November 5, 2020 • 21 mins
Voice of the Vikings Paul Allen was joined by Running Backs Coach Kennedy Polamalu to talk about Dalvin Cook's extraordinary season so far, how closely he works with the other position groups on offense to make the running game come to life, and much more. Coach Zimmer and Allen discuss dealing with in-game injuries on a constant basis this season, Jeff Gladney's mindset and progress as a rookie, the mutual respect between himself and Aaron Rodgers, the challenges that the Lions will present on Sunday and more.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
As rules. It's time for X and with Vikings head
coach Mike Zimmer on the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network Now
from the PCO Studios in Egan. Here is the voice
of the Viking Paul Allen. XS and OHS is under
(00:20):
way off a thrilling victory against the Green Bay Packers.
The Detroit Lions are next noon on kfa N and
the Vikings Radio Network. I'm Paul Allen. Minnesota Vikings head
coach Mike Zimmer joins US now thanks to US Bank
honoring the Vikings sixty greatest fans this season. Coach, congratulations
on the Packers victory. Have you ever had to stop
(00:43):
a team with just two rookie corners and a safety
playing nickel at the end of the game. I'm not
sure about the two rookie corners, but you know, sometimes
that happens. You know, you get some guys hurt and
you got to try and figure out a way to
get it done. Now other as a defensive coordinator or
back to your Dallas days, I mean in game injuries
(01:05):
and they just keep happening. Does that change the plan dramatically? Yeah,
a lot of times it does. You know, there's there's
many times when you go into a game and you know,
like the Spass game, you know, we had guys get
hurt early in the ballgame, so you know that changed
a lot of the things as we went and then
you just gotta adapt and adjust now with your rookie corner.
(01:29):
Jeff Gladney bear with me on this place. I love
Jeff Gladdeney. And that's Whyle recognizing it may take a
bit to get him exactly where you want him to be.
And I saw you yell at him after that first
touchdown to Davante Adam, zimbeing zim. But he seems like
a guy not only who's tough like you've said, but
it seems like he shakes off problems and doesn't let
(01:52):
them impact him the rest of the game. Yeah, he's
pretty tough mentally like that. I think he's a tough
kid anyway. And you know he's going through a lot
of fire here playing nickel in playing corner and you know,
getting on these receivers that you know, it just surprises
me that some of these young guys, you know, when
(02:15):
you're talking about Davante Adams all week long, and then
and then he looks in the backfield and get gets
beat to the outside. Just amazes me. But you know,
they are young, and he'll continue to get better. He's
a tough, competitive kid. It's got a good skill set.
And see you being a dad of three. Even if
you had lost the game and you were one and six,
but you're joined, Bob, you still would have laughed because
(02:37):
you're raising kids. I mean, it may not be exactly
how you want it, but you've raised three wonderful kids
and now you have a team full of youngsters. You've
got to be patient, right right, that's when my hair
is starting to look like heres. Jeez. Okay, XS and
os with Mike Zimmer on the Vikings Radio Network. It
was the Packers game, Mike, the most physical your defensive
(02:58):
line has been all season. And if so, how key
was that against that particular game? Well, the second half
we played the run very well, and I think that
was a big heat of the ball game. You know,
they started out and it would be second and six,
second and five, and so we had we made some
adjustments at halftime. Guys went in there, they play. He
(03:19):
did some really good things and that allowed us to
help some of these young corners. You and Aaron Rodgers
have such immense respect for each other. I just absolutely
love it. And is he legitimately one of the most
difficult challenges you've had all of your coordinator or coaching career. Yeah,
he really is. He's so talented, not only with his arm,
(03:43):
but his mind and his legs. You know, he just
makes it so difficult for you. You have to be
on your toes at all times with him, and you
know he's terrific. Now Matthew Stafford, what distinguishes Matthew Stafford. Yeah,
it's going for one one to the other. Now. Stafford
is a He's got a big, strong arm, throws a
(04:06):
ball vertically down the field, a lot, got good receivers
again go up and get the football. And in the
last few years he's really tried to move in the pocket.
He moves into pocket, he scrambles. I think a couple
of years ago he ran third and seventeen against us SO.
But he's very dangerous. You know, they start really fast offensively,
(04:27):
one of the fastest, you know, only team in the
league to score first a navidball game. But he's also
tremendous into two minute drills, as he saw against Atlanta.
There when one minute left and no timeouts to go
down and win a game. You know, I'm always trying
to deep dive things that are different and kind of
make it more fun, even though these games are fun.
I mentioned you and Rogers and the respect and the
battles you guys have. You and offensive coordinator Daryl Bebell.
