Next Vikings Head Coach Should Have a Defense Background

Jan 14, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive line coach Andre Patterson against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Divisional Playoff football game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports


While the Minnesota Vikings may still have 4 games left in the regular season and a chance to make the playoffs, it seems as though the fanbase has already moved onto looking at possible head coach candidates that may be available this offseason. As I’ve read and watched different takes on who the next head coach should be, it seems as though most want an offensive mind to takeover. The idea is that with incredible weapons like Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook, the team needs to maximize the offense’s potential.

However, while that sounds like fun and a lot of highlights, who’s going to fix the defense? That’s the question that comes to mind and makes me wonder if they should actually be looking for a defensive mind to be in charge. Yes, it sounds boring, and it may seem repetitive, given that Zimmer was brought in for his defensive mind, but it may actually be the best thing for a team that is currently giving up almost 26 points per game.



Everybody knows that the Vikings have incredible athletes and playmakers on the offensive end. Although he may not be everyone’s favorite, they have a capable QB that has been arguably a top 10 QB in the league this year. So given that the offense is so stacked, they should be alright moving forward; with the right offensive coordinator, they should be able to be successful. This year, with a first time offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak, they are averaging 390.5 yards per game and just over 26 points per game. I’d say that’s pretty good, and it’s hard to argue against it, when they are currently ranked as the 11th best offense in the league, according to Pro Football Reference.

My argument is that when there’s a weakness on a football team – or a car, or a house, or a relationship – the priority should be to fix the weakness. This is why the Vikings making a move to bring in a defensive head coach makes sense. Despite the criticism that the offense has faced this season, they are being criticized for not meeting their potential (not for actually not producing). So, could they be better, sure. But are they bad? No, they are not at all.

The defense, on the other hand, is a different story. They are bad. Period. We’ve seen this defense time and time again struggle with holding teams in the 2-minute drill. We’ve seen this defense get beat at the end of games and give up game winning scores, like against the Cowboys. Or even against the Lions, where they gave up the go-ahead touchdown twice. However, the offense bailed them out in their first meeting vs. Detroit. No matter how good this offense becomes, the defense will not fix itself. They don’t have as much young talent that one could hope develops either. In fact, most of their best defensive weapons are in their prime or towards the end of their careers.

The Vikings need a head coach that will improve the defense, or at least get them to a passable level. They need someone who can maximize the potential of the defense because even at their maximum potential they will not be as good as the offense could be at theirs. If the Vikings offense stayed the exact same next season but the defense met their full potential, you might actually have a winning football team in Minnesota. If the offense improves next season and the defense doesn’t, we might be looking at another disappointing season for the Vikings.

It’s time to realize the defense is the problem, and prioritize fixing it.

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