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A few thoughts after listening in on conference calls with Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier and his new defensive coordinator, Alan Williams:

• Frazier said Williams will bring some "new energy" and "fresh ideas" to the defense, but it's clear the Vikings aren't changing the fundamental approach they have taken for the past six seasons. Williams and Frazier are both former assistants to Tony Dungy, who popularized the Tampa-2 scheme the Vikings now use. "We are going to keep a lot of the same principles in place," Frazier said. "… I did think a little bit about some other options that were available, but after evaluating our season and looking at our history on defense, we didn't want to get too far away from the things that have let us be successful here in the past." At this point, it would be a stunner if the Vikings shift to a 3-4, as they reportedly were contemplating.
• Williams has never been a defensive coordinator, and Frazier will take more of a hands-on approach to the defense -- at least initially -- while Williams grows into the role. Frazier stopped short of saying who would call the defensive signals in Week 1, but he made clear he doesn't want to be a head coach/defensive coordinator. "Some guys can do that," Frazier said. "I don't think I can. But I do want to be involved early."
• In a situation that is unusual, to say the least, Frazier said that former defensive coordinator Fred Pagac has agreed to return to coach linebackers along with current linebackers coach Mike Singletary. Frazier was not specific about roles or titles, but said that both Pagac and Singletary would be a part of daily linebacker meetings. I couldn't begin to explain how that will work. The Vikings are a 4-3 defense, but in nickel they play only two linebackers. Do they need two full-time veteran coaches? Asked how they would split duties, Frazier cited the need for someone to focus on sub packages.
• Frazier used the Chicago Bears' 2010 defensive shuffle two years ago as a reference point, when coordinator Bob Babich was returned to his role as linebackers coach and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli took over for Babich as coordinator. "I've seen it work before in Chicago," Frazier said. "Between Babich, Rod and [coach Lovie Smith], they made it work. As long as you have the right people, it can work. … After sitting down and talking with the guys about what I was thinking and hearing their feedback, that assured me it could work."
• The Bears analogy doesn't totally work. If Pagac is in the Babich role, moving from coordinator back to linebackers coach, then how does that account for Singletary? I have to assume Pagac is the primary linebackers coach, with Singletary serving in some kind of less-defined role that allows him to remain on staff as a trusted adviser to Frazier, a longtime friend.
• As presumed, defensive backs coach Joe Woods will remain in his current role. Except for a few quality control assignments, the Vikings' defensive staff is now set.

Just to keep you updated, the Minnesota Vikings have made it official: Former Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Alan Williams is their new defensive coordinator and Brendan Daly will take over as their defensive line coach.

A news release made no mention of former coordinator Fred Pagac, who reportedly will share duties as linebackers coach with Mike Singletary, who will also be a special assistant to the head coach. I'll withhold most comments until later Thursday, when we should hear from coach Leslie Frazier.

In general, however, I would view these moves as more of a re-shuffling than a shakeup considering the familiarity of all involved. Frazier and Williams worked together on the Colts' staff in 2005 and 2006, and both are devoted to former Colts coach Tony Dungy's Tampa-2 defense. Williams was once part of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff that included Dungy as the head coach and former Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin as the defensive backs coach.

Daly was the Vikings' assistant defensive line coach from 2006-08, the final two years under Frazier. He replaced Karl Dunbar, who was fired. It is presumed that defensive backs coach Joe Woods will return in his current role. More to come.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Thanks to everyone who participated in Thursday's late-night Twitter discussion on the draft ramifications of the Indianapolis Colts' last-second upset of the Houston Texans. From an NFC North perspective, here's what I can tell you: If you're hoping the Minnesota Vikings will parlay the result into the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, you need to root for another Colts victory.

Based on research from ESPN Stats & Information, the Vikings would lose the tiebreaker with the Colts if they both finish 2-14. The St. Louis Rams would likely have the No. 3 pick in that scenario if they are also 2-14.

