WEBVTT - Xs and Os with Mike Zimmer | Week 5 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:04.920 Five, It's time for X and OS with Vikings head 0:00:04.920 --> 0:00:09.160 coach Mike Zimmer on the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network now 0:00:09.280 --> 0:00:12.680 from the TCO Studios in Egan. Here is the voice 0:00:12.680 --> 0:00:18.759 of the Vikings, Paul Allen Xes and os on the 0:00:18.920 --> 0:00:23.119 kfa N Minnesota Vikings Radio Network is underway courtesy of 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:28.400 US Bank honoring the Vikings sixty greatest fans this season. 0:00:28.840 --> 0:00:32.919 Quarterbacks coach Clint Kubiak coming up later, but first, Minnesota 0:00:33.000 --> 0:00:36.440 Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer just coached his one hundredth 0:00:36.479 --> 0:00:40.560 regular season game and the Vikings beat the Houston Texans. 0:00:40.880 --> 0:00:43.559 Welcome back to X's and O's coach and through the 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:46.880 first four games of the season. At the quarter mark, 0:00:47.760 --> 0:00:50.279 you got the fact that you guys got through that 0:00:50.440 --> 0:00:54.480 last week with zero positives after the Titans thing. That 0:00:54.760 --> 0:00:57.400 for me, that's the story of the season so far. 0:00:57.520 --> 0:01:00.520 How about that? Yeah, I mean our guys have done 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:02.800 a good job. I think, you know, all the protocols 0:01:02.800 --> 0:01:06.480 that we've had in place, everybody's done a really nice 0:01:06.560 --> 0:01:09.560 job of protecting one another. I guess the best way 0:01:09.560 --> 0:01:12.600 to say it. Yeah, the players in the Texans game, 0:01:12.680 --> 0:01:15.920 in my opinion, took punches and punched back. I mean, 0:01:15.959 --> 0:01:19.640 I thought you guys mostly look good, and then Houston 0:01:19.760 --> 0:01:22.440 came punching at you were some good players. You punched 0:01:22.480 --> 0:01:25.880 back and won the game. How important is that? Yeah? 0:01:25.920 --> 0:01:27.760 It was good. I think we showed a lot of 0:01:27.800 --> 0:01:32.119 a resiliency in our football team. You know, they scored 0:01:32.200 --> 0:01:34.760 in an offense, went right back down and scored a 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:37.320 couple of times. They're late and you know, and then 0:01:37.360 --> 0:01:38.640 at the end of the ball game we're able to 0:01:38.640 --> 0:01:41.480 stop him on on the fourth down play. Did you 0:01:41.560 --> 0:01:44.800 sense after the victory, either in the locker room or 0:01:44.880 --> 0:01:48.160 at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center up to the Seattle game, 0:01:48.480 --> 0:01:50.840 like a bubble burst a little bit, and people are 0:01:50.920 --> 0:01:55.000 looser and happier. Yeah, well, I think you know, there's 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:57.240 a lot of weight off your shoulders when you we 0:01:57.320 --> 0:02:01.240 play good and you win. You know, we we had 0:02:01.240 --> 0:02:03.080 a chance to win a Tennessee game and didn't win 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:05.400 that one. But I do see this team getting better 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:08.400 each week. You know, hopefully we go out to Seattle 0:02:08.400 --> 0:02:12.160 and show it. Show it there. Mike, your rookie defensive end, 0:02:12.240 --> 0:02:17.399 DJ Wantam, is he improving and getting good in a hurry? Yeah, 0:02:17.440 --> 0:02:20.120 he's improving. Each and every week. Um, you know, the 0:02:20.520 --> 0:02:23.040 more playing time he gets, the better he'll get. He's 0:02:23.040 --> 0:02:26.400 still got a long way to go, still learning, you know, 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:28.640 but it's it's nice to have another young guy that 0:02:29.320 --> 0:02:31.760 you can kind of mold into what you want. Have 0:02:31.800 --> 0:02:34.160 you noticed with your guys or maybe around the league 0:02:34.680 --> 0:02:37.360 in weeks three on now we're coming up to week 0:02:37.400 --> 0:02:40.560 five that these rookies who didn't get preseason games and 0:02:40.639 --> 0:02:43.560 had that weird offseason, the rookies