The season finale with the Minnesota Vikings taking on the Detroit Lions, takes place Sunday at noon. It's You're play by Playboys Paul Allen, joined weekly by Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. This is X's and Knows, presented all season by US Bank. How you doing coach things? All right? Ye're doing okay, Paul. The twenty twenty season probably the appreciation for adapting and people just having to make things work.
It probably is the highest it's ever been, right, Yeah, there was a lot of good communication, a lot of a lot of people following all the protocols and doing the things that they had to do. And uh, you know, I thought our guys did a nice job. When you write that book, will twenty twenty get a separate chapter? Yeah? Probably? And speak speaking to the twenty twenty season, not speaking for you, of course, but seriously, have you ever appreciated
the fans here, there, or anywhere more than this year? Yeah, it's been very unusual. It took a long time to get used to really going into the stadium being quiet and um, you know, on the road at home, the whole bit. You know, we have great fans and they you know, they definitely help us in the home field advantage. What um, Blake Lynch undrafted from Baylor. He had a bunch of tackles in that New Orleans game. But overall,
what do you what do you think of Blake? I think he's got a chance to be a good player. He's got good size, um, you know, like most of these young guys, they got to get bigger and stronger. But he's got good speed. He's a smart kid, so he has a chance. You know, I think has a chance to be a good special teams player next year and then maybe move move into you know, the lineup
a little bit more the following. You know this this Lynch undrafted from Baylor, I think twenty sixteen through twenty eighteen played offense, had like rushing and receiving touchdowns, twenty nineteen Sackson interceptions. That that's quite the athlete at Baylor
in the Big twelve. Pretty good. Yeah, and he uh it was a defensive back, you know, so he's still learning the position, um, you know, and he's I think Eric Wilson has helped him quite a bit trying to learn some of the some of the nuances of playing linebacker. You know, with the way the New Orleans game went and the way the season will end with no playoffs, is it even possible at this stage to recognize truly how much dynamic young talent you have on this team.
I think, Paul, that's still that's still weighs away. You know, I think we do have some talented young guys, but you know, they have to be obviously a lot more consistent. Uh, you know, they all have to get bigger and stronger, get in the weight room, have an off season, OTA's spring practice this, you know, I think they all have to have that, and uh, you know, without that, it
put a lot of these guys behind the eight ball. Really, you know, with Justin Jefferson more receptions than Randy Moss in ninety eight is rookie year, thirty seven yards from the most receiving yards in the history of the Minnesota Vikings. I know, in a team game, it's an individual accomplishment, but with no preseason and a virtual off season, with all that that, that's phenomenal. Yeah, he's done a great job, you know, But offensively, I think we've done a great
job all year long. You know, We've had a lot of veteran guys, and I think it showed throughout most of the season. Um, you know, having justin in there with with Adam and uh, you know most of the time with Kyle and you know Kirk um and having Cookie, you know, being able to do what he's done. I think all those things have added to h to him. But he's he's a really really good football player, catches a ball well, um, run really good routes, and he'll
continue to get better and better. How about Riley Reef, I mean he himself, in my opinion, as a metaphor for life because you know, reportedly takes a pay cut in training camp, assumedly doesn't complain about it, and goes out and has arguably the best season of his career. I mean that that's how you handle tough situations, right Yeah. And Riley, uh, you know, I love him. He's he's uh, he doesn't say a lot, but when he does, he means it. He's extremely tough, extremely physical, wants to battle
you every single play. Um, you know, he's just a just a true football player. After this Lions game, do you get some time off or is it immediately tear down the twenty twenty eight figure out what to do
to get better. Yeah. I think what we're gonna do is take take a little time away and then uh, you know, because you never want to evaluate all your players on you know, just a past performance, and so take some time think about the season, the things that we've we've we've done well, things we didn't do well, and then evaluate the players and then go from there.
Mike Zimmer XES and os KFA and Minnesota Vikings Radio Network, the uh with with the week of practice up to this Lions game, Um, non playoff season, does anything change? Does it loosen up a little? I mean, like, how how does this week of practice compare to others? Well, it's it's pretty similar, you know, you know quite honestly.
The defensive guys, these these young guys, they need to continue to practice and go you know, we probably could go a little bit lighter with the with the offensive guys, but uh, you know, it's a team game, and we all got to go out there and we all got to try to perform and um, you know, so uh to me, this this is the game that I'll remember throughout the course of the off season, and uh, you know, so hopefully we go out there and play play well.
