Most disappointing Vikings in the win vs. the Panthers

Mike Zimmer

The Vikings got the win in Carolina and while Mike Zimmer should be lauded for getting the road victory, his decision-making and preparation made this game much closer than it needed to be.

Early in the game, Zimmer elected to go for two instead of kicking the extra point. His team failed at converting, and went for two again on their next score, with the same results. The attempts left a guaranteed two points off the board. That point differential proved very costly at the end of the game, as the Panthers were able to tie the game at 28 apiece, sending the contest to overtime.

Zimmer’s defense also gave up a 4th and 10 conversion when the Panthers were throwing out of their own end zone near the end of the fourth quarter. That was a major catalyst in them driving down and getting the game-tying score.

The fact the team was in the same situation they were a week ago reflects poorly on the coach. Against Detroit, the Vikings had a two-score lead with four minutes remaining and blew that. One would think they’d study the film and make the necessary decisions to not be in that situation again, but it happened the following week. This is inexcusable and it doesn’t happen to any other coach in the league.

Zimmer’s decision-making and clock management have been extremely shaky all season long, and if the Vikings are going to make the playoffs he’ll need to vastly improve in this area.