Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers weighed in on Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer's standing in Minnesota after a 1-5 start to the season.
Rodgers said it would be “absolutely crazy” if Zimmer were on the hot seat, adding he feels the Vikings head coach is one of the best in the business (via The Athletic's Matt Schneidman).
Aaron Rodgers says it's "absolutely crazy" to say Mike Zimmer is on the hot seat: "I think he's one of the best coaches in the league and has been for a long time."
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) October 28, 2020
Zimmer only just finalized a new contract extension with the team ahead of the 2020 season. Still, it bears wondering whether the Vikings would consider moving on or not if things fail to improve.
The latter point seems especially pertinent with respect to Zimmer's defense. He was mostly responsible for the team choosing not to re-sign either Xavier Rhodes or Trae Waynes in the offseason, with the Vikings instead opting to plug and play while relying on rookies like Cameron Dantzler.
It has not been a winning formula. Minnesota's defense ranks 29th in passing yards allowed, with opposing quarterbacks routinely going after the Vikings' inexperienced secondary.
Things have grown more dire in the secondary after Dantzler was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday.
The Vikings placed starting cornerback Cameron Dantzler on the COVID-19/reserve list.
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) October 28, 2020
Some of the failures can be chocked up to the absence of a steady pass rush. Danielle Hunter and Anthony Barr were both lost for the year, and the front seven will hardly show improvement after the Vikings traded Yannick Ngakoue.
The final 11 games will really test Zimmer's mettle. He can make a strong statement if the defense improves and the team starts winning games.
It will prove challenging for Zimmer and the Vikings to get back on track against Rodgers and a Packers offense that ranks second in the NFL in scoring.
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