Vikings’ Frazier: Cards defense creates ‘havoc’ for QB
Oct 17, 2012, 7:51 PM | Updated: 10:20 pm
October 17, 2012: Behind Enemy Lines
The Minnesota Vikings have suprised many with their start to the season. The Vikings are 4-2, including a win over defending NFC West division champion San Francisco in Week 3.
Head coach Leslie Frazier is in his second year after taking over as the interim head coach for the final six games of 2010.
He spoke to those of us in the local media on a conference call earlier Wednesday:
on his team thus far this season
We are 4-2 right there with Arizona and some other teams that are 4-2. We have a lot of work to do. We have a big game at home this weekend against the Cardinals, so we’ll keep fighting and keep working to try to get a win at home. We need to get a win at home bad.
on Adrian Peterson’s comeback
I didn’t see him coming back and being this effective this early. We all hoped and prayed that he’d make it back and be close to where he was before the injury, but to say that I knew he would play as well as he did in our opener against Jacksonville and as well as he has played to this point, no way did I see that. He’s running with such authority and passion and still breaking tackles. He’s still able to get to the edge of other people’s defenses. It’s been incredible just watching him play. You really can’t tell that he’s coming off of 10 months ago having major reconstructive knee surgery. You can’t tell him watching him play. He’s been incredible in that way. How close he is to 100 percent? I’d say he’s very, very close.
on Cardinals defense
When we got ready to play them a year ago, we thought that they were on to something. They were an up and coming defense, and now you look at them and I think Ray (Horton) and the defensive staff, they’ve done a great job. This is an outstanding defense, and they make it very hard for you to score, evidenced by their 15 points a game allowed. They create havoc for your quarterback. I looked at the percentages that quarterbacks are completing passes and they’re doing a great job. They have some very talented athletes at key positions, whether it be the secondary or their linebackers or the guys up front. They’ve done a great job, Ray and the staff, of coordinating that group.
on John Skelton
Looking at John a year ago when he was the starting quarterback late in the season, they really didn’t change their offense a whole lot. He did a great job for them executing, and coming out of training camp he was the starter and the injury against Seattle probably changed things. I don’t think they’lll change their offense a whole lot, but he’s a very capable quarterback that we’ll have to really pay attention to.
