Minnesota Vikings DBs ditch Mike Zimmer's game plan

[ThaVirus]

Minnesota Vikings defensive backs went rogue in Saturday's loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Coach Mike Zimmer planned for corner Xavier Rhodes to shadow Jordy Nelson the entire game. Instead, Vikings corners decided to each play their side of the field...

...

"A matter of fact, forget it. We felt as a team, as players, we came together and we felt like we'd never done that when we played against the Packers," Rhodes said. "Us as DBs felt like we could handle him. That's how we felt as DBs that we could stay on our side and cover him. In the beginning, we'd always played against them and played our sides, so that's what we as DBs went with."

This is pretty interesting. I've heard of individual players "freelancing" and it's obvious Randy Moss was dicking around the entire time he was in Oakland, but I don't think I've ever heard of anything like this.

[ThaVirus]

What's the opposite of meteoric? I'm trying to describe the Vikings' season.

[CaliforniaChief]

That's straight-up insubordination.

[Rams Fan]

The DBs who didn't intentionally follow the gameplan should either be cut or not play next week. That shit's inexcusable.

[OldSchool]

They listened to Obama.

[CaliforniaChief]

And it completely blew up in their faces, also.

[Bwana]

Nelson burned the Vikings for 9 catches, 154 yards and two touchdowns.

[-King-]

The DBs who didn't intentionally follow the gameplan should either be cut or not play next week. That shit's inexcusable.

Yeah they should cut Rhodes... So the Chiefs can pick him up
Posted via Mobile Device

[Rain Man]

nfl.com didn't approve of this. They wrote a very passive aggressive article about it.

The other funny thing is that Terence Newman was the guy they were trying to protect from Jordy Nelson, and he apparently got toasted more than an Italian wedding couple. Terence Newman is three WWI veterans from being the oldest living man in America.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000762964/article/minnesota-vikings-dbs-ditch-mike-zimmers-game-plan

Minnesota Vikings defensive backs went rogue in Saturday's loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Coach Mike Zimmer planned for corner Xavier Rhodes to shadow Jordy Nelson the entire game. Instead, Vikings corners decided to each play their side of the field.

"To be honest, I really don't want to answer that," Rhodes said, via The Star Tribune, then explained what happened.

"A matter of fact, forget it. We felt as a team, as players, we came together and we felt like we'd never done that when we played against the Packers," Rhodes said. "Us as DBs felt like we could handle him. That's how we felt as DBs that we could stay on our side and cover him. In the beginning, we'd always played against them and played our sides, so that's what we as DBs went with."

Ditching the game plan helped Nelson go off in the first half. Aaron Rodgers' favorite target complied 145 yards and two TDs on seven first-half receptions -- some of that yardage came against Rhodes. The Packers led 28-13 before the Vikings got to the locker room and Zimmer took control.

With Rhodes shadowing Nelson in the second half, the Packers' receiver caught two passes for nine yards.

"That's what he was supposed to do the whole game," Zimmer said. "Someone decided they wouldn't do that."

Zimmer said corner Terence Newman mentioned something to him on the sideline about the change in plans.

"In the first half when Terence Newman came over and said something to me like 'I can cover this guy, let me have him,'" Zimmer said. "I said, 'do what you're supposed to do.'"

Newman declined to comment on the issue saying simply, "nothing. I have no idea."

In a season that started out with so much promise before spiraling out of control, the defensive back revolt is a bad look for a Vikings team that lost its way down the stretch.

[ThaVirus]

nfl.com didn't approve of this. They wrote a very passive aggressive article about it.

The other funny thing is that Terence Newman was the guy they were trying to protect from Jordy Nelson, and he apparently got toasted more than an Italian wedding couple. Terence Newman is three WWI veterans from being the oldest living man in America.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000762964/article/minnesota-vikings-dbs-ditch-mike-zimmers-game-plan

Minnesota Vikings defensive backs went rogue in Saturday's loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Coach Mike Zimmer planned for corner Xavier Rhodes to shadow Jordy Nelson the entire game. Instead, Vikings corners decided to each play their side of the field.

"To be honest, I really don't want to answer that," Rhodes said, via The Star Tribune, then explained what happened.

"A matter of fact, forget it. We felt as a team, as players, we came together and we felt like we'd never done that when we played against the Packers," Rhodes said. "Us as DBs felt like we could handle him. That's how we felt as DBs that we could stay on our side and cover him. In the beginning, we'd always played against them and played our sides, so that's what we as DBs went with."

Ditching the game plan helped Nelson go off in the first half. Aaron Rodgers' favorite target complied 145 yards and two TDs on seven first-half receptions -- some of that yardage came against Rhodes. The Packers led 28-13 before the Vikings got to the locker room and Zimmer took control.

