5 things Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer must get right in 2020
By Dean Jones
Fix the interior protection
The play of Vikings offensive tackles Riley Reiff and Brian O’Neill was pleasing for the majority of the season and they solidified the outside of the offensive line for the most part.
However, it was the poor play of Minnesota’s interior lineman in 2019 that was a real cause for concern and a problem that Mike Zimmer and the rest of his coaching staff must address as a matter of urgency.
Pat Elflein’s move from center to guard was a massive failure and rookie Garrett Bradbury was also lacking in power at some stages. Although, there is plenty of scope for improvement from the North Carolina State product’s perspective.
A couple of experienced additions or a high draft pick would aid this process and perhaps allow quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Dalvin Cook to thrive even further in 2020.
But Zimmer is also going to have to examine the scheme and make adjustments to either get the lineman additional help on passing downs or work out a way for holes to open through different methods.
It is clear that something has to give regarding this issue. The Vikings’ much-maligned offensive line has been the catalyst behind the team’s downfall for what seems like forever and although slight improvements have been made, there always seems to be one position in this unit that costs them dearly.
If Zimmer and his coaching staff can get this right without compromising other areas of the field, then Minnesota could have a real shot of wrestling the NFC North title away from the Green Bay Packers in 2020 and reaching the playoffs for a second consecutive year.