EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- With a big, white patch over his right eye and instructions from his doctor not to yell too loudly for fear of further damaging the surgically repaired retina, Mike Zimmer returned to the sideline for the Minnesota Vikings to lead them to a much-needed victory over Jacksonville.Whether Zimmers decision to come back after missing the previous game against Dallas was in the best interest of his long-term health or not, the grizzled coach sent an unmistakable message to the players he asks to play through pain for him.Im not missing any more games the rest of my life, Zimmer vowed after a 25-16 victory over the Jaguars stunted a freefall of six losses in the previous seven games.The Vikings (7-6) entered December figuring they needed to win the final four games of the season to keep their playoff hopes alive, a startling position after being the last undefeated team in the league during a 5-0 start.Theyve suffered a litany of injuries this season, including to their head coach, who has had four eye surgeries to address a problem that has bothered him for months.After emergency surgery caused him to miss a loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 1, doctors cleared Zimmer to fly with the team to Jacksonville.He initially was not sure if he would coach from the sideline or a box above the field to protect him, but he ended up on the field with his players, which is where he wanted to be all along.The sight of their leader gutting through a serious eye issue to stay in the fight emboldened the Vikings.Hes a warrior, cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said on Monday. If youre injured, if youve got some little aches and pains, you just look at coach Zim like, `Wow, this guys got one eye and hes out here coaching.That lets you know how committed he is to this team and the dedication he has for this game. Its just unbelievable to have a coach like that.The Vikings host Indianapolis on Sunday and finish the season with a game at surging Green Bay on Christmas Eve and home against Chicago.For Zimmer, its about holding himself to the same standard he holds his players. He asks them to push their bodies to the absolute limit, to recover quickly from injuries and he has made his displeasure known when some players have been slow to heal.That much was evident on Monday when the Vikings placed defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd on injured reserve with a knee injury that has kept him out all season.Floyd has been bothered by injuries for the past three years and when Zimmer was asked to assess the former first-round draft pick on Monday, he bit his tongue.I dont want to assess him to the media, Zimmer said. Ill assess him to (Vikings GM Rick Spielman) when we sit down and talk.Zimmer said that he has talked about the importance of toughness since the day I first walked in the building here.He has posted signs around the teams headquarters underscoring that theme and challenged his players to live up to it.If youre going to preach it, you need to walk the walk, too, Zimmer said on Monday.That kind of attitude plays well in the testosterone-filled NFL locker room, and the players rallied around him even as he admitted to being much harder on them in practice during their recent slide.How much jeopardy is he putting himself in by continuing to work?Only Zimmer really knows. He has said he is following his doctors orders and understands how serious his situation is. But he has also made it clear to his players that it wont stop him from being by their side the rest of the way.Coach Zims going to give it all hes got, running back Jerick McKinnon said. Everybody knows that. Were a reflection of him. Everybodys laying it on the line. Its all about fighting together, working and doing whatever it takes to come out with a win.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL . http://www.steelersrookiestore.com/Steelers-Kevin-Greene-Jersey/ . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. http://www.steelersrookiestore.com/Steelers-Merril-Hoge-Jersey/ . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. http://www.steelersrookiestore.com/Steelers-Cameron-Heyward-Jersey/ . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.steelersrookiestore.com/Steelers-Mike-Webster-Jersey/ . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . http://www.steelersrookiestore.com/Steelers-Jack-Ham-Jersey/ . