For two years, Brad Childress has tied his fate directly to the development of Tarvaris Jackson. But maybe he's finally realizing that it's not a bright idea to base the success of his team and the fate of his job on a still raw quarterback."I'm always looking at what's giving us the best opportunity to win," he said. "If it's Tarvaris, it's Tarvaris. If it's Gus Frerotte, it's Gus Frerotte. J.D. Booty, it's J.D. Booty. I know I was asked a question yesterday, is that the guy who who's going to be the quarterback at the end of the week? That's something that is ongoing. You don't crown a guy king and then the king doesn't have any clothes on and you say, 'Hey, he's still the king.'So apparently for the first time, Childress is seeing what everyone else watching has seen for a while--it's not right to hold back a playoff-caliber team by sticking with a below-average quarterback.
But while that might be true, it's also fair to say that Childress has ensured that the deck is still stacked in Jackson's favor. Ever since he picked Jackson to be the team's quarterback of the future, he's gone out of his way to ensure that Jackson doesn't have an viable competiton.
So when Jackson struggled last year, the choice was to stick with him or to turn to Brooks Bollinger or Kelly Holcomb--which wasn't much of a choice. And this year, it's a choice of turning to Gus Frerotte instead of Jackson. Frerotte is a little bit better, but we're still talking about a 37-year-old quarterback whose last decent season came in 2005. He may outplay Jackson, but he's not someone you can feel comfortable counting on to lead the team to the playoffs.
If Childress is really focused on turning this team around, it would be worth trying to trade for Jeff Garcia. It would have been worth keeping Tyler Thigpen around last year instead of losing him on waivers. But at this point, it may be too late. Childress has tied the success of his team to Jackson. If Jackson fails, Childress really doesn't have a whole lot of argument to stay as the Vikings coach.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-17-2008 @ 12:07PM
DrewInJersey said...
Childress should have never started jackson over bollinger except for when bollinger was injured, I watched bollinger play for the jets and even though the jets sucked, bollinger was awesome, he was a young quarterback w/ a ton of room for growth, the guy is still real young... I think childress let politics get in the way.
And JJ Cooper, you might not think Brooks Bollinger was much of a choice...which is your opinion, but I watched the guy play every game when he played for the Jets and I thought he was great for a young kid just starting out in the nfl and his talent would have grown big time if the vikings only started him and put some faith in him, this year the vikings could have been something so I just laugh when I see they let Brooks go...
And now he's w/ a amazing organization where as the vikings haven't been able to put things together for many years. But yea ok he's 'not much of a choice', I guess the cowboys don't agree w/ you because now Brooks is backing up Tony Romo and Brad Johnson, and next year when Johnson retires he's backing up Tony Romo, I'd at least say that he's way better off now than when he was backing up Tvaris 'Weaknig' Jackson! At least Brooks Bollinger has a real team with real weapons he can utilize now if he's needed in a game.
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9-17-2008 @ 12:58PM
Jim Maggard said...
I am sick to my stomach to watch this offense on the field. All the other blocks are built,and even the best running game. Its time to do something before this season is a waste to. I been a fan for 35 years and this same old same old is DONE!!!
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9-17-2008 @ 3:44PM
jc said...
Vikes should immediately make a trade for Billy Volek. He can play and would have success in Minn.
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9-17-2008 @ 8:11PM
Viking Ray - Sallisaw, OK said...
I remember Gus vs. Daunte war in 2003. Gus could pull the trigger and hit receivers. Tice always said look at the stats when defending Daunte. Moss made Daunte. Moss made a lot of QB's look good (b.johnson, r.cunningham, j.george, d.culpepper, and now t.brady). Could not believe my ears when I heard Mike Tice, on his show after the home lions game, blame the offensive line for Daunte's fumbles. Obviously too defensive of Daunte. Gus did well in Miami when given a shot. Not so good at St. Louis, but look how bad they are with Bulger who I believe is still a decent QB. May be wishful thinking, but I think Gus will do well and wants to end his career on an up tick. At least He will chunk it around and not be afraid of making a mistake.
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9-28-2008 @ 10:18PM
We're sick of it said...
I've been saying since the third game of the regular season three years ago ( Childress' first year as the head coach for the Minnesota Vikings) that Childress was never going to do anything for this team. He hasn't. And, he NEVER will.
Once again, the Vikings lost in today's game against the Titans in the same manner they always do. They always seem to be in the game, but find themselves on the short end of the stick as time runs out in the fourth quarter.
The Vikings certainly have enough talent on their roster, but they aren't living up to their potential. A "manager's" job is to help an employee(s) reach his/her/their full potential. Childress and his staff of "managers" have failed miserably.
The way in which the Vikings lose time after time tells me that, as a team, they do not have the right "mentality." That mentality is created by the coaching staff of the Minnesota Vikings---and it starts with Childress.
Today's game against the Titans went EXACTLY as I predicted it would. Once again, the Vikings lost in the same manner they always do. They always seem to be in the game, but find themselves on the short end of the stick as time runs out in the fourth quarter.
Childress has a history of hiring people he was familiar with from his time in Philadelphia. In a nut shell, this tells me that he is very insecure ( enter the word mentality again). He goes out in the off season and gets a wide receiver that was supposed to keep other teams from continuously stacking the box on Peterson. So, what does he do in game one of the regular season this year? Runs the ball! What message do you think this gave to Tarvaris Jackson? It says to TJ that, " I ( Childress) don't have the confidence in you). Even the announcers in that game said it,"You can't hide your quarterback."
How about the game against the Colts? EVERYONE knows you cannot kick field goals all day against Peyton Manning and expect to win. So, what does Mr. Insecure do? Yep ! Kicked field goals because he is too insecure/conservative and has the mentality of the fear of losing. You need to let these guys play and stop holding them back. Get out of the way, Childress, and maybe something, ahem, d-i-f-f-e-r-e-n-t might happen. What is the definition of insanity? Oh, yea, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. DUH!
How about the game we won against Carolina? Oh, yea, once again, a close one. The Vikings are not getting blown out, nor are they blowing out anyone. It's their mentality that is costing them games. That conservative/predictable mentality that starts at the tops and trickles down. Trickles? Hell, it's a massive flood!
Childress' decision to change quarterbacks for the rest of the season was merely an attempt to take the scrutiny off of him, and, quite frankly, to save your own @$$. He was only trying to put the focus and blame on TJ and not on what the real problem is: his completely inept coaching ability.
I realize that Childress himself did not turn the ball over four times today. But, the mind set he has instilled in this team has destroyed their play. His play calling and game planning have all but ruined this season already. Brad, wake up! Stop being so predictable and conservative---change your mentality. Let them play football !! They are playing flat. And flat is a direct result of your style of "management"--conservative/predictable and BORING football. Let them go! Get out of their way and don't let your clip board hit ya where the good Lord split ya! Get out of the way while there is still a possibility of salvaging the season.
I think I speak for most, if not all Vikings' fans, we're sick of it. Same ole same ole--SSDD ( same sh*t, different day). Something needs to change and change NOW! Instead of a quarterback change " for the rest of the season," how about a new head coach for the rest of the season?
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