Latest news with #MikeZimmer
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vikings' Trade for Sam Bradford Deemed Worst Trade in 10 Years
Vikings' Trade for Sam Bradford Deemed Worst Trade in 10 Years originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Minnesota Vikings haven't had the best luck at quarterback, but a few moments have altered the course of the franchise dramatically. Advertisement Coming off a Pro Bowl and playoff berth in his second season, 2014 first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater was poised to take a great leap with the Vikings before he suffered a devastating knee injury late in training camp. The Vikings had just a few weeks to find a new starting quarterback and were rightfully scrambling, leading to what Bleacher Report deemed the franchise's worst trade of the decade. Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer alongside quarterback Sam Bradford (8) against the New Orleans J. Rebilas-Imagn Images "In panic mode, then-GM Rick Spielman traded for [Sam] Bradford. Of course, the 2010 first overall pick (by the Rams) had his own lengthy injury history—including torn ACLs in 2013 and 2014—which is why the Eagles traded up for Carson Wentz in the 2016 draft and were willing to move Bradford afterward," . Advertisement "The Vikings surrendered a 2017 first-round pick and a conditional 2018 fourth-round pick. That's a lot for an oft-injured player who clearly wasn't considered Philly's QB of the future. In return, Minnesota got 17 starts over two seasons out of Bradford," he added. Despite Bradford's late arrival, the Vikings went 5-0 to start the season before fizzling out and finishing 8-8. Bradford went 7-8, throwing for 3,877 yards, 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions. However, his Vikings tenure was largely overshadowed by the emergence of Case Keenum. Bradford started just two of the first five games of the 2017 season due to a knee injury before he was lost for the season with an ACL tear, thrusting Keenum, the team's No. 3 quarterback, into the starting role. Keenum led the Vikings on a run to the NFC title game and was the orchestrator of the Minneapolis Miracle. Advertisement The Vikings eventually opted for more stability at the position, signing Kirk Cousins to the first fully guaranteed contract in NFL history. However, despite six seasons and $185 million invested in Cousins, the Vikings never returned to the NFC Championship Game. After trying to make it work with Cousins, the new regime of Kevin O'Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has hitched itself to J.J. McCarthy as the next long-term answer at the position. Related: Vikings Named Landing Spot for NFC North Rival Defender This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
double-a-gap-mug-nfl-offense
double-a-gap-mug-nfl-offense originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Imagine walking up to a poker table and watching two players push all their chips to the middle before the dealer even flips the cards. That's what a double A-gap mug is. A bluff, a bet, and a dare — all at once, except with linebackers. Advertisement Popularized by Mike Zimmer in the early 2010s, the double A-gap mug became a go-to for defensive coordinators who were tired of sitting back and letting opposing offenses dictate everything. The quarterbacks who were well-prepared mentally could show up on game day largely stress free and knowing exactly what to expect. The result of the game (or at the very least the success of the offense) largely boiled down to execution. It's a much different game now and this is one of the three most significant ways defensive coordinators are taking things in their own hands. Here's the setup: two linebackers hover right over the center, lined up directly in the A-gaps (the spaces between the center and each guard). They're just standing there — staring the quarterback down like bodyguards outside the club. Advertisement But here's the kicker: they might blitz. They might drop back. One might go while the other stays. Or they might just force the center to slide protection that way, opening up chaos elsewhere. It's stress. It's confusion. It's control. And it's why your interior offensive line better be as solid as your blindside tackle. And how do the Dallas Cowboys combat all of this? Three ways ... 1 - Trust in the intellectual acumen of QB Dak Prescott? Check. 2 - Invest in guard play. Tyler Smith and Tyler Booker? Double-check. 3 - Rely on the creative experience of new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, an offensive mind? We can't "check'' that box yet ... but we are hopeful. Advertisement In today's NFL, pressure doesn't always come off the edge. It comes right up the gut — sometimes disguised, sometimes delayed, and often times deadly. Defenses are no longer passive. They're aggressive. And that means the offense needs to be aggressive in fighting back. Related: NFL Is Ever-Evolving And The New Dallas Cowboys Are Changing to Keep Pace Related: Dak Still Developing' Quote Getting Twisted by Cowboys Haters This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
13-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys key to beating Eagles in Week 1 centers around this Prescott advantage over Hurts
Cowboys key to beating Eagles in Week 1 centers around this Prescott advantage over Hurts Several high profile dates on the NFL's 2025 schedule have begun to leak and the Dallas Cowboys appear front and center in Week 1. The Cowboys have the privilege of kicking the season off, traveling to Philadelphia to take on the Super Bowl winning Eagles on Thursday night of opening week. Playing the defending champs is always a big deal but this time around it packs extra punch since the Eagles reside in the NFC East with Dallas. It's safe to say the Cowboys will have their work cut out for them since Philadelphia returns a dominant roster and stands as the early favorite to repeat their Super Bowl success this season. Position group after position group the Eagles look like the superior team on paper with the Cowboys only arguably looking stronger at the quarterback, special teams and defensive end spots. The 2024 Eagles offense ranked No. 6 overall, posting the eighth-ranked EPA passing offense and the top-ranked EPA rushing offense. Operating behind the top-rated offensive line in football, the Eagles were a dominant attack in 2024 and appear to be geared up for much of the same in 2025. The Cowboys' defense has gone through yet another realignment. Matt Eberflus replaces Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator and hopes to turn around the 28th-ranked defense in a single offseason. The Cowboys' inability to stop opponent's rushing attacks was especially problematic last season, making this Week 1 matchup a nightmare scenario right out of the gate. It's clear the Dallas offense will have to score points and keep pace if the Cowboys hope to start off the new season on a winning note. The addition of George Pickens helps immensely but the Cowboys will also need