are starting to take 0:02:43.600 --> 0:02:46.440 off a little bit. Yeah. I think most most of 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:48.880 these guys are starting to get into the rhythm of 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:52.120 you know, professional football and what it's like. And uh, 0:02:52.280 --> 0:02:53.800 you know they've had a little bit more time with 0:02:53.840 --> 0:02:57.919 the technique and understanding how to study, you know, the 0:02:58.000 --> 0:03:00.600 whole thing is different for him and not being in 0:03:00.760 --> 0:03:05.760 any preseason games or training camp or OTA's basically you know, 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:09.080 they got to learn quick now. With Unique and Gockway, 0:03:09.280 --> 0:03:11.280 he's not a rookie, but he was new. He got 0:03:11.280 --> 0:03:13.160 here the week of the first game. So now he's 0:03:13.160 --> 0:03:16.120 played four When it comes to in Gockway, who does 0:03:16.120 --> 0:03:20.200 that four sacks and two forced bumbles? With Andre Patterson 0:03:20.280 --> 0:03:23.360 defensive line coach co defensive coordinator and of course you 0:03:23.880 --> 0:03:27.359 when it comes to unique, giving you guys the complete 0:03:27.480 --> 0:03:31.080 game you need. Do you sense he's getting closer or 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:33.440 is he there? Well? I think he's playing a lot 0:03:33.480 --> 0:03:36.640 more reckless now, you know, understanding what we're asking to do. 0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:38.680 I thought he played very well last week in Houston. 0:03:39.920 --> 0:03:44.040 You know, he was you know, still learning, you know, 0:03:44.160 --> 0:03:46.560 how we do things and how we kind of change 0:03:46.560 --> 0:03:48.360 and we've adapted to some of the things that he 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:51.000 can do well, and so you know that's all been 0:03:51.000 --> 0:03:52.840 a little bit of a work in progress, but it's 0:03:52.880 --> 0:03:56.120 shown up a lot more now now with rookie Jeff Gladdie. 0:03:56.200 --> 0:04:00.400 Are you noticing that his quick twitch is become more 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:03.600 second nature? Things are just like when he knifed through 0:04:04.040 --> 0:04:07.080 and got David Johnson for that tackle for loss shoom, 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:10.200 lickety split. He got in there fast. Yeah. I think 0:04:11.280 --> 0:04:14.120 you know, he's feeling a lot more comfortable in everything 0:04:14.120 --> 0:04:19.600 as well. You know, he's got a lot on his plate, 0:04:19.640 --> 0:04:23.280 playing nickel, playing outside. You know, he's done some really nice, 0:04:23.440 --> 0:04:26.960 nice things and so the more that we keep repping him, 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:28.800 the more that he keeps going, the better he'll get. 0:04:29.200 --> 0:04:33.520 Now with masks and protocol and legit lifestyle changes at 0:04:33.640 --> 0:04:36.599 least for a few more months with the players and 0:04:36.640 --> 0:04:40.159 coaches and stuff. Specifically the players, what are you noticing 0:04:40.279 --> 0:04:42.960 from them compared to the way you've seen it for 0:04:43.000 --> 0:04:46.320 a super long time, Like mentally, it's just such a 0:04:46.320 --> 0:04:50.240 different time now, do you notice it? Well, not so 0:04:50.320 --> 0:04:51.920 much on the field. You know, when the guys are 0:04:51.920 --> 0:04:54.159 out on the field, it's pretty it's pretty normal. But 0:04:55.120 --> 0:04:58.280 you know, the traveling and the hotels and you know, 0:04:58.320 --> 0:05:00.720 not you know, all the different things you have to do. 0:05:00.760 --> 0:05:03.720 That's that's different. Yeah, Mike zm Rex's and Oh's on 0:05:03.839 --> 0:05:07.240 the KFA and Minnesota Vikings Radio network courtesy of a 0:05:07.520 --> 0:05:11.880 US Bank. Now Russell Wilson, we talked about contain a 0:05:11.880 --> 0:05:16.159 little bit within gaqway, the importance of contain and keeping 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:19.800 him in the pocket at least some of the time. Yeah, 0:05:19.839 --> 0:05:22.920 he's really tough to keep in there because he'll come 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:25.839 out in any different way. You'll come up through the middle, 0:05:25.839 --> 0:05:28.160 they'll come up through the big app ll come up outside, 0:05:28.480 --> 0:05:31.280 and they've got some protections in there where allows him 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:33.600 to get to the perimeter and then hold the football. 