(04:50):
That's that's kind of a high level mental gymnastics heavy
weight fight. Darrell does a good job, doesn't he. Darrel
does a great job. You know. They seems like they
I don't ever want to run the same play twice.
They get you all kinds of different formations, uh, different plays,
Um you know, so uh we're gonna have you know,
different personnel groups. They do all kinds of things, and
(05:11):
uh you know, I think his playbook must be twice
as big as ours. How how do they use that
running back DeAndre Swift? Well, I use some number one.
They use him on the backfield lot. But he's a
good hard runner as well. Um, you know, they'll they'll
use him in some uh scat plays where he's he's
free releasing. They'll use him, uh in some of the
(05:32):
spread formations. He's really fast, but he's a good downhill
runner as well. Here comes old Everson Griffin gave you many,
many good years here for the Vikings. Right, yep, Everson
was a good player for us, good good leader, and
you know we've always wished him well. Dalvin Cook as
a lifetime defensive guy. What makes it tough to scheme
(05:55):
for a guy like Dalvin Cook during the course of
the week. Well, I think the biggest thing with with
Dalvin as you know, he runs the ball inside, he
runs the ball well outside. Uh you know, he's got
great speed to the perimeter and uh, as you saw
last week, you know he caught a couple of balls
and checked him down and uh you know, one was
a screen he went to distance, and one was a third,
(06:17):
third and long and he caught it and got the
first down. So he's got the complete package. He's a tough,
competitive guy and a really good leader for us. You know,
I'm certainly not in vogue with Hall of Fame comparisons
to like guys who have been in the league four years,
But I mean, you've seen it all, Mike. Does Dalvin
potentially potentially have any Marshall falk to his game? Uh?
(06:40):
You know, I I guess maybe they do. Um, you know,
Marshall was was terrific as well. Um, you know he
I think, you know, there's a lot of really good
backs in the past that I remember playing against. You know,
he in some ways he reminds me of Dment Smith. Uh,
the way he carries his pads down, the way he accelerates,
(07:02):
hits the whole you know. Um, but there's you know,
he's he's a good player. That screen touchdown and Dalvin's
patience not only with that screen touchdown, but just is
ever improving patience? Have you seen that's natural with running
backs or does it need to be taught sometimes? I think,
you know, they're like every other position. They'll get hyped
(07:24):
up at times and try to force things a little
bit too much. But um, you know, if you look
back on that screen, we had I think for offensive
lineman downfield bus in their rear end trying to get
some blocks which helped, and we had a tight end
down there, a couple receivers, so you know, all those
things are important. Uh. As we continue to move forward,
Absolutely love the play, you know, I mean, as we're
(07:46):
Cleveland late on the scene, he's coming from the right
guard spot, so you know, I thought he got caught
up in the trash. But he's coming from over here,
and and that that is that what they're taught to
just kind of throw yourself in front of somebody. They're
told to get on the ground. Yes, yeah, that was perfect.
And then you know, like like a future zimmer Ridge
Ranch stud coming steaming down the stretch. Here's Brian O'Neill
(08:08):
very late, just kind of getting in aid Reinamos's way,
and Preston Smith and man, the you know, the athleticism
of O'Neill, Bradberry and Cleveland, it's just terrific. Yeah, those
guys are good athletes, um, you know, and they continue
to get better and um, you know, the more the
more speed and athleticism you can put on the field,
better you can be. How bad was the weather on
(08:29):
the sideline, like, like did it did it dictate offensively?
Some things you could not do go in a certain way,
you know, Paula was it was probably a little bit
uh tougher and the one end zone it's just starting
to get down towards the red towards the red zone.
The wind was blown pretty hard down in there. Uh,
it was swirling throughout most of the ball game. Um, yeah,
(08:53):
you know, there were some things that you know, obviously
that we put away because of the weather conditions. But
but I thought we did a great job running football,
and you know, and I thought Kirk did a great
job getting the ball out of his hands as well
in the passes, and you know, we converted some third downs. Yeah,
I agree. I mean he only threw fourteen times, but
(09:13):
he hit on all those third downs. The BB production
was terrific last one on that game. Because people only
talk about long snappers, punters and kickers when they mess up.
Kind of a sneaky MVP, and that game was Britain
coule quip. I mean not only getting that extra point
down where Packers are like hands on their on their
hips after Dalvin Cook broke their spirit, but I mean
his punts too on a day like that were terrific. Yeah,
(09:35):
he did a nice job this week. You know, the
snap on the extra point was was really high. I
thought Bailey was going to pull a hamstring trying to
stop and then hit it again. But yeah, he did
a nice job on the punts as well, and we
did a good job protecting last one. Coach, what are
some keys to getting hot and rattling off some victories. Well,
(09:56):
I think one of the big things, Paul. You know,
we didn't turn the ball over last week and we
got one turnover, so, you know, not beating ourselves. It's
going to be key obviously. And then and then sticking
to our identity of you know, hopefully that we can
go out and play played better early defensively against a
team like this and then um, you know, and kind
(10:17):
of try to impose our will as a game goes on.