Ties are broken in reverse order of strength of schedule (SOS), and the Indianapolis Star has an easy-to-read projection of each team's SOS through 16 games. The Rams currently have a lower SOS than the Vikings, but those figures could swap when you consider the Rams finish the season against the 10-4 Pittsburgh Steelers and the 11-3 San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings' final two games are against the 5-9 Washington Redskins and 7-7 Chicago Bears.

I know it's complicated and more than you're probably willing to think about on the morning of December 23. But in terms of the No. 1 overall pick, the Vikings' best-case scenario is for the Colts to win next weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars. (Combined with two more losses by the Vikings, of course.) That would leave the Colts 3-13 and the Vikings sweating out the SOS tiebreaker with the potentially 2-14 Rams, which they have a good chance of winning based on Week 16 and 17 matchups.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Vikings coach Leslie Frazier expressed support for offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave and said he will return in 2012, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson is ready for a full-game workload, writes Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press speaks with Vikings defensive backs coach Joe Woods, whose group has had its struggles this season.
• It appears the Chicago Bears will start Kahlil Bell at tailback Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, according to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune. Veteran Marion Barber hasn't practiced this week because of a calf injury.
• The Bears tried to sign free agent quarterback Matt Moore in July, according to Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Bears' offense has been at the root of their four-game losing streak, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher on the offense, via Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com: "We can’t let it get to us. Our mindset is [to] go back out there and take the ball away for our offense. That's all we can do; just go out there and try and get three-and-outs ourselves or take the ball away. We don't think about it. I mean, we have a hard enough time ourselves. We can't be worried about what happens on offense."
• Detroit Lions veterans Jeff Backus and Dominic Raiola aren't getting too hyped about Saturday's potential playoff-clinching game, writes Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press.
• The Lions are trusting tight end Brandon Pettigrew despite a series of drops this season, writes John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• Making the playoffs is "really important to us," according to Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham. Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com has more.
• The Green Bay Packers are getting back to basics in their efforts to limit drops, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers tight end Jermichael Finley has been a social media lightening rod, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com examines the Packers' intentions for the Wildcat offense with receiver Randall Cobb.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Normally I like to provide a snippet of any ESPN.com feature I bring to your attention. But Wright Thompson's profile of, yes, a very special house can't be excerpted. It's something you need to read in full, a moving tome to Vince Lombardi and the home his family lived in during his time in Green Bay -- one he sold in 1969 and is still visited by devoted followers to this day.

Members of the family who bought the house from Lombardi still live there. John Madden once offered to buy it.

Thompson has a rare way with words, and you'll feel the full range of emotions when you read it. You've got time. We still have almost four full days until Super Bowl XLV.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Greg Bishop of The New York Times speaks with former Packers general manager Ron Wolf about current general manager Ted Thompson. Wolf: "The fact that he's been able to cut and paste a championship team together, considering all the players they lost, is remarkable. These days, you just don't see that."
• Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu and Green Bay's Charles Woodson see a different game and have the nerve to act on what they see. Not only do their brains and their boldness stamp them as unique players, the combination also won the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year award for Woodson in 2009 and for Polamalu in 2010. Each has the cunning, the vast experience and the athletic gifts to emerge as the most valuable player in the 45th Super Bowl on Sunday. By the same token, each could be the goat."
• The Packers are hoping to keep their talented defensive coaching staff together this offseason, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins hasn't heard from his father in over a month, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Chicago Bears will have a decision to make on quarterback Caleb Hanie this offseason, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears tailback Matt Forte deserves a new contract, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler took a pain-killing shot at halftime of the NFC Championship Game in an attempt to continue playing on a knee injury, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is recovering well from shoulder surgery, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• The Philadelphia Eagles' decision to move Juan Castillo to defensive coordinator means the Minnesota Vikings will keep defensive backs coach Joe Woods, who had interviewed for the job, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

When they finally get down to conducting a Super Bowl practice Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers will have one big personnel question: Who will start at left outside linebacker in Super Bowl XLV?

