Jackson Says He's Why Vikings Missed the Playoffs Last Year

Tarvaris Jackson may have been busy working on his footwork and studying the playbook during training camp, but now he'll admit that he was watching ESPN SportsCenter's Brett Favre updates at every opportunity, as he explained in an interview with Michael Silver that's well worth reading.

Now that Favre has been traded to the Jets, the truth can be told. For starters, Jackson was very much immersed in the Favre saga, monitoring it on television and, he admits, "wondering what would happen next."

Now he knows that he's the quarterback, but he also knows how much pressure he's facing. As he told Michael Silver, the fact is that Jackson is what stood between the Vikings and a playoff spot last year.

"If I had made more plays last year," Jackson says, "we'd probably have made the playoffs."

Jackson's right, but it's not really his fault. The Vikings chose to hand him the starting job before he was ready, but that wasn't his decision, it was Brad Childress'. Jackson seems to admit that he's needed to grow up and grow into the role. He admitted that in college he was a trash talker, but he knows that doesn't work as an NFL starting quarterback. Now he's even keeled and not bothered by much, and Jackson has virtually lived at the Vikings facilities this offseason. which is good since few quarterbacks are under as much pressure as Jackson.

Jackson had a good preseason opener, but he has a long way to go to prove he's ready to lead the Vikings to the playoffs. But it does sound like he's doing everything he can to get to that point.