vikings/nfl
Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
Frazier 'more angry with myself'
Posted by: Mark Craig under Vikings, NFC, Leslie Frazier, Adrian Peterson, Anthony Herrera, E.J. Henderson, Leslie Frazier, Percy Harvin, Tyrell Johnson Updated: November 30, 2011 - 1:43 PM
If you're ticked off at Leslie Frazier -- and I'm guessing many of you are --consider Frazier right there with you.
The Vikings coach was asked today to describe his mindset during this 2-9 season. He said:
"I think our team has been fighting week in and week out. We haven't made enough plays to get over the top in some games. I'm more agry with myself in not being able to get us to where we need to be so we wouldn't be 2-9. But I think our guys have fought week in and week out and tried to put us in a position in the fourth quarter to have a chance to win games. We just have to find a way to get over the hump and find some confidence and build on that. Hopefully, that will be this weekend."
Frazier said he won't have time to figure out what he should have done better until after this season.
"Maybe when the season is done, I'll be able to go back and reflect on some of the things that have occurred this season and try to ascertain what could have been done differently so we don't find ourselves in this position again. As you're going through the season, you're getting ready week to week and you're trying to come up with a game plan and a plan to try and get the guys to fight hard every week. I'll have a better assesment when we're done."
As for injuries, Frazier said he can't recall ever being on a team that put four players on injured reserve on one day, as the Vikings did Tuesday with long-snapper Cullen Loeffler, safeties Husain Abdullah and Tyrell Johnson, and receiver Michael Jenkins. Frazier said Loeffler and Jenkins were "iffy" as to whether they would have gone on injured reserve had the Vikings been fighting for a playoff spot.
Here are some more details about some of the injuries:
- Frazier called Johnson's injury a "six-month" injury. Johnson tore a hamstring ligament from the bone during Sunday's loss in Atlanta. Johnson will have surgery today. The injury comes at a bad time for Johnson because he's a free agent after the season.
- Jenkins tore the meniscus and will have knee surgery tomorrow.
- Cornerback Asher Allen (shoulder) is day to day. If he returns, he'll start and Benny Sapp would go back to nickelback, Frazier said.
- Running back Adrian Peterson, who missed last week's game because of a high left ankle injury, won't practice today, but Frazier said the team is hopeful it will get Peterson back. If Peterson practices, it likely won't happen until Friday.
- Right guard Anthony Herrera also might play this week. He's missed the past four games because of a damaged lateral collateral ligament in his left knee.
- Frazier said tight end Kyle Rudolph (quadriceps) is the most likely of all the injured players to return this week.
- Rookie Mistral Raymond will start at free safety.
- The receiver rotation will Percy Harvin and Devin Aromashodu as the starters, Greg Camarillo as the third receiver and rookie Stephen Burton working in with Camarillo. Burton, a sixth-round draft pick this year, spent the first seven weeks of the season on the practice squad. He then spent three weeks on the active roster, got cut before the Falcons game and then was re-signed when Jenkins ended up on IR.
Practice update: MLB E.J. Henderson was not at the portion of practice that's open to the media. We'll find out more about that after practice. Peterson also wasn't on the field. Asher Allen wasn't practicing. And, no, that wasn't Larry Fitzgerald Jr. That was Stephen Burton, who has changed to No. 11. Practice squad tight end Mickey Shuler is now No. 86.
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