Zimmer recalls ‘Pickle Juice Game’ as Saints triumph over Cowboys | Sports

FRISCO, Texas — Mike Zimmer has felt this sting earlier than. He remembers all of it too properly, as a matter of reality, and he referenced it straight shortly after he was rehired as the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator this offseason. The “it” on this situation is the notorious “Pickle Juice Game”, and those that know, know; and what occurred by the hands of the New Orleans Saints reignited a trauma inside Zimmer.

More on that in a second, although.

“I think the biggest thing is, like last week, don't get too high and, this week, don't get too low,” stated Zimmer on Monday following the shellacking. “We've bought a variety of areas that we have to enhance in. Obviously, within the NFL, it is form of like that — a bunch of ups and downs.

“Tough people fight through it.”

He went on to take full accountability for what his protection placed on movie just one week after taking Deshaun Watson and an offense that options Amari Cooper out to the woodshed in Cleveland, however watched Derek Carr throw for 243 yards and two touchdowns on solely 11 makes an attempt largely arrange by the Cowboys' lack of ability to cease the run.

Zimmer disputes Micah Parsons' evaluation that it was an effort problem, although.

“I don't know that's the case,” he stated. “I feel we bought lined up fantastic. We had been making an attempt to maneuver the entrance some they usually caught us a pair occasions, and after they had been shifting guys, so I've simply bought to do a greater job.

“… I stated, ‘I've watched you guys for over three months now. Right? I've by no means seen us at one follow like that. I've by no means seen us [give up] performs in a follow like that.' I imply, these guys, usually, they're on level and do every thing the correct means. They play very, very arduous. They wish to compete.

“Again. I didn't allow them to use our strength, which is being able to get him into some third down situations and passing situations. So I've got to do a better job.”

For those that do not know of the notorious “Pickle Juice Game” in Cowboys' lore, a really abbreviated historical past lesson is so as right here.

On Sept. 3, 2000, the Cowboys hosted the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 of the debut season of Dave Campo as head coach and with Zimmer having been promoted to coordinator. All the Eagles did was blow the doorways off of Texas Stadium to the tune of 41-14, utilizing pickle juice to stem cramping within the Texas warmth, as Duce Staley ran for 201 yards on the bottom and totaled 262 yards from scrimmage.

It marked a turning level in how Zimmer approached protection, swearing his fealty to stopping the run in any respect prices versus permitting the run for the sake of promoting out to cease the go (he's a former defensive backs coach, in spite of everything), and he is by no means as soon as modified that tune since.

So when he watched Alvin Kamara rack up 180 yards from scrimmage (115 dashing) and 4 touchdowns (3 dashing), the Saints totaled 190 dashing yards on a median of 5.8 yards per carry — it was the flip of the century all over once more.

“Yeah, I talked to [the defense] today for a while,” Zimmer stated. “We watched movie collectively. We talked about issues we have to do higher, issues I have to do higher and we'll simply preserve engaged on it. My first recreation right here as coordinator was the Pickle Juice Game. I noticed to repair it after that.

“If I didn't fix those, I wouldn't be standing here today.”

Zimmer went on to drastically enhance the Cowboys' run protection going ahead, notably in his second season as coordinator in Dallas solely, as it stands, he isn't underneath contract for a second season presently. That means he'll have to get it repaired much more rapidly in his second stint as the defensive maestro.

Zimmer blames his scheme. Parsons blames lack of effort. The movie blames lack of execution.

Truth is, possibly it was the entire above.

And if the Cowboys do not get it mounted rapidly, they will be in fairly the pickle in 2024.