Shortly after, the Vikings finalized an agreement to be concluded Mike Zimmer their ninth head coach on January 15, 2014 they called the agents to get Todd Bowles, informing them that the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator at the time would not be their choice.

Bowles was the only other finalist at the station whose name had become known. He was waiting to see if he would get a second interview when the Vikings would hire Zimmer. Instead, Bowles stayed in Arizona for another year before becoming the Jets coach almost a year after the Vikings hired Zimmer.

On Sunday, Bowles will coach his former boss for the first time.

He was the junior coach of Dallas in Zimmer's final year as Cowboys defensive coordinator and worked for the former coach of the Vikings offensive line. Tony Sparano's staff in Miami when the Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards was the coach of the linebackers.

"We send a lot of messages. It's Zimmer, it was George Edwards, "said Bowles. "I've been with [defensive line coach] Andre Patterson [in Cleveland in 2003 and 2004]. I've been with a lot of guys there. Zim is one of the smartest defensive coaches of my life, and I learned a lot from him in Dallas. We continue to keep in touch when we need things, or something like that, as well as George, as well as Andrew. We have a very good relationship. "

Zimmer said this week that Bowles was "a really good coach – a smart guy, very dedicated to his job" in Dallas. Defensive Coordinator of the Jets Kacy Rodgers was also the coach of Zimmer's defensive line with the Cowboys and, although Bowles' draft deviates from what is now familiar to Viking fans during Zimmer's stay in Minnesota, both defenses have some common traits.

"There are more technical than technical similarities," said the offensive coordinator of the Vikings. John DeFilippo I said. "Coach Bowles is a good coach. What good coaches do is that they develop their patterns after what their players do well. Obviously, there are similarities in the way they play certain covers, certain techniques in their corners, some leverage from their corners, that sort of thing. I want to say. it's a completely different team from the one he had in places in Arizona. Obviously, he fits his plan with his staff. "

Lost but not found

After Vikings long snapper Kevin McDermott At the end of the second quarter of the game against the Rams on September 27th, the Vikings 'specialists left the visitors' locker room at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before the third quarter on a mission:

Find McDermott's finger.

"They looked for it at half-time, without my knowledge," said the coordinator of the special teams. Mike Priefer I said. "At half-time, I hold my breath hoping we can recover Kevin, even though [tight end] David [[[[Morgan]did a great job for us. The guys, the specialists went out and searched at half-time. They could not find it. He left forever now; it is at L.A. Coliseum. "

Priefer said his wife, Debbieshe lost a part of her little finger when she was slammed at the door of a car and found her stitched in the hospital. When she joined the team for Mass Saturday night before the Vikings' game against the Cardinals on Sunday, she exchanged stories with McDermott about their loose fingers.

"I sat down, shaking my head, and said, 'Good God, we have a game tomorrow, we're going. We have to focus here, "said Priefer.

Missing practice

Return Dalvin Cook, who missed three of the last four games with a thigh injury, left the practice field in Thursday's individual practice and was placed on the non-participant list after fully training. Wednesday.

Defensive end Danielle Hunter also missed training due to a groin injury, although Zimmer said Hunter's absence was "just a part of the plan".

Nose plated Linval Joseph (ankle / knee / shoulder), safety Andrew Sendejo (groin) and tackle Riley Reiff (foot) has not been practiced either, while the defensive end Everson Griffen stay away from the team that deals with mental health issues.

Zimmer said he was not worried about the depth of the Vikings on the defensive line for Sunday's game.