Wilf: "He (Frazier) is our coach"

[Mercy Percy]

Without Childress taking the chance (other teams passed him up) on AD in the draft, Fraizer could be winnless this year. Just sayin...

Yeah Adrian has put the team on his back most games this year. But obviously that has nothing to do with adding core players around him and turning our pitty defense into something that is serviceable. What about getting Kalil? Harrison smith ? If we dont have Ponder making the comeback against the Jags we dont win. and if Walsh misses we dont win. You have so many reasons to not hate on Frazier when he has done a hell of a job so far with this team and what we have. JAMARCA SANFORD FOR CHRIST SAKE LOOKS LIKE A DECENT SAFETY!!!!!!!!

[Hunter Morrow]

Here is how I attribute the extra wins
Harrison, Brinkley and Robinson playing better (1)
Everson Griffen and Robison playing great (.5)
Acquiring Felton and drafting Kalil to help Peterson (.5)
Peterson being Purple Jesus (1)
BLAIR "THE RULER OF THE KINGDOM OF AIR" Walsh and Kluwe and just special teams coverage in general being better (1)

Look at all the new guys helping out there!

So yeah, the receiving corps efforts have been busts and Ponder without Harvin is a day without sunshine but this team is much better off now than it was last year.

[PurpleHalo]

Coaching is the least of this teams worries. If they had an average QB, they would be in the hunt, for a division title.

[Demi]

Peterson was really the consensus/obvious choice even with injury prone concerns

Yeah they were stuck at that point. I remember reports that Spielman wanted Landry over AD but guess we can't really know since thankfully he was picked already.

[dead_poet]

This was surprising to me. But I like the approach (and results). Another feather in Frazier's hat.

Hard work has helped Vikings cut down on penalties

The Minnesota Vikings have been assessed the fourth-fewest penalties in the NFL this season, being called for 75 infractions that resulted in 680 yards.

Only the Atlanta Falcons (50 penalties, 380 yards), New York Giants (65/521) and New York Jets (73/623) have been called for fewer penalties. The Vikings are just in front of the Miami Dolphins (76/676).

This is a big difference from a year ago when the Vikings were the 10th-most penalized team in the NFL with 109 for 908 yards en route to a 3-13 finish.

"If you look back we have not, in the time I've been here, been very good when it comes to penalties," Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said. "For us to be in the top-five this season, (that's a) credit to our players. We really emphasized it in the offseason, but that's not unlike any other year that we've emphasized it. Once again, it's our ownership really buying into some things that I talked to them about this offseason."

One of the things Frazier brought up was employing officials to work the Vikings' practices this season. Frazier had become concerned about the penalties the Vikings were taking and began talking to other coaches about how they approached the problem.

"One of the coaches I talked with mentioned that they had tried to use officials in practice and he saw a dramatic decrease in their penalties," Frazier said. "I said, 'That's not a bad idea. Maybe that might help us.' I talked to our ownership about it because those (officials) aren't going to volunteer their time and they were willing to support it.

"I think having those officials there has helped us, along with our players being more conscious. But (they are) probably being more conscious because those officials are there and they will call penalties in practice."

The Vikings also hired retired NFL referee Bernie Kukar as a consultant. Kukar observed minicamps and training camp and attempted to help players and coaches get a better feel for the rules at that time. On game days, he works from the coaches' booth.

"He's helped tremendously," Frazier said. "Meeting with our coaches, giving little mini-clinics in training camp with our team and our coaches. So, it has helped a lot and if our ownership had balked at that (suggestion) it may not have become as good as it has. But I think where we are penalty-wise is a direct reflection of the commitment that was made from the top."

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Note ... ties121912

[Raptorman]

3rd year HEAD COACH??? HE had one year as an interim coach after what 6 games? Now he was considered head coach this year? Emotionless robot cool doesnt matter what you think of him only the players and the results he gets on the field! Sticking with Ponder gives him confidence we are saying confidence is his issue right now! Okay lets toy around with an unstable unconfident quarterback! Think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love this. "Emotionless Robot cool". You guys who don't like this in Frazier, I have two words for you. Bud Grant. Now, I'm not saying Frazier is the even close to Bud. But, they called him "stone face" for a reason. I have no problem with a coach being like that on the sidelines. You guys would have gone nuts watching Grant on the sidelines, Stone faced, coat, tie, hat. Didn't know the man could smile until I saw an interview with him once when he was talking about fishing.

[Demi]

Good call on officials. Frazier solid head coach who's still learning. He lets his guys do their job and focuses on head coaching. No idiotic challenges like some other coaches do every week. No brain dead timeouts. End of half idiocy has been on Ponder (with even Frazier shaking his head sadly)

Just need a new OC...throw some money at Norv!!!

