, had some good rushes. He played very well.
