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Chuck Foreman Jersey , still seeking to salvage a season that started with Super Bowl designs, made a last-ditch move to capture a mid-December spark by firing offensive coordinator John DeFilippo.More Vikings coveragePreview: Cook, Vikings look to keep rolling vs. PackersTop Tweets: Vikings prepare for Packers with TMNT hype videoBarr, seasoned Vikings defense off to strong startNew offense, same Rodgers: Vikings prep for LaFleur’s PackersVikings re-sign center Jones, waive rookie TE DillonCoach Mike Zimmer made what he called an “extremely difficult decision” on Tuesday morning, following a 21-7 defeat at Seattle on Monday night . DeFilippo’s first season on the job ended after just 13 games, amid a sharp decline in production by the offense over the past six weeks.“I went round and round and round and round about it because I feel like, ‘I hired him. It’s my job to try to help him to continue to get better,'” Zimmer said. “I obviously didn’t do a good enough job there. I’ve always felt like if you hire a guy, you should stick with him and try to help him and help him mature as a coach.”The Vikings (6-6-1) have been held to under 300 total yards in four of their past five games. They’ve scored an average of 12.8 points in those four games. Thanks to the struggles of several of their NFC competitors, though, they’re still in control of the second wild-card spot with three games to go.“I don’t want the season to be wasted. Now, maybe it will. Maybe it won’t,” Zimmer said. “But these three games, to me, are very, very critical.”Quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski was made interim offensive coordinator, taking over the play-calling duty. Stefanski has been an assistant with the Vikings since 2006 http://www.thevikingslockerroom.com/authentic-fran-tarkenton-jersey , surviving two head coaching changes. Having coached quarterbacks, running backs and tight ends under Zimmer, Stefanski has a firm grasp of the scheme and the personnel.“We’ve got a lot of smart guys in that room, and I’ll try to help him best I can,” Zimmer said.DeFilippo’s work with new quarterback Kirk Cousins didn’t materialize into consistent success, but Zimmer said his reasoning for dismissing DeFilippo transcended Cousins and his so-so first year with the Vikings.“This really wasn’t about one guy. This was about a lot of us holding up our end of the bargain. It was a collective thing,” Zimmer said on a conference call with reporters. He added: “We had to shake things up and try to get better.”Stefanski will be the fourth play-caller in five years under Zimmer, whose first offensive coordinator, Norv Turner, resigned halfway through the 2016 season. Pat Shurmur thrived in the role last year, behind a career-best season for fill-in quarterback Case Keenum and a 13-3 record that propelled the Vikings to the NFC championship game.Shurmur, however, was hired as head coach of the New York Giants. He wanted to bring Stefanski with him, but Zimmer blocked that move out of a desire to keep him on his own staff.The 40-year-old DeFilippo came from Philadelphia, lauded for his work as quarterbacks coach with Carson Wentz and then Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. He had previously served one season as an offensive coordinator, in 2015 with Cleveland.The Vikings, who committed a guaranteed $84 million to Cousins on an unprecedented three-year contract, piled up the passing yards over the first eight games. Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs were dominating opposing teams, and the Vikings topped 400 total yards four times.Lately Womens Paul Krause Jersey , they’ve been unable to generate nearly enough points to stay in the NFC North race with Chicago (9-4). Zimmer publicly questioned DeFilippo’s decision-making more than once over the past month, stressing his interest in more of a run-pass balance and chiding him at one point for essentially trying to trick too many teams rather than relying on the offense’s strengths.The Vikings didn’t cross midfield on Monday night until late in the third quarter. They actually had a prime opportunity to pull out a victory down the stretch, after a 48-yard pass by Cousins to Diggs set them up in the red zone. They had first-and-goal from the 4, but Cousins threw two incompletions, missing an open Thielen on fourth down and misfiring to tight end Kyle Rudolph instead.“I think the added piece of the disappointment is when your defense is playing so well,” Cousins said after the Vikings went scoreless against the Seahawks until a garbage-time touchdown with 1:10 left in the game.He added: “If our offense would bring it the way that we brought it in the earlier weeks of the season, we could be pretty dangerous. Unfortunately, we haven’t put the whole complementary football together enough this season to really be the team that I think we know we’re capable of, and that will be the challenge these last three weeks.”Seahawks at Vikings Preseason 2018: Second Half Open Thread We’re at halftime at U.S. Bank Stadium in the All-Important Third Preseason Game鈩?between the Seattle Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings, and the home team trails going into the locker room by a score of 10-6.The Vikings put together a solid enough opening drive. Dalvin Cook got to carry the football on two of the first three offensive snaps for the Vikings, and got a combined one yard on those carries (though that was enough to get a first down). The Vikings went 49 yards in 14 plays on their opening drive, and got Daniel Carlson into position to attempt a 42-yard field goal. Unfortunately, on his first kick since winning the kicking competition over Kai Forbath, Carlson pushed his attempt wide to the left. So, despite holding onto the ball for the first half of the first quarter, the Vikings wound up with no points.The Vikings defense did what they do, forcing Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense into a three-and-out on their opening drive. Seattle punter Michael Dickson, a rookie this season, blasted an outstanding punt to pin the Vikings down at their 3-yard line to start their second possession. The second drive was the C.J. Ham & Latavius Murray variety hour John Randle Jersey , as they both had big plays on the drive. Ham had a pair of big receptions for first downs, and Murray had a 24-yard reception on a third down play to get the Vikings near midfield.After Ham’s second big catch put the Vikings into Seattle territory, Kirk Cousins found Stefon Diggs for a 27-yard pitch-and-catch down to the Seattle 10.To start the second quarter. . .after the Seahawks only had the ball once and ran three offensive plays. . .the Vikings had third-and-goal from the Seattle 5, but Cousins was crushed for what appeared to be a sack by Bobby Wagner, but a defensive holding call on Seattle gave the Vikings a new set of downs. Minnesota took advantage, as Murray went over from a yard out to give the Vikings the lead. Strangely, the Vikings elected to go for two points, and Cousins’ pass for Laquon Treadwell fell incomplete to keep the purple’s lead at 6-0.The Vikings’ scoring drive was 13 plays, 97 yards, for those of you scoring at home. Or, hey, even if you’re by yourself. They were also 5-for-6 on third downs on their first two possessions after the team went a combined 0-for-12 on third downs last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.Seattle had a significantly better second possession, as Wilson marched his team into Minnesota territory with a series of completions. A run by Mike Davis then moved the Seahawks to the Minnesota 23-yard line. Danielle Hunter then buried Davis for a loss, but Wilson then found Brandon Marshall. . .yes, that Brandon Marshall. . .for a big gain to the Minnesota 6. Seattle finished the drive on the next play, as Chris Carson took a handoff and went in for a Seattle touchdown. Sebastian Janikowski. . .yes, that Sebastian Janikowski. . .connected on the extra point, and the road team moved out in front by a score of 7-6.Minnesota went three-and-out on the subsequent drive, and Ryan Quigley’s punt put the Seahawks at their own 47-yard line. It didn’t take them long to get into Minnesota territory http://www.thevikingslockerroom.com/authentic-cris-carter-jersey , but the Vikings’ defense stood up and held the Seahawks to a 35-yard field goal by Janikowski to make the score 10-6.The Vikings got a chance to practice their two-minute offense, starting their drive from their own 17-yard line. Laquon Treadwell played a big role on the drive, catching a 12-yard pass for a first down and then putting together a 27-yard catch-and-run on a third down to push the Vikings into Seattle territory.The Vikings’ offense stalled, and Carlson came on again to attempt a 42-yard field goal. . .and he missed it, again. Wide to the left, again. Not what the Vikings need to see, and the score remained 10-6. That’s how we went into the locker room at halftime.Cousins got a lot of work in the first half, as he threw the ball 28 times, completing 17 of them for 182 yards. The Vikings also went 7-of-9 on third down, which is a vast improvement over last week, obviously. If not for the two missed field goals by the rookie. . .which is certainly concerning. . .the Vikings would have taken a lead into the locker room. Cousins connected with six different receivers, with Diggs leading the way with 51 yards on four catches.We’re at halftime at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Minnesota Vikings trail the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 10-6, and our rookie kicker apparently has a case of the yips now that he’s officially won the job. What will the second half hold? Join us and find out!