Bridge’ the gap
Parcells helping protégé move on in Minnesota
MIKE Zimmer is a lucky guy. Understandably, that sounds crazy considering he lost his franchise quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, to a devastating season-ending knee injury Tuesday that threatens to wreck the Vikings’ playoff and Super Bowl prospects.
The Vikings coach, who led his team to an 11-5 record and an NFC North title last season, does not have a starting quarterback. But he does have Bill Parcells. Parcells, who’s been a mentor of Zimmer’s since Zimmer was on his staff for four years in Dallas, might have a hand in helping to save the Vikings’ season with some sage advice he’s been offering to his former apprentice.
Parcells, who won 183 games, including two Super Bowls, hasn’t coached since 2006. But he’s been doing some coaching from Saratoga, N.Y., to Minnesota via cell phone — coaching Zimmer since the terrible news of Bridgewater’s injury broke.
Parcells has lived the nightmare Zimmer is living. Twice. Remember Vinny Testaverde’s ruptured Achilles in the 1999 Jets season opener and Phil Simms’ right foot injury in the 13th regular-season game of the 1990 season?
Parcells spoke to Zimmer twice Tuesday and he sent a moving text message to him Wednesday morning that related some poignant advice former Raiders owner Al Davis once gave to him.
“I told him, ‘Listen, I think everybody’s in shock, including the organization members and the owners and the fans and even the media. But tomorrow morning they’re going to want to know what the hell you’re gonna do,’ ’’ Parcells told The Post on Wednesday. “I told him he’s got to get everybody else moving and understand that he’s got some resources on his team — they’ve got a pretty good team — and there’s a way to play that will allow you to have a chance to win, or compete to win.
“You’ve got to figure that out and you got to convince everybody of it.’’
Parcells figured it out in ’90, when backup Jeff Hostetler took over for Simms and helped lead the Giants to the Super Bowl XXV title.
He failed to figure it out in ’99, when Testaverde went down in the opener a year after the Jets had advanced to the AFC Championship and had legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
Parcells handed the reins to Rick Mirer initially and didn’t replace Mirer with Ray Lucas in time to save the Jets’ season, which ended 8-8 and with no playoff berth. Starting in Week 2, Mirer went 2-4 before Lucas was inserted and led the Jets to a 6-3 record to close the season.
“It was shocking,’’ Parcells recalled of the Testaverde injury. “But you know what? If I’d have made the decision to go to Lucas earlier, we’d have
gotten to the playoffs. If I’d have gone to Lucas one or two games earlier … but I didn’t do it. That’s what haunts me about that.
“I was trying to give the guy [Mirer] the benefit of the doubt because he was a little bit more veteran. But [bleep], there was something missing. And as soon as I put [Lucas] in there we had a good team again. That’s when you second-guess yourself and say, ‘[Bleep], if I’d have just done it quicker … ’ ’’
Parcells has, in the past, conceded to succumbing to the pity party for too long before trying to right his team’s season. It’s a mistake he’s implored Zimmer not to make.
“I’m worried less about Mike than I am other people, because his father was a coach — just like [Bill] Belichick,’’ Parcells said. “They get it. They lived it at the dinner table. They know. They’ve seen it all their life.’’ How will Zimmer cope? “Coaches are trained to move on,’’ Parcells said. “They’re playing the game in two weeks, the opening game [against Tennessee]. They’re not canceling the game. Mike’s got some good things going for him — he’s got a good runner [Adrian Peterson], got a good defense, his offensive line is going to be better. “He’s got a chance if they can figure it out.’’