Great job, man, best to luck against Detroit. Talk to
you soon, all right, Paul, Thank you. Mike Zimmer head
coach of the Minnesota Vikings, XS and OS running backs
coach Kennedy Polamalu coming up shortly, and Innovative Office Solutions
and the Vikings of team to put the spotlight on
nonprofit organizations doing good things in the community that surrounds us.
(10:39):
Nominate a deserving organization by going to community dot Innovative
o dashs dot com. Innovative Office Solutions is the hometown
provider of office essentials and furniture to the Minnesota Vikings.
Are you all in off that Green Bay win? Fully?
(11:00):
Everybody's all in. Let's find a way to beat the
Detroit Lions around the corner and talk about running back
Dalvin Cook and more with running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu
joining us next on xs and OS on the kfa
N Minnesota Vikings Radio Network Driven by the Fan. Welcome
(11:30):
back to xs and OS on the kaf AN Minnesota
Vikings Radio Network. It's Game Day, any day. Play the
new Vikings scratch game from the Minnesota Lottery top prize
one hundred thousand dollars. Just say I'm in details at
MN lottery dot com. Very happy to be joined by
Kennedy Polamalu, the fourth year running backs coach for the
Minnesota Vikings. Big game for Dalvin Cook at Lambo. You
(11:52):
got the Lions next, Kennedy, thanks for joining and Dalvin
just just keeps getting better. What do you appreciate about
Dalvin Cook overall? Everything? Uh? He's a worker, Uh, smart
young man. His vision, his clarity, his awareness, leadership. Um,
(12:16):
he's just really fun to to to, really coach, and
I'm enjoying the journey with him, Kennedy. When it comes
to the patience game, what what's good about Dalvin's patience?
I'm not just talking about that fifty yard screen masterpiece.
Just overall with hitting the holes and everything. It just
seems patient. Well, it's clarity, his vision, understanding defensive structure, Uh,
(12:42):
spending a lot of time on how they they are
going to fit a certain run or how they drop
in the coverage, how they want to leverage him. And
and that's just a really good, really good ability that
he has. His He just seems the whole field and
sees uh, you know, all all twenty two players himself
(13:06):
on the field. So it's really a joy and he
works at it. He works at it. Kennedy, maybe one
of the dumbest questions you've gotten all year, But I
haven't seen you all year. It's twenty twenty. So how
closely do you, as running backs coach work with Rick
Dennison and the offensive line coaches? I mean it's obvious
(13:26):
you work closely with Kubiak, but like to get your
running backs in unison with the offensive line. How does
that work? Oh, it has to the relationship. It has
to all come around and how how they're going to
block a certain defensive line, how a linebacker is going
to flow, or how safety's coming down. It relates to everything.
(13:47):
So the old line and the tight ends, you know,
the fullback with CJ. Hamm and even the wide receivers
and how what angles they're taking to pick up the
force defender. So we do a really really good job here.
Gary lays out the outline and we work closely together,
(14:07):
all of us. When it comes to Dalvin specifically in
pass protection, where is he with that? Is it? Is
he a high ender's he's in. He's an exceptional elite
running back. He can do it all. He can pass protect,
he can catch obviously, he can run short yardage and
long regular rundowns. Uh. You know, it's just it's a
(14:29):
good challenge. Challenge him all the time that it don't
allow ball to hit the ground. Challenge him all the
time to see a pattern on you know, we tease
him all the time. I always tell him, you chase
one rabbit, don't chase two, you know, because he chase two,
you end up with none. So it's kind of our
little thing. Understand that trigger and be aggressive on this
(14:52):
pass pro. And he's done a really nice job with that.
Kennedy Paul Amalu, running backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings,
Vikings and Lion Sunday at noon on KFA and and
the Vikings Radio Network. Alexander Madison, your second year running back.
What do you like about him? Just like Dalvin? A
work worker. Both these young men are humble, they're very coachable,
(15:17):
and then they have the god given ability and they
don't let that ability go to rust. They come to
work every day to get better, be consistent, and they
work on the details. And then it's just fun watching
them go out there and make place with Alexander just
in his second year. And I can't exactly remember if
Dalvin was really really good catching it early in his career.
