Frazier gets his shot

Congratulations Leslie Frazier. You are now the head coach of the 12th worst team in the National Football League. It will now be your responsibility to change that in 2011.

Can he do it? I wouldn't bet huge money on it at this point.

Frazier's been hyped as top head coaching candidate since arriving in Minnesota to replace Mike Tomlin as defensive coordinator in 2007. However, despite having some extremely talented personnel to work with, Frazer's defences – with the exception of the 2008 season – were not consistently dominant. Yet few NFL writers, experts or Viking fans seemed to notice this.

If Frazier is such a good coach, why didn't his defensive units play better during his almost four seasons as defensive coordinator? It's a question that has been neither asked nor answered.

The Vikings 3-3 record under Frazier's watch this season also raises some concerns. I can't deny the man dealt with some crazy circumstances during this period. But the fact remains the Vikings alternated between looking pretty good (notably in their 24-14 upset win over Philly) to looking pretty pathetic – on both sides of the ball – while Frazier was the interim head coach.

Which team is the real Leslie Frazier Vikings team? We won't find out until 2011. I pray it isn't the pathetic version.

Despite talk about the Vikings being in rebuilding mode, Frazier probably has about a year-and-a-half to get Minnesota back to being a playoff team.

With talents like Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin and Jared Allen in their prime, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and the team's fan base won't cut Frazier much slack.

So to avoid being on the unemployment line by November of 2012, Frazier's sole focus right now should not be fixing the Vikings secondary or offensive line problems, it should be fixing the Vikings quarterback problem. Every other weakness on the Vikings roster is secondary at this point.

It won't be an easy job, but it is something Frazier must do. I'm at least encouraged that in his address to the media on Monday after being named head coach, he recognized this fact.