Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer

After watching the tape, obviously there were some good things and some things we have to get corrected. I thought the team fought like crazy, we were down 20-7 and we fought like crazy getting back. There was some good things defensively. They were one of five in the red zone. Our offense was 50 percent on third downs, and they were 31 percent. After the interception late in the ball game it was critical that we stopped them there and for them to kick a field goal and give us an opportunity to tie the game. In the running game, honestly there were some good runs in there, but we had some penalties and it got called back. We need to continue to work on that area, we need to be a little bit more disciplined defensively in some of the things that we're doing. Guys are trying to make plays, and so we just need to settle that down. I think we'll get back on track.

Q: What went in to the decision to let Daniel Carlson go?

A: Did you see the game?

Q: Was it an easy decision?

A: Yeah, it was pretty easy.

Q: Has the team signed Dan Bailey?

A: We're bringing him in for a physical. We'll see if we sign him or not.

Q: Have you felt a little snakebit with kickers during your time here?

A: That's life. I don't know. It's hard to figure out. You think you got a guy for a while, and then he goes out and misses three in a big game. But things happen I guess.

Q: You said yesterday that you and Rick Spielman were going to sit down and discuss personnel decisions. Was Coach Priefer involved in that conversation, or did you take it out of his hands?

A: No, we didn't.

Q: Do you wish you had the two sixth round draft picks that you used to move up and select Carlson back?

A: No. That's water off a duck's back. We'll get some more sixth rounders next year, I'm not worried about that. Plus we got three undrafted free agents on the roster too, so that's probably better than having those sixth rounders.

Q: How does a tie feel the day after? Is it still strange?

A: Yeah, it feels like a loss. I'm sure they probably feel the same way. I don't know, you'd have to ask them. But there was so many things that happened there, and you got a chance to kick it and win it, and we don't get it done. It feels like a loss. It obviously is way better than a loss, but we play to win. We didn't get that part of it.

Q: You signed a veteran player in wide receiver Aldrick Robinson. Is that just to help your depth at the position, or is that due to Laquon Treadwell's struggles in yesterday's game?

A: We're going to see how he [Robinson] does, how he performs here in practice and then go from there.

Q: What did you like about Robinson when you brought him in for a workout?

A: Well [Kirk] Cousins was with him before, and he really liked him. He's a fast guy, makes some deep ball plays. Kirk throws a great deep ball, as you saw the other day.

Q: Have you had a chance to talk to Treadwell? If so, what did you tell him after a difficult game like yesterdays?

A: I talked to the whole team, but I haven't talked to him individually. I've talked to some guys individually.

Q: What do you think he was trying to do?

A: I think he was trying to run before he caught the ball.

Q: What can players do differently when hitting the quarterback?

A: Yeah. It's hard. They had one, we had one. The one on Eric [Kendricks] didn't look like he puffed him up or anything. I don't know it's going to cost. I think that's why scoring is way up right now, too, because of the things that they're calling. Apparently that's why it's an offensive league.

Q: Does hitting a quarterback in that legal strike zone actually increase the player's chances of landing on top of him because of where they are trying to aim?

A: It's difficult. They're making it really difficult on defenders because you have to hit them in a certain spot then when you hit them and they start to go backwards your momentum is going to carry you through with it. I've even seen guys as they start going to the ground they put their hands out and they still call it. I don't know.

Q: Do you think it needs to go to replay?

A: No. We got enough replay now, I think.

Q: How do you think Brian O'Neill did filling in for Rashod Hill?

A: Yeah, he did pretty good. I thought he played well.

Q: Do you feel fortunate that Dan Bailey is available?

A: We haven't signed him yet, so I don't know if I feel fortunate yet or not.

Q: Special teams as a whole is not where you wanted it, what is your approach moving forward?

A: Yeah, we're going to have to clean it up. I've talked to the team about some things and that I'll keep within ourselves, but we've got to do a better job there. We can't get a punt blocked. We did have some good returns in the game. We should of fair caught a couple punts that we didn't – lost about ten yards on each one. We've got to do a better job there, yeah.  

Q: Did Kirk Cousins show you anything from a competitive standpoint in the fourth quarter that maybe you hadn't seen before?

A: Not really. I mean I know he's a competitor. He played outstanding last week and everybody was saying he was zero for six in the fourth quarter and this week he's 14 out of 20 and two touchdowns or whatever it is. Everything is a week-to-week thing. I know everybody gets all excited about what this guys didn't do this week or what this guy did this week, so he's always been a competitor to me. I thought he played great.

Q: Do you think some of the issues you had against Jimmy Graham were similar to those that you had ailed you against San Francisco's tight end?

A: No. I do not.

Q: What were some of the issues with the tight end yesterday?

A: Well, we turned him loose twice. I mean we didn't even cover him. That was pretty easy there. Guys looking at the quarterback when he should be looking at their player.

Q: Are some of the incompletions like Kirk Cousins sending it deep down in the middle of the field and Stefon Diggs cutting off the route just guys reading things wrong on routes or is it miscommunication?

A: I am trying to think of the two plays you are talking about. I am not going to tell you what the process of the play was. So, miscommunication let's say.

Q: How difficult is it for a cornerback when a wide receiver can show his hands that late like Adam Thielen did?

A: Yes it's hard, especially when you're running with your back from the quarterback, which a lot of the times you are. That is something a lot of the good receivers do. It was a great play, great throw, great catch. Kirk got hit pretty close to the knee, even though that is not illegal, either. He made a great throw and Thielen made a great catch.

Q: Would going from 15 minutes to 10 minutes in overtime change anything?

A: I do think you have a chance to have more ties. I think that is the second tie this year, right? I do think you have a chance to have more ties that way. As hot as it was yesterday, probably because of the heat and the number of plays. They had the ball for 38 minutes and we had it for 31 or something like that. I would say a little less number of plays that you are out there, the less opportunity there is for guys to get hurt.