Mike Zimmer sees numbers, not faces.
It’s a strategy he’s built from his 23 years as a coach in the NFL. It helps the game not get too personal when he squares off against the people he used to share a sideline with, people who have become close friends and part of his football family.
Before becoming the Minnesota Vikings coach in 2014, Zimmer spent six seasons as the Bengals' defensive coordinator under Marvin Lewis. This Sunday, the two face off for the first time in the regular season.
Cincinnati’s defensive scheme is still very much the same as Zimmer left it. It’s the place where he and Paul Guenther, the Bengals' defensive coordinator who was then Zimmer’s defensive line coach, concocted a scheme that dismantled teams via double A-gap blitz packages. A bulk of the Bengals' defensive starters are players Zimmer coached when he was there from 2008 to 13.
“We really haven’t changed as much,” Lewis said. “Now a different person calls the game. I thought Mike was excellent at calling the game as well.”
The assumption is that knowledge gives Zimmer the upper hand. That’s not necessarily the way he views it.
“It’s probably a disadvantage because they’ve heard everything I’ve ever said in a defensive meeting to the coaches and the players,” Zimmer said. “They probably know me a lot better than I know them.”
Cincinnati is the place where Zimmer built his resume to earn his first head coaching gig at age 58, a move he wasn’t sure would happen. Five teams passed on hiring Zimmer, who leaned on Lewis for support.
“He was discouraged by it but I told him, 'You know what? It’s not you,'” Lewis said. “'Somebody’s going to make the right decision here, so just keep doing it.' At times it can be discouraging, but I encouraged him to continue, and it’s worked out well. They obviously made a great decision and those that haven’t wish they had.”
Lewis might soon be looking to Zimmer for support. Despite compiling a 123-111-3 record with Cincinnati since 2003 and winning four AFC North titles, Lewis’ teams are 0-7 in the playoffs. At 5-8 with three games remaining against the Vikings, Lions and Ravens, there is speculation about Lewis’ future in Cincinnati, something Zimmer doesn’t believe should be in question.
“Well, he’s had success,” Zimmer said. “When he first started, they weren’t very good. He got them to a place where they got to six playoff games in a row. I think he’s a heck of a coach. He does unbelievable things in the community. I learned a lot for him. I’m happy for him. In my opinion, he should be able to stay there as long as he wants.”
Lewis and Zimmer formed a bond over 35 years in the business, a friendship that started in coaching and has extended to life outside of football.
“We have a lot of [favorite] Zimmer moments, but this is a PG call,” Lewis said on a conference call with Vikings media. “We have a lot of coaching stories and memories together. I consider him not only a great friend, but he’s a tremendous coach.”
Given their deep history, Zimmer’s task this week is compartmentalizing the adoration he has for Lewis and his former staff. With a victory over Cincinnati, the Vikings would lock up the NFC North and punch their ticket to the playoffs.”
“I love Marvin Lewis,” Zimmer said. “He’s an unbelievable person, great guy. Heck of a football coach. He’s done tremendous things there in Cincinnati. It happens. You get a chance to play your friends and people who you used to work with. This is a game of 'I see numbers, not faces.'”