Lewis, Zimmer share connection
MINNEAPOLIS — Mike Zimmer was about ready to be done with his quest to become an NFL head coach, discouraged after so many fruitless interviews.
Though he didn’t want to lose his esteemed defensive coordinator, Marvin Lewis encouraged Zimmer to stick with it.
Finally, Zimmer was hired in Minnesota in 2014. Lewis remains in charge in Cincinnati, with the secondlongest tenure in the league at 15 seasons.
If the double-digitfavored Vikings (10-3) beat the Bengals (5-8) on Sunday, they’ll clinch their second NFC North title in three years. Lewis has an expiring contract, bound for a second straight absence from the postseason, and an 0-7 career record in the playoffs. Now it’s Zimmer who’s doing the encouraging.
“He’s a heck of a coach. He does unbelievable things in the community. I learned a lot from him. I’m happy for him,” Zimmer said. “In my opinion he should be able to stay there as long as he wants.”
Lewis expressed his appreciation this week for the support from his former lieutenant. He reflected on the advice he gave Zimmer almost four years ago, before the Vikings came after him.
“They obviously made a great decision,” Lewis said, “and those that haven’t wish they had.”
The Bengals still run the same type of gap-control, press-coverage defense with unpredictable blitzes by linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties to supplement a strong front four. The holdovers from 2013 and earlier have been reflecting on the, uh, colorful language, savvy strategy and astute teaching that Zimmer was responsible for over six seasons with Cincinnati.
“He got the job done,” safety George Iloka said. “You respected it because he was consistent in how he coached — the five-time Pro Bowler to the rookies.”
Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, the linebackers coach when Zimmer departed, is still close to his former mentor and attended his daughter’s wedding this summer.
“Everything I’ve learned under him I’ve carried over,” Guenther said.
The Bengals were suffering from an emotional hangover from their 23-20 loss on Dec. 4 to Pittsburgh when they were drubbed 33-7 at Paul Brown Stadium by a Chicago team that’s just 4-9 this year. The question now is if they can muster some positive emotion to compete with a likely playoff-bound foe.
“Especially being on the road, you’ve got to bring your own energy,” quarterback Andy Dalton said. “For us, it’s the expectation. We can’t have another game like we had last week.”