Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown’s quote about his game-winning touchdown catch vs. the Minnesota Vikings makes Mike Zimmer look absolutely terrible.
Nobody looks worse after Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown’s comment about his game-winning touchdown catch on Sunday afternoon than Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer.
Detroit had not won a game until hitting pay dirt on the final play of the game Sunday, stunning Minnesota 29-27 at Ford Field. It was an emotional game for the Lions and their entire fan base, as Greater Detroit is still dealing with the horrific high school shooting in the Oxford community. While the Lions were the better team on Sunday, St. Brown’s quote means Zimmer has to go.
“I was really shocked, actually,” said St. Brown to Pro Football Talk over the phone after the win. “The corner . . . I think he went like four or five yards deep into the end zone. It was perfect. I was running at him, and he actually just stayed there. He didn’t even come up. In my head I was like, ‘This is the perfect situation.’ As I broke in, there was no one in front of me. It just worked out perfect for us.”
Zimmer has been in the Twin Cities for years, but a mental lapse like this from the defensive-minded head coach is damning to say the least.
Amon-Ra St. Brown’s quote makes Mike Zimmer’s firing an inevitably now
Though there have been times where the Vikings look like a playoff team, they just can’t get out of their own way often enough. A playoff contender cannot lose games like this to the worst team in the division, even if it is on the road. To make matters worse, it was Zimmer’s side of the ball that let the team down. To not cover a rookie wide receiver at the goal line in this situation is just pitiful.
For Minnesota, Zimmer’s job hinges on the remote possibility that the Vikings make the playoffs. At this point, it feels like a pipe dream. As for the Lions, Detroit has the perfect head coach to help them rebuild under in Dan Campbell. His team may be devoid of talent, but they play hard every week. With his first win at the helm, Campbell is becoming a living legend across the entire league.
Expect for the Vikings to be one of half-a-dozen or so head-coaching jobs to open up this winter.