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:35.640 He's a great deep ball thrower. He's got lots of 0:05:36.279 --> 0:05:40.080 receivers with big time speed, and it'll be a good 0:05:40.120 --> 0:05:42.839 test for us. Now, you've you've had some epic battles 0:05:42.880 --> 0:05:45.880 against the Seahawks in your seven years that you've been 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:49.200 coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Just overall the Seahawks. What 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:52.200 do your respect about their team and how they seem 0:05:52.240 --> 0:05:55.280 to stay good every year? Yeah, you know, I think 0:05:55.279 --> 0:05:58.200 Pete Carroll does a great job with you know, keeping 0:05:58.200 --> 0:06:01.919 his keeping us guys competitive, keeping him fresh. You know, 0:06:01.960 --> 0:06:04.320 we've had a lot of good battles. I know that. Uh, 0:06:05.279 --> 0:06:06.960 you know, when they won the Super Bowl, we talked 0:06:06.960 --> 0:06:08.880 about he said, man, you're running the ball good and 0:06:08.880 --> 0:06:10.680 playing good defense. And I said, yeah, I'm trying to 0:06:10.680 --> 0:06:14.880 be just like you. Soh you know so um, you 0:06:14.920 --> 0:06:18.520 know it's it's but now they're a little bit different offensively. 0:06:18.560 --> 0:06:19.960 You know, they're throwing the ball on a lot more 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:23.120 not as much ground and pound. Speaking of running the ball, 0:06:23.200 --> 0:06:25.520 Dalvin Cook second to none in the NFL. Right Now, 0:06:25.520 --> 0:06:28.360 do you notice with Dalvin is is he setting up 0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:31.720 his blocks better than ever? Specifically when he gets out 0:06:31.760 --> 0:06:35.640 to the perimeter. Yeah, Dalvin does a great job setting 0:06:35.720 --> 0:06:37.960 up blocks all the time. But you know, he's very 0:06:38.000 --> 0:06:41.640 difficult to tackle in the open field. Not very many 0:06:41.680 --> 0:06:45.440 times does one guy get him. But he's he's got 0:06:45.440 --> 0:06:49.000 great balance, great toughness, and great determination. And I know 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:51.640 you always have been very fond of Dalvin the guy. 0:06:51.760 --> 0:06:53.880 You know where he's come from and who he is now. 0:06:54.279 --> 0:06:57.000 In chatting with Gary Kubiak on My KFA and radio 0:06:57.040 --> 0:07:00.479 show earlier this week, he intimated that Dalvin is assuming 0:07:00.480 --> 0:07:03.440 a little more of a leadership role, kind of behind 0:07:03.480 --> 0:07:07.000 the scenes, a little more vocal. Are you noticing that? Yeah, 0:07:07.000 --> 0:07:10.080 you know, Davil was fairly vocal with the offense a 0:07:10.160 --> 0:07:12.640 year ago, and uh, but it's it's more so now. 0:07:13.080 --> 0:07:15.680 You know, he's more of a he's more of a 0:07:15.720 --> 0:07:18.720 fiery leader kind of guy that you know has shown up. 0:07:18.760 --> 0:07:22.120 And that's a good thing. We need that your offensive 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:26.160 tackles Riley Reef and Brian O'Neill, specifically the last two, 0:07:26.240 --> 0:07:29.440 with what you're asking almost in all facets of the game. 0:07:29.520 --> 0:07:32.640 My opinion is it seems they're going along pretty well. 0:07:32.760 --> 0:07:35.280 Do you see that. Yeah, they're doing a nice job. 0:07:35.840 --> 0:07:38.400 You know, I think we've done a nice job mixing 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:42.200 up protections. Uh, they're they're both physical, tough guys, and 0:07:42.480 --> 0:07:44.640 I'm glad you're on our team. So from from an 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:48.040 offensive standpoint, with the way feeling Jefferson and Cook are 0:07:48.080 --> 0:07:52.160 going right now, I mean that that's legitimately difficult for 0:07:52.320 --> 0:07:56.080 defenses to stop on a weekly basis. What a luxury. Yeah, 0:07:56.080 --> 0:07:58.480 it's great being able to have the running game and 0:07:58.480 --> 0:08:00.920 the play actions and having these receivers that we do. 