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It was only a couple weeks ago that we were talking about the lighter mood of Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer.
Buoyed by a veteran-heavy defense and the start of a far more normal-than-2020 training camp, the Vikings coach seemed genuinely positive — or at least optimistic — about the season ahead. Sure, there would be pressure. He might even be coaching for his job depending on how things went. But the mood was noticeably upbeat.
Everything that has happened since then, however, has made the mood far more heavy — culminating, at least for the moment, with Zimmer's palpable displeasure with his team's effort in a 33-6 preseason opener loss to the Broncos on Saturday.
"We didn't tackle well. We made the wrong checks on defense with the safeties. We threw an interception for a touchdown. We go three-and-out the first two series. Terrible punts," Zimmer said in a halftime interview that might provide important context as the season goes on. "So other than that it's been great."
Patrick Reusse and I talked about Zimmer's anger on Monday's Daily Delivery podcast. While it's important to note that virtually every important player who figures to see prominent action in Week 1 of the regular season didn't play Saturday, it is also fair to say that the tension in Zimmer's voice was more cumulative than just isolated to one half of football.
If you don't see the podcast player, tap here to listen.
To me, it comes down to this: With less than a month to go before the Vikings kick off for real, can Zimmer trust the players he needs the most this year?
Can he trust his high-paid, veteran quarterback — one who has been durable but erratic in his play throughout his career and has now added the question of availability because of his stance on the COVID vaccine?
Can he trust his special teams: two inexperienced kickers battling for the job, a punter who struggled last season and who Zimmer called out Saturday, and coverage teams largely staffed by inexperienced players?
Can he trust his offensive line: remade once again and likely to be young, inexperienced or both while also waiting for a return to health of the first-round pick at left tackle?
The answer to any of those questions is maybe at best — and when it comes to trust, maybe is a no.
The hammer that could render all of those questions less meaningful is this: Can Zimmer trust his defense?
With positive reports on Danielle Hunter and Michael Pierce plus reinforcements in the secondary, I would say the answer to that question is yes.
I've always had the sense that the year Zimmer relished the most in his Vikings career was 2015, when the Vikings leaned heavily on their defense to win 11 games and the NFC North (and should have won a subzero playoff game 12-10).
These Vikings have far more offensive playmakers than the 2015 squad, but I could see Zimmer leaning into the defense almost as much this year as he did then.
For Zimmer, it's a trust game — especially this year, when his job could be on the line.
