Vikings’ Mike Zimmer predicts high NFL scoring will ‘come back down’

Mike Zimmer’s coaching roots are in defense, so it’s understandable that he isn’t overly thrilled with the prolific scoring in the NFL this season.

Nevertheless, the Minnesota Vikings’ coach believes that despite rules being instituted to help enhance offensive production, there are sound reasons that the trend won’t continue. Topping his list is the strategic adjustments defenses will continue to make to deal with what offenses are throwing at them.

‘Last year it was exceptionally low-scoring and the NFL wanted to get higher scoring levels’

“I think, eventually, it’s going to come back down,” Zimmer told Alex Marvez and Bill Polian on Late Hits. “Last year it was exceptionally low-scoring and the NFL wanted to get higher scoring levels. And so, they’ve got what they wanted. And you look at some of the penalties and how it how it favors the offense and, obviously, there’s some young quarterbacks have really stepped up this year in the league. I think that’s part of it.

“But these defensive coaches are going to adjust. When everybody was playing Tampa Two, it was great for awhile and then everybody started scheming it and so part of the deal for us defensive coaches and defensive coaches in general is to adjust and adapt just like the offenses have. It’s a cyclical game and everybody’s going to continue to improve, they’re going to work on their weaknesses and it may take awhile. But maybe the cold weather will help us a little bit, too, I don’t know.”

‘I do think there’s a big, huge influx of college football coming into the NFL’

Zimmer also thinks that the use of college concepts, such as run-pass options (RPOs), is also contributing to the increase in scoring.

“Watching the Bears, there’s RPOs, there’s zone reads, there’s all these different things that are going on,” Zimmer said. “Philly used the RPOs against us in the championship game last year. We worked extremely hard on it this offseason, so we’ve been pretty good against the RPOs. But I do think there’s a big, huge influx of college football coming into the NFL. Now, if these quarterbacks start getting hit like some of these defensive coaches are going to end up hitting them, I think it’s going to get settled down a little bit.”