Before the 2012 season got underway, Percy Harvin expressed great displeasure with his role within the Vikings offense and requested a trade at one point. Instead of trading him, Leslie Frazier talked with Harvin about his concerns and apparently Harvin was happy with what he heard. If wasn’t completely happy at that point, he has to be now because he is in the middle of an MVP-type season.
After a pitiful loss to the Indianapolis Colts, veteran defensive linemen Kevin Williams and Jared Allen appealed to the coaching staff to let them simplify the defense and simply allow the front four to do their thing. The result has been games like we saw this last weekend, where the defense amassed seven sacks despite the fact that they blitzed on exactly zero snaps.
This coaching staff is seemingly willing to listen to their productive players, but they also seem willing to listen to their fan base. When the Vikings had red zone struggles in the red zone against Washington, the coaching staff didn’t get defensive and chippy about the matter like we might expect from the rex Ryans and Pete Carrolls of the world.
Instead, the Vikings coaching staff admitted that they weren’t proud of their decisions and vowed to fix the problem. And, really, they succeeded. The Vikings made two trips to the red zone on Sunday, and they scored touchdowns on each of them.
The coaching staff had to know they were going to hear about their lack of passing production on Sunday. At one point, Christian Ponder was sarcastically cheered by the home crowd when he opted to throw away a football when he was under pressure, as earlier he had chucked picks under similar pressure. If that wasn’t enough, the home crowd was so disinterested in the yawn-inducing game that they collectively jeered the referees for a call against the Cardinals because they weren’t paying close enough attention to realize the call had actually gone in the Vikings favor.
Everybody involved with Christian Ponder’s dismal day (35.5 passer rating) seemed to acknowledge that improvement was needed if their winning ways are to continue.
“A lot of it had to do with what they were doing defensively,” Frazier said of his offense’s struggles against the Cardinals. “Some of the things they were able to take away from what we wanted to get accomplished in the passing game.”
Frazier went on to vow that Ponder will continue to improve as an NFL passer.
So far this season, when the Vikings coaching staff says something is going to improve, it has come to fruition pretty quickly. We may have our reasons to doubt Ponder’s abilities in the immediate future, but his first chance to prove us wrong will come very quickly.
In three short days, the Vikings will take on Tampa Bay… who have the second-worst pass defense in the NFL.
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frazier appears to be a well-grounded guy who has his ego in check, but will he be able to rise to the occasion in big games and rally the team to win a championship some day?
Don't think so cal, he is another Childress.
Frazier may be the nicest guy in the world, but he is not a good head coach. The Vikings could be 7-0 and I wouldn't be on his bandwagon (I think I am also the only person in Minnesota who thought Childress was a joke in the 2009 season). I like Spielman and the team he has put together and if we didn't have such a fool for a head coach we could be even better. Zygi made the right move promoting Spielman and in a way demoting Frazier.
As to Ponder, I posted in the forums my opinion but I am afraid he is going to be a dud. I want him to succeed but I don't see it happening for many reasons. He is reminding me of Blaine Gabbert the way he plays. I hope he turns it around but I am starting to watch junior/sophomore QB's in college who will be in the 2014 draft.
No you weren't the only one That thought Childress was a joke in 09... I think i remember alot of Fire Childress...
As for Ponder, Not ready to throw in the towel yet...
End of the Season will see.
that's right. i didn't like childo when they hired him and thought we were winning in '09 in spite of him. ponder could be all right, and brothel-whatever might be an option, too. just remember, ya don't hafta have the best qb to win a title, although a good qb makes a big difference
http://www.aolnews.com/2008/07/11/is-dilfer-the-worst-qb-to-win-a-super-bowl/
I know this sounds like "tomb being tomb," but when I see Dilfer on TV, I genuinely see a penis head with a goatee talking to me...it's creepy.
Seriously, take a look at him next time he's busy pontificating in his smug manner. I'm not wrong on this.
i'd used to just write lol, but i want freds to know that i actually chuckled when i read that
I know this sounds like "coach being coach" but when I see Trent Dilfer on TV,, I see Trent Dilfer (and, by the way, when I see ink blots, I see blots of ink.)
You say that now, but the next time you see him talking, you'll see the uncanny resemblance...and 'lo, thou may be maddeth at thee for implanting that unavoidable image, but there is nothing you can do about it. Nothing. You will see it. This goes well beyond Rorschach's silly little inkblots.
Tomb,
I agree he does think he is better than he was...
I took great exception with Skol's claim too Charlie.
There was nobody that I lothed more than Childress and nobody lothed him more than I, even Skol.
As a matter of fact, everytime I would see him in his interviews, blathering on, all I saw was a giant penis head. . .
Fran,
You did better than me. I didn't listen to him, He would try to sound intelligent and sound dumber than a box of rocks.
I'm gonna have to question your childress hate, mine was quite high only topped by two. Since the day he was hired I hated him(mostly cuz he came from philly at first), then every decision he made since then other than Favre.
Well, in that case I have you beat... I hated the Favre signing too.
I hated the McButtholePenisHead signing even worse. At least Favre had talent. McNabb was the suckiest suck to ever suck a suckhole.
.
^^ what he said. And how could you hate the Favre signing? The guy made that the best viking team of my lifetime.
Well, whether or not HE made the best Vikings team of your life is surely debatable... but I didn't like the signing and that hatred is well documented at Vikings Gab from day one.
Is it because it should be spelled Farve that you hate him so much?
Sure. Add that to the already lengthy list of reasons :)
The Randy Moss/Cris Carter days were definitely my favorite Vikings teams, personally...and as much as I initially hated the Favre signing, the combination of a fantastic season and the screaming & gnashing of teeth coming from Packer land sort of melted the ice for me. Hard for me to muster hate for someone who could manage to piss off Wisconsin that much.
Here ya go:
Part One: http://www.vikingsgab.com/2009/08/20/handbook-for-those-who-love-the-vikings-but-hate-brett-favre/
Part Two: http://www.vikingsgab.com/2009/08/23/handbook-for-those-who-love-the-vikings-but-hate-brett-favre-round-2/
Part Three: http://www.vikingsgab.com/2009/08/24/handbook-for-those-who-love-the-vikings-but-hate-brett-favre-part-iii/
Part Five: http://www.vikingsgab.com/2009/09/09/handbook-for-those-who-love-the-vikings-but-hate-brett-favre-part-five/
Oh boy thanks for the trip down memory lane, great stuff. I can't believe I didnt make a single comment, maybe I didnt want to rock the boat. lol!
I'm with Johnny, that the only thing to miss about ol' Chill-dawg are the bizarre Bradisms.
They helped slightly mollify the maddening play scheming game after game after game.
Other than that, definitely glad he's gone.