Given the nature of the most recent off seas season, Jeff Gladney nine plays against the Packers played increasingly more of the rest of the way the Packers game first game of the year. Overall, What do you think of Jeff? Yeah, I think he's had a good year. You know, like I said before, we put a lot on his plate playing really playing two positions for a young guy. I've never had a rookie come in and be able to do those kind of things and get in in the
nickel before. Um, So he's done a nice job. It's the off season will be important for him as well. Uh. You know, he had a knee that he's been milking a little bit, I guess the best way to say it throughout the throughout the course of the season. So he needs to get that rehab the right way, get back and get some strength and and and you know,
come back ready to go. You know, whether I was Xavier Rhodes here when he was a top his game, Leon Hall when you were in Cincinnati, is Cam Danceler becoming the type of corner where you're getting close to being able to say that guy is yours. That's the end of the story. Well, I think he has that ability. You know, it's still way too early to say that. Um, you know, he does have ability, and he does have
really good cover cover skills. You know, he's got to stay healthy, he's got to get he's got to get bigger and stronger in the offseason as well. You know, he's one hundred and eighty pounds and six almost six two. Uh, you know, he's got to get some put some bulk and strength on him. And then uh, you know, understand. I think the one good thing about all these young guys is they kind of understand what, um, the NFL season is really like. It's a lot different than the
college season. And even some of our guys who missed the OTA's and um, you know, the the true training camp kind of kind of things. Um, I think they got an appreciation for what it really is going to take for him to be a good professional football players. And and off that, I mean, I think maybe for fans or really anybody except for like superstar veteran players, the appreciation for the preseason games. I mean, have you
ever appreciated preseason games more than you do now? Yeah, And you know, Paul, we had guys come in here that uh we weren't even here in training camp that end up playing their first game is is uh, you know, when they go out there and play against whoever we're playing that week we've had. You know, these rookies the first game they get to go out and uh, you know, play against Aaron Rodgers the first game. So, um, you know, those things are all important in the in the progression
of um, especially young players. You know, the veteran players, you know, Harrison Smith and those guys, and you know Riley Reef, as you said, they have an idea of what this thing's all about now, but I promise you if they would have had to deal with the same things that these young guys had to, um, you know, it would have took their breath away a little bit
as well. And then you get to as a were Cleveland, I mean, he'd never maybe played guard in high school, I don't know, but he never did a boys the state. You know, now, all of a sudden, we're opposite what Grady Jared and the team Hicks and these men that make up the NFL. And I'm sure it didn't great out perfectly, but think about that from a team concept standpoint, he wants to be tackle. You drafted him as a tackle.
But look, I mean went in there and gave his best. Yeah, and um, he's another guy that needs to get bigger and stronger. You know, he's he's he's still a puppy. Um. You know all these young guys. You know, Jefferson obviously was ready to go. He's he got the size and speed. But when when he puts on a little bit of strength, a little bit more strength, he's gonna be something really to deal with. But you know Ezra has to do that. Uh, you know all these all these young guys that uh
come in here. Um, you know it's different. And and when you don't have OTAs and preseason and uh all the you know training camp, really what what you have to do with It's it's a different deal now. Um with uh, with Eric Kendricks, You're you're making a playoff push and you'll lose Eric. With with losing him, what what on the deep end did did you did you miss during the playoff push? Well, somebody could make some plays.
You know, he's he was a big time playmaker. Uh, you know, intercept intercept the ball against Detroit in the end zone. Um, you know, his his leadership ability of getting everybody lined up and making the correct calls and all those all those types of things. Uh, you know, but just his you know, he's he just is a football player that goes and makes tackles all day long. And you know with him not being there obviously and missing bar that obviously helped, you know, hurt as well.
And his energy to right specifically in stadiums with no fans where you know, you kind of got to get a going on your own. Yeah, and you know, Chris Boyd was a big energy guy before he got hurt. You know, he was a guy that was a good tackler and energetic and uh he brought a lot of emotion to those to those young defensive backs and so, uh you know that was that was a loss as well. Um, I say Dalvin for last because I saved the best for last. He's phenomenal on and off the field. He's phenomenal.
What what do you think of his season? Terrific? You know, he fought through playing eighty plays. I think it was seventy plays in one ball game or something like that. Um, you know, his explosiveness, his leadership ability, which I really really respect the way he goes about being a leader and the toughness that he brings to not only that position,
but the offense and the team. I think, uh, you know, he's he's just a tremendous, tremendous football player with a great heart and uh you know, as good as football player, his heart might be bigger and I and we respect you. Thank you very much for joining us, and best to luck this offseason. Okay, all right, Paul, thank you. Andrew Janoko, a frequent guest on x's Nose, is the wide receiver coach for the Minnesota Vikings and he's in a sixth
year with the football team. Something um I discussed with the head coach and the previous segment, adapting and just learning the proper routes to adaptation no matter what comes at you. I mean, really with the twenty twenty Vikings and professionally or personally for you, Andrew, is that a fair way to put it? Yeah? I think so. You know, everybody, whether it's in the sports world or outside of here, has had to adapt to different circumstances and we're no different.
