Leslie Frazier Sending Mixed Messages About Donovan McNabb

Leslie Frazier is having a hard time getting his story straight. In his Monday presser he answered a question about Donovan McNabb‘s accuracy by declaring “most” of Donovan’s throws have been on target, then encouraging us to look at McNabb’s completion percentage (in case you’re curious, it’s 58%). Later in the same presser Frazier seemed to completely contradict himself by saying the Vikings would look at McNabb’s mechanics this week in practice to “help improve some of those balls that aren’t quite on target.”

But if most of McNabb’s throws are accurate, why this sudden need to look at his mechanics? Surely a veteran QB like McNabb can get it figured out by himself enough to clean up those small number of bad throws that are stalling the offense?

Of course Frazier is full of baloney when he tries to defend McNabb by downplaying his accuracy issues. Frazier knows full-well that McNabb has been spraying the ball all over the place, especially his deep throws, and that this lack of accuracy has contributed mightily to the Vikings’ second half offensive issues. But Frazier, ever the diplomat, wants to avoid the appearance of throwing McNabb under the bus. He knows that, though McNabb has been a problem, he isn’t the only problem. The offensive line and play calling are also to blame for the miserable offensive effort the Vikings have mustered in three straight second halves.

While Frazier is right to somewhat defend McNabb, he’s wrong to think he can treat the fans and media like idiots who will swallow any clumsy, contradictory statements he wants to throw out there. Even Brad Childress wasn’t arrogant enough to think he could fool us that easily. Frazier may be good with the players, but so far he has been terrible with the media. When he’s not uttering cliches or resorting to stock remarks about how great the fan support has been (yes we know you’re trying to get a stadium Les, you don’t need to kiss our butts quite so obviously), he’s making patently false and frankly insultingly silly statements like “McNabb’s throws have mostly been accurate.”

Maybe while McNabb is working on his footwork, Frazier could work on his lying skills. And Bill Musgrave could work on a new play to replace his patented Kleinsasser-in-the-seam route. If I ever see that play again I’ll need Percy Harvin‘s vomit can.

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