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:04.200 And you know, I'm sure that IRV Smith and Kyle 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:06.520 will be a factor in there as well. Yeah, and 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:08.760 with Herb one catch for fourteen yards, I mean, is 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:12.520 that it's weird? Is it explainable? Well, yeah, there's a couple. 0:08:12.640 --> 0:08:15.040 You know, there's one of the first third dollar the game, 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:16.960 he got held pretty good and didn't get called, but 0:08:17.280 --> 0:08:18.720 he had a chance to get the ball there. And 0:08:18.760 --> 0:08:21.840 then there was another one that they kind of messed 0:08:21.920 --> 0:08:24.119 up the coverage and kind of fell underneath him another 0:08:24.160 --> 0:08:28.520 time later on the game. So I think he'll continue 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:30.800 to get a lot of catches. Yeah, seeing with Herb also, 0:08:30.840 --> 0:08:33.000 I mean all the way back to Madison's first touchdown 0:08:33.000 --> 0:08:35.040 in twenty nineteen against the Raiders when he had a 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:37.520 nice block up the middle. You know, Herb that thirty 0:08:37.600 --> 0:08:40.800 nine yard run by Dalvin Cook against Tennessee Herb Smith 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:43.600 Junior got the key block at the end. So I 0:08:43.600 --> 0:08:47.600 mean he's giving you mostly a complete game, right, Yeah, 0:08:47.600 --> 0:08:49.680 he's getting better and better all the time. It is 0:08:49.840 --> 0:08:52.800 blocking and even pass protection where he's in protection, so 0:08:54.040 --> 0:08:56.480 you know, he's running good routes, he's catching a ball. Well, 0:08:57.440 --> 0:09:00.000 you know, I think it'll start getting spread around. Little 0:09:00.080 --> 0:09:03.840 more time for two more with Gary Kubiak. How excited 0:09:04.080 --> 0:09:08.839 is he with Cook and Felin and Jefferson and just 0:09:08.920 --> 0:09:11.760 things really starting to open up. Yeah, I think he 0:09:12.160 --> 0:09:15.559 really enjoys number number one, this offensive group. You know, 0:09:15.600 --> 0:09:18.160 they're they're a good bunch of guys, good veterans. I 0:09:18.200 --> 0:09:21.360 think he you know, he loves the offensive coaching staff 0:09:21.640 --> 0:09:24.680 and being able to work with Kirk and the rest 0:09:24.720 --> 0:09:27.480 of guys. I think that's big. What's it like watching 0:09:27.640 --> 0:09:31.959 Seattle offense and not seeing that beef eater George Fant 0:09:32.280 --> 0:09:35.760 come in as the unbalanced, extual guy. Yeah, well they're 0:09:35.800 --> 0:09:37.120 not doing much of that, but they got a lot 0:09:37.120 --> 0:09:39.480 of beef up front. They're they're pretty big and physical 0:09:40.040 --> 0:09:43.360 and finally DK metcap I mean talented, got drafted high 0:09:43.480 --> 0:09:45.920 Adonis type body, but I mean, what's gotten into him 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:48.880 this year? Twenty five yards per catch. Yeah, well, he's 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:52.120 caught some bombs, you know. They they helped Max protect, 0:09:52.160 --> 0:09:54.640 and he'll end up just throwing him a deep one. 0:09:55.160 --> 0:09:58.040 He's had several of those, um, you know. So we're 0:09:58.040 --> 0:09:59.679 gonna have to be on our p's and q's with him. 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:02.480 So coach, good luck, all right, Paul, thank you, Yes, sir, 0:10:02.640 --> 0:10:05.199 Mike zimmer Head, coach of the Minnesota Vikings. By the way, 0:10:05.240 --> 0:10:09.640 in celebration of sixty seasons, Mike's Vikings are selecting fans 0:10:09.920 --> 0:10:13.600 for the sixty Greatest Fans Team, presented by Ufank. We 0:10:13.679 --> 0:10:18.480 are honoring the most passionate Vikings fans throughout history. You 0:10:18.480 --> 0:10:22.000 can nominate yourself for somebody else today at Vikings dot 0:10:22.000 --> 0:10:27.160 com Slash six zero Fans. Quarterbacks coach Clint Kubiak is 0:10:27.200 --> 0:10:30.720 around the corner. It's x's and o's courtesy of US 0:10:30.840 --> 0:10:35.200 Bank on the KFA n Minnesota Vikings radio network, driven 0:10:35.280 --> 0:10:57.959 by Paul Larry. XS and OS continues on the KFA 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:00.840 and Minnesota Vikings Radio network. And by the way, it's 0:11:00.840 --> 0:11:03.400 a Game Day any day. Play the new Vikings scratch 0:11:03.480 --> 0:11:06.800 game from the Minnesota Lottery top prize hundred thousand dollars. 0:11:06.840 --> 0:11:10.560 Are you game? Just say I'm in? Get details at 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:13.959 him in the lottery dot com. Here is second year 0:11:14.000 --> 0:11:17.560 Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach. His name is Clint Kubiak, second 0:11:17.600 --> 0:11:23.160 stint with the team and a former safety at Colorado State. Clint, 0:11:23.200 --> 0:11:28.600 congratulations on the victory against Houston. What just in totality, 0:11:29.040 --> 0:11:32.160 what do you like about the way the entire offense 0:11:32.280 --> 0:11:35.040 is going right now? Yeah? You know, I just like 0:11:35.160 --> 0:11:37.880 the way I like the way our team's playing together. 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:41.640 You know, special teams gets a turnover, defense gets the stops, 0:11:41.640 --> 0:11:43.800 and then will you get a couple scores? You know, 0:11:44.160 --> 0:11:47.120 more specifically offensively, I just think we have balance. I 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:50.959 think we're getting the manageable third downs, and obviously you 0:11:50.960 --> 0:11:53.760 we're having some young guys step up, Jordan Jefferson being 0:11:53.840 --> 0:11:56.840 number one. Yeah, and with Jefferson man two one hundred 0:11:56.880 --> 0:12:00.280 yard games team record Moss in ninety eight he had 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:04.120 four with Justin or Adam or Dalvin for those guys 0:12:04.120 --> 0:12:07.160 and helping Kirk like, let's let's stick on Justin, Like, 0:12:07.400 --> 0:12:12.480 how is what he's doing opening things for everybody? Yeah? 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:14.880 You know, obviously the minute, the minute they have to 0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:16.920 cheat of safety over to his side. Now Adam's got 0:12:17.000 --> 0:12:19.360 one on one, or the minute they gotta cloud him. 0:12:19.400 --> 0:12:21.240 Now we got a you know, six man box to 0:12:21.320 --> 0:12:24.560 run the ball. So it helps everybody. And uh, you 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:26.560 know he's a he had a great training camp too, 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:29.760 and he's just coming on. Spect more from him. But 0:12:30.640 --> 0:12:32.680 as far as you know, what I'm in control of 0:12:32.800 --> 0:12:35.440 is that quarterbacker room or just worried about, you know, 0:12:35.520 --> 0:12:38.120 being prepared to play and put our best foot forward 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:41.400 Southern night in Seattle, and Clint, before we talk about 0:12:41.440 --> 0:12:45.280 that quarterback end or Seattle, I'm I'm you mentioned the 0:12:45.320 --> 0:12:47.720 words safety and I'm looking at a picture here with 0:12:47.760 --> 0:12:50.360 somebody with a forty two inch vertical back left of 0:12:50.440 --> 0:12:52.960 the end zone from like I mean, it might be 0:12:53.000 --> 0:12:55.480 like twelve years ago. Can can you recall a story 0:12:55.520 --> 0:12:59.840 with me? Yeah, let's do it, okay, college days. There 0:12:59.880 --> 0:13:02.880 is a picture of this on the internet. I googled 0:13:03.360 --> 0:13:08.080 Kubiak interception Keenum and back left of the end zone 0:13:08.120 --> 0:13:11.200 forty two inch vertical picked off case Keenum with the 0:13:11.240 --> 0:13:15.480 Houston Cougars to walk off victoriously. Will you ever forget 0:13:15.520 --> 0:13:18.959 that moment? That was a good day. Good team win 0:13:19.080 --> 0:13:21.960 that day as well. But yeah, that was a lot 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:23.600 of fun. I've seemed like a long time ago that 0:13:23.640 --> 0:13:25.679 I got to play this great game and still get 0:13:25.679 --> 0:13:28.840 to be a part of it coaching, but great memories 0:13:29.480 --> 0:13:32.880 as a Colorado State ram safety and uh, you know, 0:13:32.920 --> 0:13:35.640 I always talked to Harry you know our safeties here. 0:13:35.679 --> 0:13:37.760 I just I have so much respect for those guys 0:13:37.760 --> 0:13:41.800 for what they put their bodies through. And yeah, that 0:13:41.880 --> 0:13:44.920 was a good day. Yeah. Into before training camp, Agan, 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:47.120 I took my daughter, who as a senior in high 0:13:47.120 --> 0:13:50.480 school to Colorado to look at Boulder and to look 0:13:50.520 --> 0:13:52.800 at Fort Collins, and I had never been to Four Collins. 0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:55.199 I mean that drive to four Collins. Man, Shoot, you 0:13:55.280 --> 0:13:57.200 might as well continue to larry me. It seems like 0:13:57.200 --> 0:13:59.839 it's right around the corner. Yeah, you don't want to 0:13:59.840 --> 0:14:03.480 go Laramie though, Paul's dad, Larimie Pork Collins is just fine. Yeah. No, 0:14:03.600 --> 0:14:06.680 Colorado State man and Colorado with a great rivalry. Clint 0:14:06.720 --> 0:14:10.679 kubi at quarterbacks coach for the Minnesota Vikings. Kirk seemed 0:14:10.800 --> 0:14:14.439 comfortable in the Houston game. Seems like the comfortability is 0:14:14.480 --> 0:14:17.840 getting better every single game. Is that a fair assessment? Yeah, 0:14:17.920 --> 0:14:20.320 you know, I think he was playing comfortable those first 0:14:20.360 --> 0:14:22.040 three weeks. We just didn't get it done as a team. 0:14:22.080 --> 0:14:25.160 And it's a team game. He did his part last week, 0:14:25.400 --> 0:14:28.040 and we're just we're onto the next one and try 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:30.200 to get our job done one play at a time. 0:14:30.440 --> 0:14:32.720 And he certainly is a big part of the solution. 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:34.600 And we's got to build on that, you know, with 0:14:34.760 --> 0:14:37.720 the with the way you're you're sharing now, and you 0:14:37.760 --> 0:14:39.720 know we started with Mike Zimmery kind of said the 0:14:39.760 --> 0:14:42.840 same thing. And I've done this a long time seriously 0:14:43.800 --> 0:14:46.320 as a coach and really a player. I mean, you 0:14:46.520 --> 0:14:50.040 seriously have to look at play by play, week by week. 0:14:50.640 --> 0:14:52.680 I don't want to say to keep sane, but to 0:14:52.840 --> 0:14:55.800 keep everybody in their lane, right because I mean, you know, 0:14:55.920 --> 0:14:58.160 people are like, Okay, we're one in three, maybe we 0:14:58.320 --> 0:15:00.600 upset Seattle, what are we going to do again? It's Atlanta, 0:15:00.680 --> 0:15:04.440 gonna buye go to Lambeau. You guys can't do that, right. Yeah. 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:06.400 It's just it's your reality as a player and as 0:15:06.400 --> 0:15:09.200 a coach, and there's only one way you can get better, 0:15:09.280 --> 0:15:11.120 and is that as the folks on the little details 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.680 that make you and make you better. So in practice, 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:15.960 it's an individual What's what little thing can I do 0:15:16.080 --> 0:15:18.640 to make make my team rep better? And if I'm 0:15:18.680 --> 0:15:20.400 better in that team rep, okay, here we go. In 0:15:20.440 --> 0:15:22.520 the game, it's full speed. Now I'm getting better at that. 0:15:22.960 --> 0:15:25.600 So control what you can control. It's an old cliche, 0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:28.960 but you know what, those clich cliches are pretty damn true, Paul, 0:15:29.200 --> 0:15:32.920 and they work for quarterbacks. So one at a time, baby, 0:15:33.000 --> 0:15:35.440 that's all we care about. And with number eight Kirk 0:15:35.520 --> 0:15:39.400 Cousins sixty two touchdown passes since arriving in twenty eighteen, 0:15:39.720 --> 0:15:42.000 most in the history of the Vikings for somebody's first 0:15:42.080 --> 0:15:45.160 three years. Here, what what's it like working with Kirk? 0:15:46.600 --> 0:15:49.920 You know, it's a blessing because he's such a professional 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:52.040 and he wants to be challenged. And if you're not 0:15:52.160 --> 0:15:54.760 on top of your game, okay, he'll challenge you to 0:15:54.880 --> 0:15:56.560 be better as a coach. And that's what he does 0:15:56.640 --> 0:15:59.160 for me. And that's goes for Sean Mannon as well. 0:15:59.200 --> 0:16:02.280 And are they're two young quarterbacks. Really bright room. But 0:16:03.600 --> 0:16:05.200 I would just say he's so on the ball that 0:16:05.920 --> 0:16:08.200 he forces the best out of you as a coach, 0:16:08.240 --> 0:16:10.680 which I really appreciate. Yeah, man and I'm so glad 0:16:10.720 --> 0:16:13.240 you brought up Sean Manum because it's the non obvious 0:16:13.320 --> 0:16:15.520 and like in the off season when you know Manuon's 0:16:15.520 --> 0:16:18.720 on a one year deal and you know there are players, rookies, 0:16:18.840 --> 0:16:22.880 free agents, whatever, more physically gifted than Sean, but Sean 0:16:23.320 --> 0:16:26.200 is the one you keep bringing back more so because 0:16:26.240 --> 0:16:28.760 of what he does with Kirk and with you behind 0:16:28.800 --> 0:16:31.920 the scenes. Right, Yeah, it's a you know, there's a 0:16:31.920 --> 0:16:34.560 lot more to being a backup, and he brings a 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:37.160 lot of intangibles to the mix. But I also do 0:16:37.320 --> 0:16:39.360 truly believe he's a hell of a player. And you know, 0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:41.400 he hasn't had a lot of opportunities. I thought he'd 0:16:41.480 --> 0:16:44.320 played really well in that Chicago game last year. There's 0:16:44.360 --> 0:16:46.720 some things outside of his control. But you want to 0:16:46.760 --> 0:16:50.960 talk about a great teammate, a competitive guy, a smart guy, 0:16:51.840 --> 0:16:54.320 just the guy that has all the right makeup that 0:16:54.440 --> 0:16:57.200 you want in a Viking and a great teammate. So 0:16:57.720 --> 0:17:00.680 couldn't be more happier to have Sean And where he's 0:17:00.680 --> 0:17:02.440 always trying to get better too. We gotta make him 0:17:02.520 --> 0:17:04.640 better so when his opportunity comes, he's ready to fill 0:17:04.720 --> 0:17:08.520 in and exceed expectations. Hey, Clint, when you're working with 0:17:08.680 --> 0:17:11.000 Kirk before the game, or maybe when you guys are 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:13.320 at a hotel of the night before, can you tell 0:17:13.840 --> 0:17:16.679 when Kirk's gonna have one of those lights out games? 0:17:17.720 --> 0:17:21.640 Absolutely not, because he's always the same. You know, He's 0:17:21.680 --> 0:17:24.600 the same, whether they're they're on him in the papers 0:17:24.720 --> 0:17:26.719 or in the media, or whether he just was an 0:17:26.760 --> 0:17:28.680 NFC Player of the Month like he was last year. 0:17:28.800 --> 0:17:31.800 So that's I think that's why he's been so successful. 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:34.520 He's the same every day and you know what to 0:17:34.640 --> 0:17:36.879 expect and his teammates know what to expect from him. 0:17:36.920 --> 0:17:39.080 That's a great quality to have in a quarterback. So 0:17:39.320 --> 0:17:41.800 you go back to Houston and I mean, you know, 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:43.360 I know, you spend a fair amount of your life 0:17:43.400 --> 0:17:45.960 there and your your father grew up five minutes from 0:17:46.200 --> 0:17:49.440 NRG Stadium Astrodome. The whole thing. Couldn't really do like 0:17:49.560 --> 0:17:52.800 the family reunion barbecue, could you. Yeah? And that wasn't 0:17:52.840 --> 0:17:54.240 a bad thing. You know, we got to folks on 0:17:54.320 --> 0:17:57.159 the game. I understand that, but isn't it. I Mean 0:17:57.600 --> 0:18:00.320 there's so many weird things, man, and so many different things, 0:18:00.359 --> 0:18:03.120 and you have to accept as we move forward, push 0:18:03.200 --> 0:18:05.159 through this whole thing together. But I mean when you 0:18:05.200 --> 0:18:07.399 go back to a place like Houston, you