(15:38):
Probably was, But for Alexander is catching it and the
patience in the screen game is that still a work
in progress. It's still a work in progress because again,
like you talked about working with the offensive line, all
it has to relate with the timing. You've got to
make sure that you don't waste an extra step. You
want to make sure that you're writing the hip of
(16:00):
those linemen and uh, and that's kind of over time
and it's taken. Uh, Dalvin, what this is our third year,
fourth year together, so you know it's it's it's fun.
It's fun to watch all those guys, but uh, Alexander
had some nice screens against Seattle, and so he's starting
(16:21):
to understand that Kennedy. You mentioned c J. Ham and
he obviously is so important in this equation for Dalvin
and Alexander and caught that touchdown last year against Detroit.
Just what a wonderful player and what a wonderful guy.
Just unbelievable. He's, uh, just a humble, hard worker, really smart.
(16:42):
You can put him any position on the field and formation. Uh,
he understands defensive structure. And then not only that, like
the other uh you know, Mike Boone and the Mirror,
they get on special teams and they want to make
an impact and that's what's Uh. They bring joy to
me every day. You know the way these young men
come to work. Don't you just love that Kennedy. I
(17:03):
mean a Mayor is like a third round pick from Nebraska,
and you know he wants to run and catch, and
Mike wants to run despite being underrafted from Cincinnati. They're
both unbelievably good on special teams. Not everybody embraces that
like those guys have. Well, it's it's that room. That room.
It's contagious and it starts with Dalvin and then goes
(17:25):
to CJ. You know, the veteran guys, and it's been
that way that they want to go out there and
make impact if they have one play and if they
get twenty place, and that's what's fun about this group.
Last one, Kennedy, and thanks very much for the time.
Best to luck against Lions. Your your nephew, Troy Polamalo,
part of the twenty twenty NFL Hall of Fame class,
(17:48):
which was put off for a year. Who knows the
way twenty twenties going, but it was it difficult in
any way for you, you know, to recognize that you
were going to see the speech and he's your nephew.
Unbelievable for the Steelers obviously, well it's twenty twenty. Was
that a difficult time? It was a difficult time, but
I was so proud. I had the opportunity to fly
(18:10):
down to Miami, spend dinner with them the night before
and got to experience all the different Hall of famers
that came up and congratulated, and it was emotional because
I've seen this young man from his birth all the
way to this time, and nothing better. He's a better person.
(18:31):
He is a football player, and he's really helped me
in my coaching career in understanding how to be the
relationship part of teaching these young men to be the
best they can be. Kennedy, you watch defenses and try
to beat them every single week. Does anybody play the
game the way your nephew played it for the Steelers,
(18:51):
free lancing, hitting, picking off quarterbacks. Yeah, well he really
he studies, He studies and takes the angles and proper.
And that was coach Dick lebo. Uh. You know, he
tells funny stories about Hey, hey, Troy, what don't you
understand about covering the flat? You know, I'll protect you
with the other routes, but I need you in the flat.
(19:12):
So those are all calculated in studies. And it's fun
to uh to watch him play. And that's what I
try to teach these young men. You know, I'm gonna
give you the information now, just let it go and
be willing to to to to let the results come out.
You you offensive coordinator at USC and UCLA. I mean
(19:34):
I mean from brent Hood to h near South Central
by the Coliseum. I mean that you don't see that
you often old Kennedy Now, the great thing about it
is I had the opportunity to get my two sons
into college and uh and uh howba people are getting
in trouble with that stuff. Now, hey man, good for you,
you do great work. I appreciate you joining the show.
(19:54):
Best to luck against those lines. Okay, thank you very much. Paul,
got you bout Kennedy Paulamalo, running backs coach for the
Minnesota Vikings. And Vikings fans purchase any twenty ounce Pepsi
branded product from Quick Trip with your rewards card and
enter the Vikings Opening Drive Sweepstakes. No purchase necessary. See
store for details. Now, the Vikings hook the Detroit Lions
(20:17):
this Sunday at noon. The Lions are coming off a
home loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Kenny Golladay, their best receiver,
is hurt and also Jamal Agnew. Jamal Agnew a player
who returns punts and kicks for them, very very good.
He also got nicked up in that Colts game. We'll
see what happens. The interior of the Lions defense offensive
(20:38):
Lion has had some strong struggles of late. The Minnesota
Vikings defensive line Jalen Holmes, Shamar Stephan Jaliel Johnson, if
Bodiodnibo and DJ Wanham and so on. They really really
took a two green bay in the second half. Hopefully
they do the same thing to these Detroit Lions. Thank
you very much for listening to XS and OS with
(20:59):
Mike Zimmer Kurtis see of US bank for all of us.