[PurpleHalo]

Good call on officials. Frazier solid head coach who's still learning. He lets his guys do their job and focuses on head coaching. No idiotic challenges like some other coaches do every week. No brain dead timeouts. End of half idiocy has been on Ponder (with even Frazier shaking his head sadly)

Just need a new OC...throw some money at Norv!!!

Whats the oc supposed to do, about bad qb, and bad wr? He's still learning too, and he has been running the offense, that has Adrian on the cusp of the best season by a rb ever.

[Demi]

Whats the oc supposed to do, about bad qb, and bad wr? He's still learning too, and he has been running the offense, that has Adrian on the cusp of the best season by a rb ever.

What's the OC suppose to do? Help make the QB and WRs better. Whether it's coaching, game planning, play calling. We're 24th in overall yards per game. Even with a top 5 running game. Dead last in passing yards per game. You don't think a better OC might help in that area? Peterson would have success no matter who the coordinator is. I don't care if AD has 3000 yards if the team has to scratch their way to even get to the final wild card spot.

This passing game needs all the help it can get. That includes offensive coordinator, quarterback, and receivers. Changing any or all of them would likely help...

[DanAS]

Thanks for the link.

Keeping Frazier as the HC next year is absolutely the right move. He's done a good job this season and he and Spielman appear to have the team moving in the right direction. The big question is: will he get a contract extension and, if so, when?

Of course, that opens up a number of other questions.

The team has improved -- or should I say, the DEFENSE/running game/special teams have improved -- substantially. But none of this improvement will matter unless the passing game is addressed. I say Frazier/Spielman get two off-seasons to play with, and during those two, they must address what has become a prehistoric passing game. With one off-season, we must fix our WR issues. With the other, we must fix our QB issues. In both cases, we need new personnel, not just better coaching. If we don't get that new personnel, I don't think it matters what head coach we have: we aren't contending for a title. And for this Vikings fan, that's all that matters: can we contend for a world championship? Nothing else is satisfactory -- not after 4 1/2 decades of frustration.

Anyway, the glass is half full here, not half empty, because we truly don't have so many holes that we can't fill them. Not every team can say that.

[Mothman]

From Sid Hartman:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins ... coops.html

Well, look for an announcement any day that coach Leslie Frazier is going to get a contract extension. As reported in my column on Dec. 10, Frazier is going to be the team’s coach in the future, and I believe he will get a two- or three-year extension to his current deal, which expires after next season.
The Wilfs have an outstanding relationship with Frazier, one that has improved steadily since he took over as the team’s coach near the end of the 2010 season.

...and Kevin Siefert, reporting on Sid Hartman's report:

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... ie-frazier

Earlier this week, we suggested the Minnesota Vikings have won enough games this season to make coach Leslie Frazier's return in 2013 a given. And because next season is the last year of the original contract he signed as the team's coach, it made sense that some sort of a contract extension would be on the way.

Teams typically don't let coaches enter a season in a lame-duck contract situation, at least ones they believe in. So Sid Hartman's blog item (yes!) for the Star Tribune makes perfect sense: Owner Zygi Wilf authorized an extension earlier this week and the deal could be announced any day.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

From Sid Hartman:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins ... coops.html
...and Kevin Siefert, reporting on Sid Hartman's report:

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... ie-frazier

Bah.

Why can't Frazier just go into next season with his current deal? Give him an extension next season if he truly does deserve it.

[chicagopurple]

THose of you willing to continue with Frasier are just bottom feeders happy to get a rare scrap of garbage

The Vikes had a WEAK schedual this year and benefitted accordingly.

Musgrave is a blatant idiot and Frasier bears responsibility for his asst coaches choices

The only really good team we beat was the Niners, How many bad play calls do we have to witness at 3rd and short, or goal line?

I will say our coverage on special teams is better then the recent past, our running game is great but thats largely due to APs insane commitment and DemiGod body.

We deserve a great coach. There are a number out there available. Our team is NOT meant to be a training ground for inexperienced first time coaches like Leslie

[Demi]

Bah.

Why can't Frazier just go into next season with his current deal? Give him an extension next season if he truly does deserve it.

Exactly. Zygi is a twit. Didn't learn his lesson with Childress and is deciding to do the exact same thing he did last time. "His coach". Just like Childress was?

And I'm a guy who thinks Frazier is doing a solid job...the problem is the brain dead OC. Hopefully he at least has the brains to get rid of that clown if he gets an extension and has some job security.

Let him coach through his final year and earn the damn thing if you feel he's the coach of the future. He's 14-22 as the head coach of this team. And Zygi feels the need to extend him? Is another team going to look at him and say, by golly we better go get this guy! God why do we get cursed with these owners time after time?

[Dark]

Frazier's career record as HC may be bad, but Childress screwed up this team and Frazier got us back on track. Fire Musgrave, extend Frazier NEXT YEAR if we don't screw up.