And we take each day and you know, we have a job to do and however, we gotta get that done, whether it's virtually, whether it's in person, the different things that come at us, we just we try to do it one day at a time and do the best you can. Any personal or professional like life lessons out
of this season. You missed a game, you know, because of the COVID situation, and you know, like you mentioned with the no fans and virtual and anything that when you sit down and you kind of smell the roses with the way things went, anything that'll stick with you forever.
I think, just counting your blessings every day and realizing how blessed you are to get to do what you do, and any time that you get to step on the field, whether it's practice to walk through or it's a game, to never take that for granted and to always understand it. It's it's truly an honor to get to wear these colors and step out onto that field. So you know, just really enjoying any time you get to do that.
Justin Jefferson rookie from LSU thirty eight yards for mosses the eight rookie record two hundred seven yards from a player named Bill Groman, who has a sixty year old record for the most receiving yards in the history of the NFL. Best to luck with Justin. All that, but kind of a dovetailing what I discussed with the head coach in the previous segment for Jefferson, no preseason games, virtual off season Randy Moss type records. I mean, this is unbelievable. Great job by him, Great job by you.
Oh thanks, Paul. You know, the biggest thing is just trying to get ready to play every week. Give him the best, the best opportunities and the best advantages possible for him to get to display his talent and help him be ready mentally and physically to go execute the plan each week with everything laid out with Justin and
he's obviously a very very talented young man. With no preseason games in that virtual offseason, I'm going to guess that it probably didn't all super quick early in the season. Maybe it hasn't to this point. But getting through that learning NFL plays with no preseason and the different training
camp was that difficult? Yeah, it was. You know, the offseason was difficult at times, but everybody had the same hand and so we had to go to work and you know, it's a credit to to those guys to learn to learn that system and credit adjustin to learn
the system, um, learn how to run the routes. Um. And yeah it was a struggle at first, but um, you know, we just we had to do what we had to do and you know, take the extra time and the extra meetings and and try to get him in a position where he could he could go out and practice on his own. And um, you know understand the language that we were talking, the language we were speaking with the plays, um, the different things we were asking how we ran routes here, um, and the different
techniques to apply. You know. Yeah, there there was some hiccups at times, and you know we kind of had to dive head first in once we all got here together, um, not just the rookies, but but all the receivers in that room. Um. You know, with me being a new guy add into that room, you know, we just kind of had to go and you know, there were there were bumps in the road, but you know, at the same time, we just uh, you know, we kind of took it in stride each day. Andrew your your first
season as wide receivers coach. Now in the off season, did you like talk to anybody either on this team or with other teams who a have done that job before or be kind of got you set up for what to expect. Yeah, obviously, you know, as a staff, we're talking every day. And one of the great things of working for coaching, working for coach Kubiak are as they coach their coaches and you know, coach Coobs every day he was he was helping. He was coaching me
um as much as he was coaching everybody else. And then you know, you reach out to reach out to different resources, different guys that you know have done this job, and you pull from your notes, people you've been around, people you're respecting this league and try to give yourself set yourself up to be successful the best way you know how without actually seeing a whole lot of people for a couple of months. Wow, what what you like
about Adam Feeling season? You know, he's just he's just one of those people that are a pro and no matter what we ask him to do, he takes pride in it. Whether it's digging out of safety, it's cutting off on the back side, it's running aroute for a screen. He wants to to do that, to do that to the best of his ability, and takes a lot of
pride in it. And you know, he wants to make sure that the tough catches are ones he's supposed to make, and he holds himself to a very high level of accountability. And that's been that's been really cool to be around, to see somebody that really focuses on the little things and really cares about the little things, whether he's getting the ball or he's not. He wants to do it right all the time. Red zone touchdowns for Adam number
one in the NFL. What makes him so good in the red area inside the twenty Well, I think it starts with what I just mentioned, his attention to detail and understanding who the defender is, what they're trying to do, how he studies defenders, and then putting himself within the concept and giving himself the best best position to be successful, whether it's in the beginning of the route, whether it's creating separation at the top of the route and the
moons he works on there and the things we stress there, and then you know, just being a competitor and wanting to go get the ball. Lastly, and it's off topic because you are the wide receivers coach. Way of one game to Go. You worked with Rick Dennison in the offensive line last year, and I know you watch back these plays Riley Reef and Brian O'Neill. I mean, seriously, when you watch back these plays, I know you're not coaching them this year, but isn't it a treat to
watch those guys play the way they play it? Really? And those two guys deserve to play well because that's how they prepare. So it's an expectation for them because they prepare so hard and they practice so hard, and they're both tough guys. So when they have success, it's it's not a surprise. It's seeing their hard work payoff and then you know, getting what they deserve because that's how they work each day. Great job, man, Thank you Andrew for all the appearances on x AS and OZ
this year. Have a wonderful, wonderful offseason. I'm sure we'll run into each other other whenever it's safe to run into each other, right, let me know as soon as as soon as we can get down, let's see you call race again. I'd love to do that. I'm in on that man. Thank you, Andrew tay Care, Paul