MINNEAPOLIS -- The teachings of Bill Parcells are never far from the Minnesota Vikings' locker room. The Hall of Fame coach talks to Mike Zimmer after every Vikings game, and the lessons Zimmer learned from Parcells during their four seasons together in Dallas are hardwired into his approach in Minnesota.
Zimmer invoked Parcells again on Wednesday, as he talked about passing one of the most important on-field tests in his first 23 months as the Vikings' coach: Not letting three defeats in four games, including two losses to playoff contenders last week, become a stumbling block for his young team on its way to the playoffs.