Alvin Kamara returns to haunt Mike Zimmer in repeat of Vikings Christmas disaster

Sunday's performance from Kamara might've looked quite familiar to Vikings fans.

Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs against the Dallas Cowboys in the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Mike Zimmer is going to have nightmares about Alvin Kamara for the rest of his life.

On Sunday, a mere few years since Kamara torched Zimmer's Vikings with six touchdowns on Christmas Day, the Saints running back made mincemeat of Zimmer's Dallas defense as he exploded for 180 total yards and four touchdowns as New Orleans obliterated the Cowboys 44-19 on Sunday.

Alvin. Kamara. PERIOD. (@fedex) #NOvsDAL pic.twitter.com/5EQmiFwE1w

— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024

Vikings fans will remember the last time a Zimmer-led defense faced Kamara. It was in 2020, Zimmer's penultimate season as Vikings head coach, when Kamara ran for 155 yards and six touchdowns and the Saints walloped Minnesota 52-33 to crush the Vikings' playoff hopes and ruin Christmas for millions of Minnesotans.

In the last eight quarters of football against Zimmer's defenses, Kamara has 47 touches for 352 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Adding to the irony on Sunday in Dallas was that Klint Kubiak was calling the plays for the Saints against his former boss's defense. Kubiak was the quarterbacks coach under Zimmer in Minnesota in 2019 and 2020 before being promoted to Zimmer's offensive coordinator in 2021. Kubiak clearly knew how to expose weaknesses in Zimmer's scheme.

Blame Zimmer for getting out-coached? Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons says the lousy effort had nothing to do with Zimmer. "Zim ain't the one playing!" Parsons posted on X.

Shit ain’t have nothing to do with zim but everything on us!! Zim ain’t the one playing! https://t.co/ZeQ23Brx4c

— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) September 15, 2024

In fairness, the Saints lit up the Panthers for 47 points in Week 1 and after hanging 44 on the Cowboys in Dallas they look like they might be a legitimate contender in the NFC. The next test for New Orleans will be a home date with the Philadelphia Eagles this coming Sunday.

Zimmer, meanwhile, will have to gameplan for Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, who visit Dallas for the 3:25 p.m. CT kickoff on Sunday.