2010 Buffalo Bills Head Coaching Candidates: Part Three

This is Part Three in the profiles of possible Buffalo Bills head coaches for next season. Check back further for profiles on Perry Fewell and Bill Cowher if you haven’t already read them.

The man who is rumored to be on top in the Bills’ head coaching search is Minnesota Vikings’ Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach, Leslie Frazier. On the surface, it’s easy to see why he would be a candidate.

He’s passionate, tough, and aggressive. The Vikings have one of the best run defenses in the league which is the biggest weak point on the Bills’ defense.

However, the Bills’ biggest problem on the field overall has been the offense. Being a defensive coordinator, he has no experience helping the offensive side of the ball get better. That can be taken care of by hiring an experienced offensive coordinator, but how many experienced coordinators will want to work with a first-time head coach?

That’s not to say Frazier can’t be a successful head coach. Playing in Buffalo requires toughness and a commitment to the running game on both sides of the ball, just like playing championship football. Teams that run the ball and stop the ball win championships. I think Frazier knows that as evidenced by his emphasis on stopping the run.

It just remains to be seen if he can execute that plan as a head coach.

There is one last concern, though. Is the fact that the Vikings have a dominant run defense due to his coaching or the fact that they’ve got the "Williams Wall" (Pat and Kevin Williams) anchoring the middle of that defensive line? It would be interesting to see how he would fare with a defensive front lacking that dominating presence.

Leslie Frazier brings key components necessary to winning in Buffalo: toughness, aggressiveness, and respect of his players. However, it remains to be seen if he can run a team and improve the team’s biggest weakness which he has no prior experience with, the offense.

Stay tuned for the next profile on Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm.