What a Mike Zimmer Defense brings to Dallas Cowboys

[America's Cowboy]

What to expect from a Mike Zimmer defense...





Double A Gap Schemes


Passion and Discipline


Effort and Culture Change

 

[Cowboys5217]

What he already brought to Dallas 20 years ago when he was NOT a dinosaur DC that had been out of the league - the STILL STANDING NFL record for most 200 yard rushers allowed in a single season.

 

[America's Cowboy]

What he already brought to Dallas 20 years ago when he was NOT a dinosaur DC that had been out of the league - the STILL STANDING NFL record for most 200 yard rushers allowed in a single season.

Provide a link to support your comment.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Good stuff......I read he said we may not have as many turnovers but we won't give up many big plays.

 

[TwentyOne]

Provide a link to support your comment.

That is common knowledge. Everybody knows that. No need for a source.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Uneffictive, slow, static, oldschool defense that worked in the 90s. That is what he will bring

Well.......here are some DVOA rankings for his Viking's D. Not bad.....

Viking year by year defensive ranking (DVOA) under Zimmer​

I wanted to look this up and post it because I've seen a lot of people say that we had bad defenses in 2018 and 2019. Which is false (cue Dwight face). I think what happened was our D was so good in 2017 that by comparison '18 and '19 seemed worse then they were because we were expecting them to be nearly as good as '17. Usually these comments are made in one of the endless Kirk arguments to say he never had a good defense. I just wanted to correct the history that gets a little murky on here.
DVOA isn't perfect but it gives you a good idea of about where that team ranked in that category. Here is an explanation from Football Outsider's website:

DVOA is a method of evaluating teams, units, or players. It takes every single play during the NFL season and compares each one to a league-average baseline based on situation. DVOA measures not just yardage, but yardage towards a first down: Five yards on third-and-4 are worth more than five yards on first-and-10 and much more than five yards on third-and-12. Red zone plays are worth more than other plays. Performance is also adjusted for the quality of the opponent. DVOA is a percentage, so a team with a DVOA of 10.0% is 10 percent better than the average team, and a quarterback with a DVOA of -20.0% is 20 percent worse than the average quarterback. Because DVOA measures scoring, defenses are better when they are negative.

Vikings DVOA rankings under Zim:​

Year	DVOA	DVOA Rank	Points/Yards Rank	DVOA TM Rank (Since 1983, so out of 38)
2020	3.4%	18	29/27	27
2019	-12.3%	4	5/14	11
2018	-12.6%	3	9/4	10
2017	-17.2%	1	1/1	4
2016	-9.4%	7	6/3	14
2015	-1.4%	14	5/13	22

The other shocking thing is our 2020 defense wasn't as bad as we all remember (although I think the 18th ranking is a bit high) I'm guessing Alvin Kamara deleted anything positive from our brains. We should be poised for a giant bounce back.


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Mike Zimmer was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2014–2021, during which time his defense was ranked in the top 10 five times. The Vikings also made the playoffs three times during his tenure, including a trip to the NFC Championship Game. Zimmer was fired after an 8–9 season with a career record of 72–56–1.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Over Zimmer's last 7 years as Vikings head coach, his defenses on average have finished 11th in defensive DVOA. This is despite the fact that finishing 25th in 2020 and 19th in 2021 are weighing down the average


https://vikingsterritory.com/2022/g...statistical-rankings-from-the-mike-zimmer-era

All the Vikings Statistical Rankings from the Mike Zimmer Era​

 

[America's Cowboy]

That is common knowledge. Everybody knows that. No need for a source.

Funny since the only stat list I can find is...

https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-200-yard-rushing-games-allowed-by-team-in-season

I don't see the Zimmer led Vikings on this list.

 

[DallasEast]

I admire any Dallas Cowboys fan who has been able to forget one of several low points of the Dave Campo head coaching era. Mike Zimmer was his defensive coordinator in 2000:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/s/2000/1203/921684.html

America's Team has now allowed three different backs to pile up at least 200 yards this year, becoming the first team ever to allow more than one 200-yard rusher in a season. Dunn's 210 yards against the 'Boys this week comes after Dallas had given up 201 to both Charlie Garner in Week 4 and Duce Staley in Week 1.

The Cleveland Browns (2003) and Buffalo Bills (2016) tied the same record after Dallas set it. I will edit this post with those verifiable links momentarily.

EDIT

https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/pro/2003/12/22/Another-fluke-for-Lewis/stories/200312220032

In September, the Browns suggested that Lewis record-setting day was something of a fluke. Yesterday, however, marked the third 200-yard performance by an opposing running back and the sixth time this season that an opposing back rushed for triple figures

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/nfl/bills-eliminated-from-playoff-contention-1.3912330

Buffalo has allowed 200 yards rushing three times this season, including a franchise-worst 236 yards to Le'Veon Bell in a 27-20 loss to Pittsburgh two weeks ago.

 

[DallasEast]

What he already brought to Dallas 20 years ago when he was NOT a dinosaur DC that had been out of the league - the STILL STANDING NFL record for most 200 yard rushers allowed in a single season.

The record has been tied twice afterwards. I guess that is a silver lining heh heh.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

A new scape goat?

 

[Ranching]

Funny since the only stat list I can find is...

https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-200-yard-rushing-games-allowed-by-team-in-season

I don't see the Zimmer led Vikings on this list.

Haters, gonna hate....what a miserable existence..., living in a constant state of negativity....I guess I shouldn't judge, they may have issues that cause them to react this way.

 

[Ranching]

A new scape goat?

Nah, just another Cowboy to hate on. Go laugh it up with your eagle friends. Enjoy....

 

[chicago JK]

He is a good coach. With the talent he has will he be better than Quinn was? My answer is no. I am expecting a slight/moderate step back from the defense last year. If zimmer is back next year, maybe they make a bigger investment of bulk on the interior. Yeah right….

 

[Cowfan75Lives]

That is common knowledge. Everybody knows that. No need for a source.

Please provide a source that confirms the sky is blue.

 

[DallasEast]

What he already brought to Dallas 20 years ago when he was NOT a dinosaur DC that had been out of the league - the STILL STANDING NFL record for most 200 yard rushers allowed in a single season.

Bold> Just realized you are technically correct. What separates Dallas' first-time NFL record for allowing the most 200+ yard rushers in a single season, from Cleveland and Buffalo, are individual rushers. The Cowboys allowed three guys to do it, while the Browns and Bills only allowed two guys each:

Player	Yds	Date	Team		Opp
Duce Staley	201​	9/3/2000​	PHI	@	DAL
Charlie Garner	201​	9/24/2000​	SFO	@	DAL
Warrick Dunn	210​	12/3/2000​	TAM		DAL

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StalDu00/gamelog/2000/
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GarnCh00/gamelog/2000/
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DunnWa00/gamelog/2000/

Player	Yds	Date	Team		Opp
Jamal Lewis	295​	9/14/2003​	BAL		CLE
LaDainian Tomlinson	200​	10/19/2003​	SDG	@	CLE
Jamal Lewis	205​	12/21/2003​	BAL	@	CLE

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LewiJa00/gamelog/2003/
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TomlLa00/gamelog/2003/

Player	Yds	Date	Team		Opp
Jay Ajayi	214​	10/23/2016​	MIA		BUF
Le'Veon Bell	236​	12/11/2016​	PIT	@	BUF
Jay Ajayi	206​	12/24/2016​	MIA	@	BUF

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AjayJa00/gamelog/2016/
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BellLe00/gamelog/2016/

Guess Dallas (and Zimmer) are fortunate the rest of the NFC East did not have a Jamal Lewis type back in 2000--or a healthy Jay Ajayi type back also.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Good stuff......I read he said we may not have as many turnovers but we won't give up many big plays.

can totally see this happening, but look for people to start bashing diggs for not getting INT's when he's paid so much

 

[big dog cowboy]

What a Mike Zimmer Defense brings to Dallas Cowboys​

 

[Aven8]

can totally see this happening, but look for people to start bashing diggs for not getting INT's when he's paid so much

Bland and Diggs are ball magnets. All the corners Zimm have coached previously were not those type of guys. TNew was a fantastic corner but never a ball magnet.

 

[DuncanIso]

Excellent hire by Jerry.

Likely our next HC.