Here at the Vikings Entertainment Network and KFA and Radio,
I'm Paul Allen, Go Vikings, and go Nathan Vaughan, and
the game is at noon on the KFA and Minnesota
Vikings Radio Network. Courtesy at Polaris
As rules. It's time for X and with Vikings head
coach Mike Zimmer on the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network Now
from the PCO Studios in Egan. Here is the voice
of the Viking Paul Allen. XS and OHS is under
(00:20):
way off a thrilling victory against the Green Bay Packers.
The Detroit Lions are next noon on kfa N and
the Vikings Radio Network. I'm Paul Allen. Minnesota Vikings head
coach Mike Zimmer joins US now thanks to US Bank
honoring the Vikings sixty greatest fans this season. Coach, congratulations
on the Packers victory. Have you ever had to stop
(00:43):
a team with just two rookie corners and a safety
playing nickel at the end of the game. I'm not
sure about the two rookie corners, but you know, sometimes
that happens. You know, you get some guys hurt and
you got to try and figure out a way to
get it done. Now other as a defensive coordinator or
back to your Dallas days, I mean in game injuries
(01:05):
and they just keep happening. Does that change the plan dramatically? Yeah,
a lot of times it does. You know, there's there's
many times when you go into a game and you know,
like the Spass game, you know, we had guys get
hurt early in the ballgame, so you know that changed
a lot of the things as we went and then
you just gotta adapt and adjust now with your rookie corner.
(01:29):
Jeff Gladney bear with me on this place. I love
Jeff Gladdeney. And that's Whyle recognizing it may take a
bit to get him exactly where you want him to be.
And I saw you yell at him after that first
touchdown to Davante Adam, zimbeing zim. But he seems like
a guy not only who's tough like you've said, but
it seems like he shakes off problems and doesn't let
(01:52):
them impact him the rest of the game. Yeah, he's
pretty tough mentally like that. I think he's a tough
kid anyway. And you know he's going through a lot
of fire here playing nickel in playing corner and you know,
getting on these receivers that you know, it just surprises
me that some of these young guys, you know, when
(02:15):
you're talking about Davante Adams all week long, and then
and then he looks in the backfield and get gets
beat to the outside. Just amazes me. But you know,
they are young, and he'll continue to get better. He's
a tough, competitive kid. It's got a good skill set.
And see you being a dad of three. Even if
you had lost the game and you were one and six,
but you're joined, Bob, you still would have laughed because
(02:37):
you're raising kids. I mean, it may not be exactly
how you want it, but you've raised three wonderful kids
and now you have a team full of youngsters. You've
got to be patient, right right, that's when my hair
is starting to look like heres. Jeez. Okay, XS and
os with Mike Zimmer on the Vikings Radio Network. It
was the Packers game, Mike, the most physical your defensive
(02:58):
line has been all season. And if so, how key
was that against that particular game? Well, the second half
we played the run very well, and I think that
was a big heat of the ball game. You know,
they started out and it would be second and six,
second and five, and so we had we made some
adjustments at halftime. Guys went in there, they play. He
(03:19):
did some really good things and that allowed us to
help some of these young corners. You and Aaron Rodgers
have such immense respect for each other. I just absolutely
love it. And is he legitimately one of the most
difficult challenges you've had all of your coordinator or coaching career. Yeah,
he really is. He's so talented, not only with his arm,
(03:43):
but his mind and his legs. You know, he just
makes it so difficult for you. You have to be
on your toes at all times with him, and you
know he's terrific. Now Matthew Stafford, what distinguishes Matthew Stafford. Yeah,
it's going for one one to the other. Now. Stafford
is a He's got a big, strong arm, throws a
(04:06):
ball vertically down the field, a lot, got good receivers
again go up and get the football. And in the
last few years he's really tried to move in the pocket.
He moves into pocket, he scrambles. I think a couple
of years ago he ran third and seventeen against us SO.
But he's very dangerous. You know, they start really fast offensively,
(04:27):
one of the fastest, you know, only team in the
league to score first a navidball game. But he's also
tremendous into two minute drills, as he saw against Atlanta.
There when one minute left and no timeouts to go
down and win a game. You know, I'm always trying
to deep dive things that are different and kind of
make it more fun, even though these games are fun.
I mentioned you and Rogers and the respect and the
battles you guys have. You and offensive coordinator Daryl Bebell.
(04:50):
That's that's kind of a high level mental gymnastics heavy
weight fight. Darrell does a good job, doesn't he. Darrel
does a great job. You know. They seems like they
I don't ever want to run the same play twice.
