MINNEAPOLIS -- Vikings coach Mike Zimmer did little to hide his feelings about the Rams' defensive style of play Sunday, calling the hit that knocked quarterback Teddy Bridgewater out of the game a cheap shot in his postgame news conference.
Zimmer said the Rams went too far and pointed the finger at defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
"I agree that it was a cheap shot," Zimmer said on KFAN-FM, adding, "[Gregg Williams'] defenses are all like that."
Bridgewater left the game with a concussion when St. Louis cornerback Lamarcus Joyner hit him in the fourth quarter, and he will have to clear the NFL's concussion protocol to return for next Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders. Bridgewater appeared to be in good spirits in the locker room after Minnesota's 21-18 win, but he had to be replaced by Shaun Hill. After the Vikings won the game in overtime, Zimmer kept walking as he quickly shook Rams coach Jeff Fisher's hand.
"I didn't have much to say to him," Zimmer said in his postgame news conference. Then, when asked about the response of his players to the hit, the coach said, "If we were out in the street, we probably would've had a fight."
Asked about the postgame handshake, Fisher said, "It was really quick, yeah. We're not out to hurt anybody. It's unfortunate. Teddy is playing really well, and Shaun came in and found a way to win a game for them. But it's just part of the game. I'm disappointed that he went out, and I hope that he returns to play as soon as he can."
Joyner said he did not try to hurt Bridgewater, adding: "I know that guy. I grew up across the railroad tracks from him. My mom knows his mom. My dad knows his mom. I would never intentionally do a dirty play like that on Teddy Bridgewater.
"It was a bam-bam play. He's a taller stature guy compared to me, I did not know he was fixing to slide. When I launched, he slid and we connected. If I could take it back, personally, I will take it back because I'm not a dirty player. I wouldn't want to take joy from his mom or his team. So was it intentional? Not at all. I can't fix the problem with what's going on and how they feel, but how I feel inside is not good."
"If we were out in the street, we probably would've had a fight." Vikings coach Mike Zimmer on his players' reaction to the Rams' hit on Teddy Bridgewater
A league source told ESPN.com Bridgewater was feeling good after the game, adding the quarterback was out to dinner with people close to him.
On the series before Bridgewater was injured, he also took a low hit from Rams defensive end William Hayes, who was not called for a penalty because Bridgewater was out of the pocket when Hayes hit him.
Williams' name already draws a strong reaction in Minnesota stemming from his role in the New Orleans Saints' "Bountygate" scandal, which peaked in the 2010 NFC Championship Game when Saints players angered the Vikings with a number of low hits on quarterback Brett Favre. The game helped trigger an NFL investigation into the Saints' conduct, and Williams was suspended for the 2012 NFL season.
Asked if the Rams were targeting Bridgewater on Sunday, Zimmer said: "I don't know about that. I do know there is a history there with their defensive coordinator. I'll leave it at that."