*Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer *
Q: What did you accomplish during your dye week?
A: We got a chance to look into a five-game self-scout and things we feel like we need to get better, things we need to improve and what we're doing good. I think it was productive, hopefully.
Q: In what areas do you think you need to improve?
A: There are lots of things. Some of the coverages we're playing, we have to do a better job of. Offensively, we've got to eliminate minus plays – keeps putting us in difficult situations – and a lot of it is philosophical talk about five weeks, too, which I'm not going to talk about.
Q: As a coach, do you sit around and watch the games on a Sunday, or do you try to do something away from football?
A: I'll watch them. Some, but not all of them.
Q: Is there an importance to let the players know how they can improve?
A: I just got done telling them about a few things we've got to do better, but yeah, definitely.
Q: What are you looking for in the first workout after the break, if they're picking up where they left off or their attitude?
A: A little bit of both, how they came back. I talked to them about making sure when you come back that you don't come out here and pull muscles, get some workouts in, watch some tape. They did a good job in meetings today. For the most part, they did a good job in practice as far as being on point with things. There were a couple things I had to mention to them that we need to do better today, but I think overall, these guys are pretty focused most of the time.
Q: How is Jake Long integrating himself into the team after a couple practices?
A: I think good. Obviously, I haven't seen the tape today yet, and they had 12 plays the other day or something. So, it's kind of hard to evaluate on that right now.
Q: Do you think he could see action Sunday? When will you know?
A: Probably Friday.
Q: On the offensive line, is that theoretically something where someone could come in and play fairly quickly, or is that something where you have to get the guy into the mix?
A: It's hard, but Jake's a smart guy. He has been with [Offensive Line Coach] Tony [Sparano] before, so all those things kind of help. It's probably not as hard as being the quarterback and coming in.
Q: What advantage is it to Sam Bradford this week to face a defense he has seen a lot of?
A: I haven't talked to him about that yet, about any of those things, but I know he knows those guys are pretty good, because he practiced against them for quite a while. So, I don't think it's a big deal. We still have to do what we do.
Q: When you look at Carson Wentz, what do you think has allowed him to thrive?
A: I think he has done a really good job of … It seems like he understands where the ball is going quickly. He has done a nice job of avoiding pressure in the pocket and using his athletic ability, and he has got a great arm. He looks very accurate to me. He has got a great deep ball. So, he has been impressive.
Q: You guys have played five games; a lot of team have played six. Where do you see yourselves ranking in the NFC or just in general?
A: I think it 0-0 now, and we start a new season. You just forget about what has happened in the past, and we start moving on. So, now it's, for us, I think it's an 11-game season, and we'll see where we're at then.
Q: Would you say the bye week was productive in terms of guys healing up?
A: Yeah, I think so. We've got a lot of guys on IR, but that's the name of the game.
Q: Did your knee get the rest it needed?
A: I don't know if it's rested but it'll be fine.
Q: Can Sam be helpful in terms of what the Eagles offense will look to do?
A: Obviously, we're going to ask him. I think all that stuff is really overrated. I think we have to execute what we do. Some games we get signals from other teams and things like that and a lot of guys don't play good when they know that stuff. We typically kind of just play and do what we do and don't worry too much about the other team. Obviously we're always going to look for tips and how we can help the players. A lot of players play better when they focus on their keys and focus on the things that they do.
Q: What were your thoughts on Isame Faciane's arrest this past week?
A: My thoughts are that it's disappointing and that's one of the things that I'm trying to get rid of around here. Making sure that our fans are being represented in the right way. It was stupid and we'll see.
Q: What about his future with the team?
A: We're looking through all the things right now with what's going on, getting all the facts.
Q: Do you set being the number one scoring defense in the league as a goal?
A: Not really, obviously, we don't want them to score. I think so many other things get factored into that – how you play in the red zone, are you giving up big plays, how are you on third down. I think all those things are a combination of getting to the scoring defense. To me, it's a product of the other things that you do defensively.
Q: Is that the ultimate team goal when guys aren't focused on individual stats?
A: I don't know, I've never talked to them about number one in scoring defense. Actually, I've never talked to them about number one in defense ever. For us, I know it sounds cliché or something, but we just try and work on the process of guys doing their job, being in the right place and making plays.
Q: How much of an advantage is it to have extra time in practice this week for installs?
A: A little bit, part of it is getting back with it again. To me, today was important to see these guys come out here and where they were. My first year, when I'd give them some time off they'd come back and forget everything they had learned. Today it wasn't like that. Now there was some things that I saw that we had to correct quickly. Their recall right now is so much better than what it was. That was the important thing to me, to see what kind of recall we had with the things that we do.
Q: Will Taylor Heinicke get back into practice this week?A: He probably will, yes.
Q: Will he start practicing Wednesday?A: This week, probably.