They get you all kinds of different formations, uh, different plays,
Um you know, so uh we're gonna have you know,
different personnel groups. They do all kinds of things, and
(05:11):
uh you know, I think his playbook must be twice
as big as ours. How how do they use that
running back DeAndre Swift? Well, I use some number one.
They use him on the backfield lot. But he's a
good hard runner as well. Um, you know, they'll they'll
use him in some uh scat plays where he's he's
free releasing. They'll use him, uh in some of the
(05:32):
spread formations. He's really fast, but he's a good downhill
runner as well. Here comes old Everson Griffin gave you many,
many good years here for the Vikings. Right, yep, Everson
was a good player for us, good good leader, and
you know we've always wished him well. Dalvin Cook as
a lifetime defensive guy. What makes it tough to scheme
(05:55):
for a guy like Dalvin Cook during the course of
the week. Well, I think the biggest thing with with
Dalvin as you know, he runs the ball inside, he
runs the ball well outside. Uh you know, he's got
great speed to the perimeter and uh, as you saw
last week, you know he caught a couple of balls
and checked him down and uh you know, one was
a screen he went to distance, and one was a third,
(06:17):
third and long and he caught it and got the
first down. So he's got the complete package. He's a tough,
competitive guy and a really good leader for us. You know,
I'm certainly not in vogue with Hall of Fame comparisons
to like guys who have been in the league four years,
But I mean, you've seen it all, Mike. Does Dalvin
potentially potentially have any Marshall falk to his game? Uh?
(06:40):
You know, I I guess maybe they do. Um, you know,
Marshall was was terrific as well. Um, you know he
I think, you know, there's a lot of really good
backs in the past that I remember playing against. You know,
he in some ways he reminds me of Dment Smith. Uh,
the way he carries his pads down, the way he accelerates,
(07:02):
hits the whole you know. Um, but there's you know,
he's he's a good player. That screen touchdown and Dalvin's
patience not only with that screen touchdown, but just is
ever improving patience? Have you seen that's natural with running
backs or does it need to be taught sometimes? I think,
you know, they're like every other position. They'll get hyped
(07:24):
up at times and try to force things a little
bit too much. But um, you know, if you look
back on that screen, we had I think for offensive
lineman downfield bus in their rear end trying to get
some blocks which helped, and we had a tight end
down there, a couple receivers, so you know, all those
things are important. Uh. As we continue to move forward,
Absolutely love the play, you know, I mean, as we're
(07:46):
Cleveland late on the scene, he's coming from the right
guard spot, so you know, I thought he got caught
up in the trash. But he's coming from over here,
and and that that is that what they're taught to
just kind of throw yourself in front of somebody. They're
told to get on the ground. Yes, yeah, that was perfect.
And then you know, like like a future zimmer Ridge
Ranch stud coming steaming down the stretch. Here's Brian O'Neill
(08:08):
very late, just kind of getting in aid Reinamos's way,
and Preston Smith and man, the you know, the athleticism
of O'Neill, Bradberry and Cleveland, it's just terrific. Yeah, those
guys are good athletes, um, you know, and they continue
to get better and um, you know, the more the
more speed and athleticism you can put on the field,
better you can be. How bad was the weather on
(08:29):
the sideline, like, like did it did it dictate offensively?
Some things you could not do go in a certain way,
you know, Paula was it was probably a little bit
uh tougher and the one end zone it's just starting
to get down towards the red towards the red zone.
The wind was blown pretty hard down in there. Uh,
it was swirling throughout most of the ball game. Um, yeah,
(08:53):
you know, there were some things that you know, obviously
that we put away because of the weather conditions. But
but I thought we did a great job running football,
and you know, and I thought Kirk did a great
job getting the ball out of his hands as well
in the passes, and you know, we converted some third downs. Yeah,
I agree. I mean he only threw fourteen times, but
(09:13):
he hit on all those third downs. The BB production
was terrific last one on that game. Because people only
talk about long snappers, punters and kickers when they mess up.
Kind of a sneaky MVP, and that game was Britain
coule quip. I mean not only getting that extra point
down where Packers are like hands on their on their
hips after Dalvin Cook broke their spirit, but I mean
his punts too on a day like that were terrific. Yeah,
(09:35):
he did a nice job this week. You know, the
snap on the extra point was was really high. I
thought Bailey was going to pull a hamstring trying to
stop and then hit it again. But yeah, he did
a nice job on the punts as well, and we
did a good job protecting last one. Coach, what are
some keys to getting hot and rattling off some victories. Well,
(09:56):
I think one of the big things, Paul. You know,
we didn't turn the ball over last week and we
got one turnover, so, you know, not beating ourselves. It's
going to be key obviously. And then and then sticking
to our identity of you know, hopefully that we can
go out and play played better early defensively against a
team like this and then um, you know, and kind
(10:17):
of try to impose our will as a game goes on.
