Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer

Getting ready with preparations here for a very good Philadelphia team. Need to play good on the road. Get back to being a little bit more like how we are and I think we'll end up playing well this week.

Q: What needs to happen to get back to how you are?

A: We just have to start doing things a little bit better than how we've been doing them. I obviously addressed some things with the team the last couple days. We got some points of emphasis that we have to continue to get better at.

Q: Have you had chance to look at the film with the pass coverage emphasis?

A: Just doing the things we are supposed to do them, the way we've always done them.

Q: How do you get the balance for you are looking for offensively?

A: It has been difficult. We have to be patient with it, number one. Honestly, a little bit has been dictated with some of the scores throughout the last couple ball games. It's important for us to have balance. It keeps the defensive line from pinning their ears back all the time. I think it helps the football team overall. We just have to do a better job.

Q: Do you think you have the offensive line that can physically do it?

A: Yes. It's about creating space and trying to get to the second level.

Q: How has Carson Wentz looked to you?

A: He looked really good. He moves around well. Accurate, throws the ball. Great arm. Looks good.

Q: Do you see an opportunity with your blitz packages with Carson Wentz?

A: I don't know. I couldn't tell you if he got flustered or not. Typically, our blitz package is pretty good. So we'll see how the game unfolds.

Q: How much is misdirection and all the play action limiting what the pass rush wants to do?

A: A lot of times with play action, they're having seven guys blocking or eight guys blocking. That always does limit it. That's why it's important to run the football and be able to play action pass because it helps the offensive line. It helps everybody really.

Q: How do you try to scheme around that and get a quarterback off the spot? Is that a focus on edge rushers or interiors?

A: It's a focus in all areas honestly. Play action is always the hardest to rush against because the numbers of players that they have protecting.

Q: Even though they have a different quarterback, what can you gain out of seeing what they were able to do against you offensively last year?

A: I think if you go back and realistically look at that game that you'll see somethings that was not indicative of the score.

Q: Does their offense change much with Nick Foles or Carson Wentz at quarterback?

A: Not really. No, it's pretty similar.

Q: What makes their rush defense so good?

A: Well, their linebackers are aggressive, they're tight to the line of scrimmage. You get a lot of eight-man or seven-man in the box depending on personnel. Their defensive line is strong and physical. [Fletcher] Cox is a great player. [Brandon] Graham is a great player. I think [Derek] Barnett has really helped them a lot. He looks even better to me now. The linebackers run well.

Q: What have you thought of Xavier Rhodes up to this point of the season?

A: I know everybody wants to evaluate everybody after four weeks, but I think if you remember last year or early in the year Xavier had some penalties early in the year. We cleaned them up. This isn't a time for "woe is me". If people remember we were 2-2 this time last year. We finished 13-3. We were 5-0 the year before and we finished 8-8. We were 2-2 the year before that and we finished 11-5, so all the predictors, this isn't a good time to predict.

Q: How much has John DeFilippo given you insight on Philadelphia's offense?

A: No. We talked in the offseason more so than we are now. Right now we're grinding and things, but we talked in the offseason a fair amount.

Q: How is it having Kentrell Brothers back?

A: I don't know we'll have to see. I haven't seen him in four weeks, so we'll just have to see how it goes.

Q: What do you like about Anthony Barr as a pass rusher?

A: Anthony continues to get better. He's got great speed off the edge, and I think he's using his hands much better.

Q: Is there any more clarity as to if Everson Griffen will be back with the team this season?

A: No, no clarity.

Q: When you look at Philadelphia's run defense, what do you see?

A: It's good. They're giving up 63 yards a game. They've given up some runs, but they get a lot of negative runs. That helps them, and it gets the offense off schedule. But it's aggressive, sometimes they'll be in a nine-technique with their defensive end, sometimes they'll move him down and jump inside. They're going to give you some different looks off of that, but they're aggressive, especially in the core.

Q: You guys have had several negative run plays this year. Is that more of a product of the offensive line getting blown back, or running backs not reading the play correctly?

A: It's always a combination of things. The running game is not just the offensive line or the running backs, it's the tight ends, the fullbacks, and it's a lot of things. When guys miss blocks, that's typically what happens.

Q: You guys have had to play from behind multiple times this year. Does that make it difficult for an offense to not be one-dimensional?

A: Yeah, that's why we're trying to be more balanced. That's also why we're trying to change up the protections.