competent pass protection from their tackles, an effective running game to bleed the clock, and elite play design and play calling from head coach Brian Schottenheimer. The key to winning in Philadelphia will be about keeping the score close and putting the pressure on the two passers late. Quarterbacking isn't done in a vacuum, but recent data indicates the Cowboys have the advantage when playing from behind. Based on EPA/dropback when trailing in the final five minutes, Dak Prescott ranks No. 6 in the NFL since 2020. Only Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes rank ahead of him. That's pretty good company to keep. Jalen Hurts is a much different story. Aided enormously by his All-Star cast, Hurts rarely has to do much heavy lifting as a passer late in games. When he does, the results are rather paltry. Trailing in the final five minutes, Hurts ranks 37th in the NFL, behind names like Bryce Young, Daniel Jones and Mac Jones. Even with quite possibly the best pass catching group in the league, Hurts struggles to perform as a passer when trailing late. It's an advantage that overwhelming tilts in Dallas' favor and points towards what the Cowboys should be striving for as they open the season on the road in Philadelphia. Identifying that mismatch is the easy part. The tricky part is getting this new-look Cowboys team organized enough to keep things close against the most talented roster in football. That might have to be an analysis for another day. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate advances its version of grain indemnity updates
Grain bins on a farm near Prairie City, Iowa. (Photo by Kathie Obradovich/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowa senators voted Monday to increase the floor and ceiling of the fund that pays Iowa farmers in the event that their grain buyer goes broke. Sen. Mike Zimmer, D-DeWitt, called the bill a 'much needed improvement' to the current grain indemnity policy. 'What makes me most anxious about it is that with every day tariffs coming on, every day our markets are being closed for our farmers and their commodities,' Zimmer said. 'The ability for our grain elevators to store this grain while they continue to look for other markets is very, very important.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Senate File 608 would increase the minimum of the grain indemnity fund to $5 million and the maximum to $12 million. This is an increase from the current parameters, which are set at $3 million and $8 million, though it is not as great an increase as a bill proposed in the Iowa House of Representatives. The House bill would increase the fund's range to $8 million and $16 million. SF 608 would also include 'grain purchased under credit-sale contract' under the definition of 'purchased grain' meaning grain purchased on a credit sale would be eligible for the same indemnity protections. The House version of the bill would also include credit-sale contracts, but would reimburse those contracts at a rate of 70% of the grain purchased. Sen. Kerry Gruenhagen, R-Walcott, added a minor clarifying amendment to the bill, which passed. The bill advances after a vote of 39-8. House File 508 has yet to be debated on the House floor. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Politico
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Democrats build on their down-ballot winning streak in Pennsylvania
Democrats appeared to pull off an upset in a special election to fill a Pennsylvania state Senate seat on Tuesday night, the latest in a string of victories for the party in off-year, down-ballot races. Democrat James Malone led Republican County Commissioner Josh Parsons by nearly 500 votes, with virtually all ballots counted, in an area President Donald Trump carried by double digits just a few months ago. Parsons acknowledged on X that 'it appears we will come up a little short,' though the Associated Press had not yet called the race as of Wednesday morning. Democratic state legislative candidates have now outperformed Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential run in nearly a dozen special elections since January, in some cases by double digits in Republican strongholds. 'Every district is up for grabs when Republicans are using their power to cut our essential services to give themselves a tax cut,' Malone said. 'We flipped this seat by listening to what our community needs and cares about. We can do the same thing anywhere.' Malone's victory comes two months after Democrat Mike Zimmer flipped a state-level district in Iowa that Trump won by more than 20 percentage points. Moderate candidates running on increasing funding for public education and lowering daily expenses like childcare costs have done especially well in Iowa and now Pennsylvania. 'When Mike Zimmer flipped that seat in Iowa, we were in contact with his team the next morning to learn how they did it, and we basically used that playbook and adapted it to our area,' said Stella Sexton, Malone's campaign manager. Democrats have routinely over performed in special elections, winning a few ahead of the 2024 presidential race — as well as over performing in the 2022 midterms — neither of which translated to success at the top of the ticket. Still, Democrats pointed to Malone's victory as motivation heading into next week's races in Florida and Wisconsin. 'Democrats like Senator-elect Malone are competing everywhere, and in special elections throughout the country, we continue to overperform as voters join us in fighting back against the Trump-Musk agenda,' DNC chair Ken Martin said in a statement. 'This is a shockwave to the system and the way Republicans have run our government. Republicans everywhere should be afraid.' In another Pennsylvania race on Tuesday, Democrats reclaimed their state House majority, which was deadlocked following the death of a member. That race marks the fifth time in 2025 alone that the party has won an election which decided the outcome of a legislative chamber, though they had been expected to win most of those races. 'Both wins affirm Democratic leadership in a moment when GOP power is synonymous with chaos,' said Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams. While the wins marked a success for Democrats, the party is still grappling with enormous challenges in Washington. Locked out of power and with increasing infighting between its top leaders, the party has struggled to find its step as Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk overhaul the federal government. In battleground Pennsylvania, Republicans still easily hold the majority in the state Senate, and the split chambers will leave Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro forced to cross the aisle and make some deals. Shapiro, who narrowly won the district in 2022, campaigned for Malone, recording a robocall to help get out the vote on Tuesday, where he told voters 'the best action right now' to push back during this political moment 'is to go to the polls and vote.' Holly Otterbein contributed to this report.