know, and 0:18:07.520 --> 0:18:09.760 you walk into that stadium and you got family and 0:18:09.880 --> 0:18:13.040 friends there, and you know, to keep things so like 0:18:13.480 --> 0:18:16.119 the Titans get bit and then you guys come up 0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:18.840 with zero positives over x amount of days, which is 0:18:18.880 --> 0:18:21.280 the story of the season. For me, it was phenomenal 0:18:21.600 --> 0:18:24.960 how great you guys are handling that. It still is 0:18:24.960 --> 0:18:26.840 a little bit of a reality check, right when you 0:18:26.920 --> 0:18:28.960 go to a place like that and it's like, oh, okay, 0:18:29.040 --> 0:18:33.080 so all right, no barbecue of this side. Yeah, you know, 0:18:33.320 --> 0:18:35.199 Coach Zimmer does such a good job of keeping us 0:18:35.280 --> 0:18:37.960 on task. You know that we are just we're dialed 0:18:38.000 --> 0:18:42.080 into our responsibility in our job that day. So honestly, 0:18:42.280 --> 0:18:45.360 to us, it's just another day at the office, another game, 0:18:45.680 --> 0:18:47.840 and it all feels the same. That's a testament to 0:18:48.119 --> 0:18:51.359 the way he prepares us. Tell me about the Seattle defense. 0:18:51.400 --> 0:18:53.600 It feels like Bobby Wagner has been around so long. 0:18:53.640 --> 0:18:56.359 He played with the eighty five Bears, Quandre Diggs, you 0:18:56.440 --> 0:18:58.959 remember him from the Lions and last year and then 0:18:59.000 --> 0:19:01.720 they got this beefeater in the middle poona four. Nobody 0:19:01.760 --> 0:19:05.040 ever talks about ninety seven. He's unbelievably good. Yeah, we 0:19:05.119 --> 0:19:07.960 have a lot of respect for this defense. Obviously, they 0:19:08.000 --> 0:19:11.000 gave us everything we could handle last year, so it was, 0:19:11.640 --> 0:19:12.879 you know, we're gonna have to be on top of 0:19:12.960 --> 0:19:15.879 our game to have a successful Sunday. And that's what 0:19:15.960 --> 0:19:18.399 we're in the works doing right now, Paul. We're putting 0:19:18.440 --> 0:19:21.119 in the time watching the film so that tomorrow when 0:19:21.119 --> 0:19:22.920 these players get here, we can just feed him great 0:19:22.920 --> 0:19:24.679 information and get them ready to play and get them 0:19:24.760 --> 0:19:28.879 playing fast and not thinking but reacting. That's the main 0:19:28.960 --> 0:19:31.479 thing to do. Get him ready as a coach, last one. 0:19:31.560 --> 0:19:35.600 But being Gary Kubiak's son, growing up son of a coach, 0:19:36.560 --> 0:19:39.440 just what did you really really absorb that you remember 0:19:39.560 --> 0:19:41.680 back to the day, just watching the way he does 0:19:41.760 --> 0:19:45.040 it and now you're getting the opportunity to do it. Yeah, 0:19:45.280 --> 0:19:46.920 you know, the first thing that comes to mind is 0:19:47.960 --> 0:19:52.800 isn't that he was always a dad And so when 0:19:53.240 --> 0:19:55.240 I just don't remember him being a coach, I remember 0:19:55.320 --> 0:19:57.840 him having a job that kept him away from home 0:19:57.920 --> 0:20:01.840 many many nights. But I just that's what I respect 0:20:01.960 --> 0:20:03.280 most now that I get to be a dad. I 0:20:03.359 --> 0:20:07.200 got three kids, and uh, they shouldn't know that I'm 0:20:07.240 --> 0:20:09.440 a coach and someone tells him, you know. So he 0:20:09.640 --> 0:20:11.200 was always a hell of a dad and still is. 0:20:11.760 --> 0:20:13.320 What a blessing he is to work with him every 0:20:13.520 --> 0:20:16.400 every day. It's it's great, what an awesome response. Thank 0:20:16.440 --> 0:20:18.239 you for that. So where'd you get the forty two 0:20:18.280 --> 0:20:21.120 inch vertical mom or Dad? Yeah, I think you're embellishing 0:20:21.160 --> 0:20:22.680 a little bit on that. I think there's a good 0:20:22.720 --> 0:20:27.120 camera angle there. But uh yeah, back in the day, 0:20:27.280 --> 0:20:29.040 you know, I had some hopsit that was. That was 0:20:29.160 --> 0:20:31.480 many years ago, and now I could barely call like 0:20:31.520 --> 0:20:34.840 it over a stair. You picked off case Keenum, who 0:20:34.960 --> 0:20:37.480 was unbelievable in college and was on one side of 0:20:37.520 --> 0:20:40.399 the Minneapolis miracle. I mean, for one second, you can 0:20:40.440 --> 0:20:43.320