With Rhodes shadowing Nelson in the second half, the Packers' receiver caught two passes for nine yards.

"That's what he was supposed to do the whole game," Zimmer said. "Someone decided they wouldn't do that."

Zimmer said corner Terence Newman mentioned something to him on the sideline about the change in plans.

"In the first half when Terence Newman came over and said something to me like 'I can cover this guy, let me have him,'" Zimmer said. "I said, 'do what you're supposed to do.'"

Newman declined to comment on the issue saying simply, "nothing. I have no idea."

In a season that started out with so much promise before spiraling out of control, the defensive back revolt is a bad look for a Vikings team that lost its way down the stretch.

Shit, thanks for including the link. I just quoted a small block since some people here are very critical of posting entire articles instead of linking. I meant to include the link but forgot.

[ThaVirus]

The DBs who didn't intentionally follow the gameplan should either be cut or not play next week. That shit's inexcusable.

They're not going to cut Xavier Rhodes LOL

It's hilarious that this blew up in the player's faces though. They tried it their way and Nelson had a career half. When they come back from break and go back to Zimmer's game plan Nelson only catches 2 passes for 9 yards.

[splatbass]

If they aren't punished then no one will ever listen to Zimmer again.

[Mr. Laz]

Head Coach should impose the biggest fine he can give

Then Newman will probably get cut, he's closing in on 40 i think.

[Rain Man]

They're not going to cut Xavier Rhodes LOL

It's hilarious that this blew up in the player's faces though. They tried it their way and Nelson had a career half. When they come back from break and go back to Zimmer's game plan Nelson only catches 2 passes for 9 yards.

Yeah, that's the part that makes it hilarious. And it sounds like Newman was the guy who forced it, and then he got lit up like a Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

[NJChiefsFan]

They had done very well recently against Rodgers. I guess that wasn't good enough. Ego first amirite?

[chiefzilla1501]

Might hint at why Mike Zimmer was never hired after a million years of being a top notch defensive coordinator. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt. Buy I'm not sure why the guy kept playing if he was intentionally ignoring orders from his coach

[Pitt Gorilla]

Terrance Newman is bad at football AND, evidently, a complete idiot.

[splatbass]

Might hint at why Mike Zimmer was never hired after a million years of being a top notch defensive coordinator. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt. Buy I'm not sure why the guy kept playing if he was intentionally ignoring orders from his coach

I agree. Zimmer should have benched him immediately.

[Rain Man]

I agree. Zimmer should have benched him immediately.

Now that you mention it, that's the biggest mystery. Just pull the two CBs off the field and go with the backups until they stop thinking that they're in charge.

[Mr. Laz]

Now that you mention it, that's the biggest mystery. Just pull the two CBs off the field and go with the backups until they stop thinking that they're in charge.
He was screwed.

Players revolted

Do you tell people that and make yourself look incompetent?

or

Do you continue with the shitty play on the field that makes you look incompetent?

[splatbass]

He was screwed.

Players revolted

Do you tell people that and make yourself look incompetent?

or

Do you continue with the shitty play on the field that makes you look incompetent?

As a supervisor I'm never going to let someone do that because then you lose control of everyone. You are the boss until you cede that by letting people ignore your orders.

[wazu]

Unbelievable. Full on mutiny. Stupid mutiny. Somebody needs to be cut on Christmas. I know it can't be Rhoads, but maybe cut his best friend to make him cry.

[splatbass]

Unbelievable. Full on mutiny. Stupid mutiny. Somebody needs to be cut on Christmas. I know it can't be Rhoads, but maybe cut his best friend to make him cry.

Suspend them at least a game, including Rhoads. They aren't going to the playoffs anyway.

[NJChiefsFan]

He was screwed.

Players revolted

Do you tell people that and make yourself look incompetent?

or

Do you continue with the shitty play on the field that makes you look incompetent?

We found out anyway. Sometimes you need to do things that hurt the short term to protect the long-term.

[BlackHelicopters]

Bush's fault

[LoneWolf]

Two things should happen:

1. Terence Newman should be cut immediately.
2. Rhodes should be fined one game check.

If Zimmer doesn't make an example of these two players, he should just resign because he will never have complete control of his locker room again.

[BlackHelicopters]

All secondary personnel should immediately be cut. Get some guys who follow instructions. Their season is over anyway .

[FloridaMan88]

Seems to be pretty damning that a guy like Terrance Newman would do this to Zimmer.

Newman has played for Zimmer for most of his long career... in Dallas, Cincinnati, and now Minnesota.