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. LONDON -- On the several occasions the question surfaced earlier this fortnight, Serena Williams batted it out of the air like one of her 120 mph aces.What would it mean to collect a 22nd Grand Slam singles title and reach the Open era record of Steffi Graf?Williams, who has been hearing variations on this reoccurring theme for a full year now, has developed an impenetrable defense: essentially, no comment.I dont know, she said Thursday after reaching her ninth singles final here at the All England Club. My goal has never been 22. I dont talk about that anymore.After Saturdays emphatic 7-5, 6-3 victory over Angelique Kerber, let the conversation begin. Its Serena and Steffi, long since retired, in a dead heat. Only Margaret Courts all-time record of 24 is beyond them.With an easy forehand into an open court to win the match, Williams fell dramatically, almost cartoonishly, backward to the grass. When she popped up, she flashed the victory sign -- two fingers on each hand -- and positively beamed.And there, intrepid reporters, was your answer regarding the elusive 22.I have definitely had some sleepless nights, if Im just honest with a lot of stuff, Serena said. Coming so close. Feeling it, not being able to quite get there.But, you know, it makes the victory even sweeter to know how hard I worked for it. ...Its obviously a great relief.She was already the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open era, which came a year ago at Wimbledon. Now, Williams, nearly 35, adds a year to that. This is her ninth major title after turning 30 -- far and away best total ever. Court and Martina Navratilova had three each.It is worth noting that Serena has now reached the final at seven of the past eight Grand Slams. For the record, No. 1 Novak Djokovic is six for his past seven.It was a composed, controlled performance by Williams in front of some of her favorite people, including sister Venus, Beyonce, Jay Z and Ellen DeGeneres.After winning four consecutive majors to reach 21, Serena found herself in a holding pattern. She lost in the semifinals of last years US Open (surprisingly, to Roberta Vinci), then to Kerber, the 28-year-old German, in the Australian Open final and Garbine Muguruza in the recent French Open final.Now, 5? months since losing to Kerber Down Under, she is over that formidable hump.Well, this tournament I came in with just a different mind frame and mindset, Williams said. I knew in Melbourne I thought I played well, but honestly Angelique played great, she played better. She just played really good tennis.So I knew that going into this one, I just needed to keep calm, be conffident, just play the tennis that Ive been playing for well over a decade.ddddddddddddSerena thus defended her title here and became a seven-time Wimbledon champion, tying Graf and Dorothea Lambert Chambers for third on the all-time list behind Navratilova (nine) and Helen Wills Moody (eight). This one came, incredibly, 14 years after the first, in 2002, as a 20-year-old.?Williams up-to-the-minute list of major trophies: six at the Australian Open, three at the French Open, seven at Wimbledon and six at the US Open.The last time two women met in two Grand Slam finals in the same year? A decade ago, when Amelie Mauresmo beat Justine Henin in Melbourne and Wimbledon. Kerber was hoping to do the same to Serena.Kerber, a better mover, consciously tried to push Serena around and attack her backhand. Aces aside, a formidable breeze favored Kerbers ability to adjust on the fly.The two punched and counterpunched their way to the brink of a first-set tiebreaker, but two loose errors from Kerber gave Williams two set points. A majestic backhand, deep and in the corner, was too good for Kerber to return. That unleashed a screaming Serena, who suddenly seemed to want this very much.With Williams serving the seventh game of the second, a break point -- the first of the match -- suddenly appeared. Serenas response was a 117 mph ace, followed by a 124 mph ace -- a quick end to any thoughts of giving in to Kerber.Serena finished in a blur, winning the last eight points.?I think I played what I could today, Kerber said in her postmatch interview. I can just say, I mean, Serena was serving unbelievable today. At the end I was trying everything, but she deserved it today.Yeah, I mean, I think I was not the one who [lost] the match. I think she won the match.Maybe this is the rivalry womens tennis has been aching for? Williams will be No. 1 exiting this tournament (for the 177th consecutive week), and Kerber will be No. 2.And now those snarky scribes have a whole new line of questioning to investigate: How long before Serena Williams passes Courts all-time record of 24 majors? It could happen as soon as next years Wimbledon -- or perhaps sooner.The Rev. Margaret Court, watching from the Royal Box, was more than a casual bystander.Going forward, there will be much discussion about Serena equaling Courts 24 majors.?No, not for me. Ive learned a lot about 22, Serena said. I learned not to get involved in those debates and conversations. I just learned to just play tennis. Thats what I do best. 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