The top two candidates -- Erik Walden and Frank Zombo -- are recovering from ankle and knee injuries, respectively. Walden is the Packers' first choice, but he hasn't practiced since suffering his injury in the NFC Championship Game.

Walden said he plans to "give it a go" in practice Wednesday, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. His status isn't likely to be determined until the end of the week at the earliest. Zombo, meanwhile, returned to practice last week but hasn't played in nearly two months.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk made more big plays than you might realize this season, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers general manager Ted Thompson was literally standing behind a fence while speaking with reporters on Super Bowl media day, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• John McClain of the Houston Chronicle examines the Houston Texans' decision to waive then-rookie cornerback Tramon Williams in training camp in 2006.
• Mike Eayrs is an interesting man behind the scenes for the Packers, according to the Associated Press.
• Missed this earlier in the week: Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com addresses a number of Detroit Lions questions, including whether Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller might be a good fit for the team.
• Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen won't face felony battery charges are as result of his arrest in Los Angeles last week, according to Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
• Vikings defensive backs coach Joe Woods interviewed for the Philadelphia Eagles' vacant defensive coordinator job, notes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News.
• Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger offered advice to embattled Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Roethlisberger, via Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com: "Well I don't know Jay very well but I would just tell him to just keep your head up. You know your body, you know what you're going through, you know all those things. People are going to attack you for whatever reason if he's hurt or not. I think he just needs to keep his head up and stay focused on what he needs to do to get healthy and get ready for another season because that's all he can do is to get ready for the next day and the next season."
• Cutler would have struggled at media day had the Bears advanced to the Super Bowl, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Minnesota Vikings' 2011 home stadium remains in doubt, but their plans for the draft are not. In reviewing comments Thursday from coach Leslie Frazier and new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, it seems clear they intend to draft a quarterback who could jump in as a near-immediate starter when the season begins.

The Vikings hold the No. 12 overall pick, and as we noted Wednesday, early mock drafts suggest anywhere from two to four quarterbacks could already be off the board by that point. But past decisions have put the Vikings in an unenviable position this spring: They have little choice but to force a pick. The only question is whether the rookie will be ready to play right away or if the Vikings will also have to acquire a veteran option.

"I guess it depends on that young guy," Frazier said. "Ideally, you'd like to find the Matt Ryans of the world, the Joe Flaccos of the world and ride with one of those guys. But it doesn't always happen that way. We just kind of have to see where things fall. If we find someone like that, you'd like to build around him. That really gives you a chance for the long term. But as I mentioned it doesn't always happen that way. If we have to go with a veteran guy while we're developing that young guy, I'm not opposed to that either. But ideally, find a young guy, build around him and know you're going to have him for that next nine or 10 years as your starting quarterback. But those guys are sometimes hard to find."

Said Musgrave: "Ideally, you would like to find a young guy that has a bunch of promise and potential and you would hand him the keys and let him make his mistakes and learn and but also know that he would be there for you in the long term. That's ideal. I believe that will be one of our goals to identify any candidates that can fit that role but at the same time be ready to find some other fellows that may have some experience, that can come in and be effective and also have some upside to them as well."

Frazier announced most of the additions he has made to the coaching staff Thursday, acknowledging Musgrave along with Mike Priefer (special teams), Fred Pagac (defensive coordinator), Jeff Davidson (offensive line), Craig Johnson (quarterbacks) and Mike Singletary (linebackers). Holdovers will include George Stewart (receivers), Jimmie Johnson (tight ends), Karl Dunbar (defensive line) and Joe Woods (defensive backs).

Where that staff is working on game days next season is anyone's guess. Ted Mondale, the new chairman of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, said Thursday it could take up to six months to replace the damaged roof of the Metrodome, if engineers determine a total replacement is necessary. That timetable could threaten the Vikings' preseason schedule if a lockout doesn't do the trick first.

As we've noted before, the Vikings have already questioned whether they will be able to play next season in the Metrodome. It's possible they'll move to TCF Bank Stadium, at least for 2011, while awaiting approval for a new stadium to replace the Metrodome. Stay tuned.