Mark Craig: Shocking death keeps Bengals grounded

As every eye in the Metrodome turns to Chad Ochocinco, Ragnar and the hyped struggle for the Vikings' Gjallarhorn, a man named Mike Zimmer will walk in unnoticed and simply do his job to the best of his ability.

It's what Mike Zimmer does better than most as Bengals defensive coordinator. It's what he's done every day since he found Vikki, his wife of 27 years, dead in their home.

There were no serious warning signals. Vikki was only 50, loved like a second mother by Mike's players, and seemingly so full of life. Yet she reportedly died of natural causes on Oct. 8 while Mike was at work.

The exact cause of death has not been determined. Zimmer and his three grown children continue moving forward day by day as best they can. The two daughters live in Texas. The son, Adam, is an assistant linebackers coach for the 12-0 Saints, so it's not out of the question that father and son could be on opposite sidelines for Super Bowl XLIV.

Zimmer has been inundated by interview requests this season. He's tried to be accommodating, but as one can imagine, the emotional toll of reliving the night of Oct. 8 became too much for him to continue granting interviews.

A few weeks ago, Zimmer revealed the depth of his anguish during an interview with Peter King, Sports Illustrated's NFL reporter. The 53-year-old coach spoke about moving forward for his kids, being both a father and a mother to them, and the difficulties of life in an empty house.

"The thing is, it's so hard to be happy, even with how well the team is doing," Zimmer told King. "We beat Chicago really bad a couple of weeks ago, and I go home, and I was just miserable. I've been sleeping on the couch because I just can't get back into our bed. I'm getting ready to go back in there, but I can't just yet. That's tough."

The Bengals were decent defensively last year, ranking 12th in total defense despite a 4-11-1 season. They're healthier this season and have added a few important pieces. But they're also playing with a consistently high level of emotion, at least partly because of a respect for Zimmer and in memory of Vikki.

"Vikki was our mom," defensive end Jonathan Fanene told me this week. "Mike is a great person and a tough guy. He can handle this, but really only he and God knows how he's really doing inside. I had a lot of love and respect for that man. We didn't think he'd be there in Baltimore when we played the Ravens [Oct. 10], but he was there for us. We appreciated that. We'll always play for Mike."

Not only was Zimmer in Baltimore a couple of days after Vikki's death, but he helped the Bengals grab control of the AFC North with a 17-14 victory that included two interceptions by his defense. Cincinnati has since posted a 6-0 record in a division that last year produced both AFC Championship participants (Pittsburgh and Baltimore) and the Super Bowl champion (the Steelers).

"The defense is ridiculous," said Ochocinco, the Bengals' No. 1 receiver. "The defense is really, really good. ... The defense is really the one carrying us this year."

Zimmer has been an NFL defensive coordinator for 10 seasons, the past two in Cincinnati. His Cowboys defense ranked No. 1 in total defense in 1994. This year, the Bengals are on pace to lead the league in scoring defense for the first time in franchise history. They're also on pace to give up just 249 points, which would break the franchise mark for a 16-game season by 36 points.

A lot of teams will be looking for new head coaches for 2010. If they're looking for a successful guy with toughness and dedication that's been tested and proved unsurpassable, they should give Mike Zimmer a call.