Minnesota Vikings: Why Coaching Staff Must Be Altered, Starting with Singletary

In the offseason, Leslie Frazier was awarded the position of head coach for the Minnesota Vikings. But to say that he’s guaranteed to live out the life of his contract isn’t a sure thing.

In December, Frazier was assured that he won't lose his job in the offseason, despite being in the midst of a last-place season that saw the Vikings finish 3-13.

Frazier is probably being retained because owner Zygi Wilf won’t want to pay two coaches who would no longer be here, on top of paying another coach in 2012.

Changes must be made to the coaching staff. The defensive coordinator has been a point of emphasis, but another position that needs changing is the linebacker coach position, currently occupied by Frazier’s old pal Mike Singletary.

Linebackers' Play Regressed

Chad Greenway and E.J. Henderson were strong NFL linebackers in 2010.

Greenway was dubbed by many as one of the biggest snubs on the 2010 Pro Bowl roster—he had 144 tackles that season—and was very active in the run game and stellar in pass coverage.

In 2011, his play against the run and pass dropped off. Sure, Greenway was named to the 2011 Pro Bowl. Sure, he had 154 tackles this season. But most of his plays were made beyond the line of scrimmage and few were very impressive.

Henderson looked old in 2011. Really, really, really old. Especially in pass coverage. He couldn’t cover a hand in a glove.

His support in run defense was OK, but he’s weakened in that area too. He doesn’t hit an open hole like he used to in run support. He often misses.

And Erin Henderson, the one new linebacker looked very, very, very average. He wasn’t stellar in run or pass defense.

If Singletary is the coach he was supposed to be, then this should not have happened. These linebackers should have been better.

Singletary should take a fall.

Defense as a Whole Regressed

Singletary was a great linebacker during his career with the Chicago Bears. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and 1988.

He was named to 10 Pro Bowls, eight All-Pro teams and amassed 1,488 career tackles.

In 1985, he was part of a Bears defense that held opponents to 11.0 points per game on the season, went 15-1 and was the league’s leading defense.

A man with that type of resume should not be a staff member on the defense that the Minnesota Vikings put on the field in 2011—injuries or no injuries.

The pass defense was terrible, 26th overall, as it gave up 4,019 yards and had a league-low eight interceptions.

Players looked completely lost at times, and not knowing what to do on the field comes down to good coaching. Intent is irrelevant of talent.

Yes, the linebackers are Singletary’s sole concern, but a man with that resume should have picked up a thing or two during his NFL career that would give him insights to make Minnesota’s defense better.

Apparently not.

Make an Example of "Your Old Pal"

Singletary and Frazier were old teammates with the Chicago Bears. They have a past. Their friendship was an incentive for Singletary to accept the linebacker position with the Vikings.

But given the regressive state of the core of linebackers and struggles of the defense, it’s time to make changes.

And what a better statement to make that change is needed than to fire a former teammate and a friend.

It makes the message clear that no one is safe, and everyone is liable for their work.  

Get a Fresh Start

There has to be a negative taste in the mouth of everyone involved in the organization—minus maybe defensive end Jared Allen.

It was a year to forget. It was a year of failure. And it was a year to rebuild off of.

As President Barack Obama would say, the Minnesota Vikings need “change.”

Get Singletary out of there and have someone new come in and work with the linebackers. Do not even bring back 2011 defensive coordinator Fred Pagac as the linebackers coach.

It’s time to shake things up. Start the shakeup with Singletary.