Great job, man, best to luck against Detroit. Talk to
you soon, all right, Paul, Thank you. Mike Zimmer head
coach of the Minnesota Vikings, XS and OS running backs
coach Kennedy Polamalu coming up shortly, and Innovative Office Solutions
and the Vikings of team to put the spotlight on
nonprofit organizations doing good things in the community that surrounds us.
(10:39):
Nominate a deserving organization by going to community dot Innovative
o dashs dot com. Innovative Office Solutions is the hometown
provider of office essentials and furniture to the Minnesota Vikings.
Are you all in off that Green Bay win? Fully?
(11:00):
Everybody's all in. Let's find a way to beat the
Detroit Lions around the corner and talk about running back
Dalvin Cook and more with running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu
joining us next on xs and OS on the kfa
N Minnesota Vikings Radio Network Driven by the Fan. Welcome
(11:30):
back to xs and OS on the kaf AN Minnesota
Vikings Radio Network. It's Game Day, any day. Play the
new Vikings scratch game from the Minnesota Lottery top prize
one hundred thousand dollars. Just say I'm in details at
MN lottery dot com. Very happy to be joined by
Kennedy Polamalu, the fourth year running backs coach for the
Minnesota Vikings. Big game for Dalvin Cook at Lambo. You
(11:52):
got the Lions next, Kennedy, thanks for joining and Dalvin
just just keeps getting better. What do you appreciate about
Dalvin Cook overall? Everything? Uh? He's a worker, Uh, smart
young man. His vision, his clarity, his awareness, leadership. Um,
(12:16):
he's just really fun to to to, really coach, and
I'm enjoying the journey with him, Kennedy. When it comes
to the patience game, what what's good about Dalvin's patience?
I'm not just talking about that fifty yard screen masterpiece.
Just overall with hitting the holes and everything. It just
seems patient. Well, it's clarity, his vision, understanding defensive structure, Uh,
(12:42):
spending a lot of time on how they they are
going to fit a certain run or how they drop
in the coverage, how they want to leverage him. And
and that's just a really good, really good ability that
he has. His He just seems the whole field and
sees uh, you know, all all twenty two players himself
(13:06):
on the field. So it's really a joy and he
works at it. He works at it. Kennedy, maybe one
of the dumbest questions you've gotten all year, But I
haven't seen you all year. It's twenty twenty. So how
closely do you, as running backs coach work with Rick
Dennison and the offensive line coaches? I mean it's obvious
(13:26):
you work closely with Kubiak, but like to get your
running backs in unison with the offensive line. How does
that work? Oh, it has to the relationship. It has
to all come around and how how they're going to
block a certain defensive line, how a linebacker is going
to flow, or how safety's coming down. It relates to everything.
(13:47):
So the old line and the tight ends, you know,
the fullback with CJ. Hamm and even the wide receivers
and how what angles they're taking to pick up the
force defender. So we do a really really good job here.
Gary lays out the outline and we work closely together,
(14:07):
all of us. When it comes to Dalvin specifically in
pass protection, where is he with that? Is it? Is
he a high ender's he's in. He's an exceptional elite
running back. He can do it all. He can pass protect,
he can catch obviously, he can run short yardage and
long regular rundowns. Uh. You know, it's just it's a
(14:29):
good challenge. Challenge him all the time that it don't
allow ball to hit the ground. Challenge him all the
time to see a pattern on you know, we tease
him all the time. I always tell him, you chase
one rabbit, don't chase two, you know, because he chase two,
you end up with none. So it's kind of our
little thing. Understand that trigger and be aggressive on this
(14:52):
pass pro. And he's done a really nice job with that.
Kennedy Paul Amalu, running backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings,
Vikings and Lion Sunday at noon on KFA and and
the Vikings Radio Network. Alexander Madison, your second year running back.
What do you like about him? Just like Dalvin? A
work worker. Both these young men are humble, they're very coachable,
(15:17):
and then they have the god given ability and they
don't let that ability go to rust. They come to
work every day to get better, be consistent, and they
work on the details. And then it's just fun watching
them go out there and make place with Alexander just
in his second year. And I can't exactly remember if
Dalvin was really really good catching it early in his career.
(15:38):
Probably was, But for Alexander is catching it and the
patience in the screen game is that still a work
in progress. It's still a work in progress because again,
like you talked about working with the offensive line, all
it has to relate with the timing. You've got to
make sure that you don't waste an extra step. You
want to make sure that you're writing the hip of
(16:00):
those linemen and uh, and that's kind of over time
and it's taken. Uh, Dalvin, what this is our third year,
fourth year together, so you know it's it's it's fun.
It's fun to watch all those guys, but uh, Alexander
had some nice screens against Seattle, and so he's starting
(16:21):
to understand that Kennedy. You mentioned c J. Ham and
he obviously is so important in this equation for Dalvin
and Alexander and caught that touchdown last year against Detroit.
Just what a wonderful player and what a wonderful guy.
Just unbelievable. He's, uh, just a humble, hard worker, really smart.
(16:42):
You can put him any position on the field and formation. Uh,
he understands defensive structure. And then not only that, like
the other uh you know, Mike Boone and the Mirror,
they get on special teams and they want to make
an impact and that's what's Uh. They bring joy to
me every day. You know the way these young men
come to work. Don't you just love that Kennedy. I
(17:03):
mean a Mayor is like a third round pick from Nebraska,
and you know he wants to run and catch, and
Mike wants to run despite being underrafted from Cincinnati. They're
both unbelievably good on special teams. Not everybody embraces that
like those guys have. Well, it's it's that room. That room.
It's contagious and it starts with Dalvin and then goes
(17:25):
to CJ. You know, the veteran guys, and it's been
that way that they want to go out there and
make impact if they have one play and if they
get twenty place, and that's what's fun about this group.
Last one, Kennedy, and thanks very much for the time.
Best to luck against Lions. Your your nephew, Troy Polamalo,
part of the twenty twenty NFL Hall of Fame class,
(17:48):
which was put off for a year. Who knows the
way twenty twenties going, but it was it difficult in
any way for you, you know, to recognize that you
were going to see the speech and he's your nephew.
Unbelievable for the Steelers obviously, well it's twenty twenty. Was
that a difficult time? It was a difficult time, but
I was so proud. I had the opportunity to fly
(18:10):
down to Miami, spend dinner with them the night before
and got to experience all the different Hall of famers
that came up and congratulated, and it was emotional because
I've seen this young man from his birth all the
way to this time, and nothing better. He's a better person.
(18:31):
He is a football player, and he's really helped me
in my coaching career in understanding how to be the
relationship part of teaching these young men to be the
best they can be. Kennedy, you watch defenses and try
to beat them every single week. Does anybody play the
game the way your nephew played it for the Steelers,
(18:51):
free lancing, hitting, picking off quarterbacks. Yeah, well he really
he studies, He studies and takes the angles and proper.
And that was coach Dick lebo. Uh. You know, he
tells funny stories about Hey, hey, Troy, what don't you
understand about covering the flat? You know, I'll protect you
with the other routes, but I need you in the flat.
(19:12):
So those are all calculated in studies. And it's fun
to uh to watch him play. And that's what I
try to teach these young men. You know, I'm gonna
give you the information now, just let it go and
be willing to to to to let the results come out.
You you offensive coordinator at USC and UCLA. I mean
(19:34):
I mean from brent Hood to h near South Central
by the Coliseum. I mean that you don't see that
you often old Kennedy Now, the great thing about it
is I had the opportunity to get my two sons
into college and uh and uh howba people are getting
in trouble with that stuff. Now, hey man, good for you,
you do great work. I appreciate you joining the show.
(19:54):
Best to luck against those lines. Okay, thank you very much. Paul,
got you bout Kennedy Paulamalo, running backs coach for the
Minnesota Vikings. And Vikings fans purchase any twenty ounce Pepsi
branded product from Quick Trip with your rewards card and
enter the Vikings Opening Drive Sweepstakes. No purchase necessary. See
store for details. Now, the Vikings hook the Detroit Lions
(20:17):
this Sunday at noon. The Lions are coming off a
home loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Kenny Golladay, their best receiver,
is hurt and also Jamal Agnew. Jamal Agnew a player
who returns punts and kicks for them, very very good.
He also got nicked up in that Colts game. We'll
see what happens. The interior of the Lions defense offensive
(20:38):
Lion has had some strong struggles of late. The Minnesota
Vikings defensive line Jalen Holmes, Shamar Stephan Jaliel Johnson, if
Bodiodnibo and DJ Wanham and so on. They really really
took a two green bay in the second half. Hopefully
they do the same thing to these Detroit Lions. Thank
you very much for listening to XS and OS with
(20:59):
Mike Zimmer Kurtis see of US bank for all of us.
Here at the Vikings Entertainment Network and KFA and Radio,
I'm Paul Allen, Go Vikings, and go Nathan Vaughan, and
the game is at noon on the KFA and Minnesota
Vikings Radio Network. Courtesy at Polaris
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