Tarvaris Jackson Benched, Gus Frerotte to Start Week 3

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After watching the Vikings offense settle for field goal after field goal -- and ultimately lose -- on Sunday against Indianapolis, Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress finally started to back away from his young quarterback, Tarvaris Jackson. Today, he backed away even further, placing his third-year starter on the Minnesota bench and replacing him with 37-year old Gus Frerotte.

Jackson has been brutal through two games this year, completing just 50% of his passes while posting a 64.8 passer rating, numbers that weren't all that different from what he put up in 2007.

Trouble is, it remains to be seen how much of an improvement Frerotte will be at this point in his career. The 15-year veteran played eight games for the Rams last year and put up a passing line that was actually worse than Jackson's.

There's no doubt the Vikings had to do something, seeing as how the rest of their team is probably a legitimate contender in the NFC, but Is Gus Frerotte the guy to lead them to the promised land?

As J.J. Cooper pointed out this morning, Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia would be a fine target in a trade, considering he's now on the bench in Tampa Bay, supposedly on the outs with his coach, and has quarterbacked a team to the playoffs as recently as last season. For now, however, it's Frerotte's team. Until he runs into a wall.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

9-17-2008 @ 1:57PM

Jimbo the Bimbo said...

Now instead of giving up a 2nd round pick for Sage Rosenfels, who would have been able to step in immediately and help them win games, they will be spending a 1st round pick next year on a player that won't be able to play until 2010 at the earliest. By that time AD's career will be about over. Another bad management decision...

9-17-2008 @ 2:00PM

REDSKINFAN said...

Gus is a good quarterback as long as he doesn't butt his head on the stadium wall. He's an upgrade from tavaris.

9-17-2008 @ 2:07PM

redskinsfan said...

In gus we trust ha ha. Hey he isn't a bad qb as long as he doesn't head butt the stadium wall

9-17-2008 @ 2:11PM

Justin said...

i see the vikings drafting a qb with their first round pick next season.....

9-17-2008 @ 3:47PM

jc said...

It's nice to see a team realize their QB can't do it and go with the best QB available. Too bad they didn't see this earlier when everyone else did. I look at the Cards and Titans who are playing aging vets over young busts and having success. As a Redskins fan it kills me to see Campbell under center when our best QB is on the sidelines in Todd Collins. In the NFL you have to go with proven talent over prospect or trying to justify a first round pick.

Dave F. said...

This takes care of part one of the problem. Now its time for different play calling. That would be part two. Cause this was not all of T-jacks fault. Alot of it was the play calling.

9-17-2008 @ 3:52PM

terrance calhoun said...

i think tavaris needs to sit behind a vet for a while to learn he was thrown in there to fast look at green bay and other teams who qbs sat for 2 or 3 yr to learn from a vet cassell will do well because he sat for 4 yrs to learn he no what brady would do in any given play because he sat a nd watched

9-17-2008 @ 4:10PM

Don said...

what do you think...old ziggy had a heart to heart with that moron he calls a head coach ..hope whoever is calling the play's open it up a little....lets not forget that this is a business..if you don't fill the stands............black out.

9-17-2008 @ 4:16PM

Mtn man said...

Being Chilly only knows 3 plays, (4 at the most) he should let Gus call his own plays like ol' Fran used to do. Maybe Bud Grant will come in from the hunting fields & get the Vikes out of this mess of coaches!!

9-17-2008 @ 11:17PM

robert c said...

if ziggy wants a new stadium he better geta new coach first
chilly is 1 of worst coaches the vikes have had
considering the talent they have!! i,ve been a vike fan
since they started--have seen @ least 180 plus games
in person-heartbreaking to see chilly mess up
game after game --wake up ziggy if you want to keep
your fan base--lose to packers 5 games in a rowis
enough for meto say GGGD BY BRAD C!

9-18-2008 @ 1:59PM

billee said...

you make a great point brad is a bum the best coah this team has ever had was the true one BUD before we can strt winning we need a better coach lets bring back bud i have been a viking fan since the days of the old met in bloomington back in the days when the team had qbs like norm snead,gay cuzzo, bob lee yes i remember also remember people like bill brown,my cousin clint jones, gene washington so yes i have been a fan since 1969

Rick said...

Dave, just curious here but what credentials do you have to question the playcalling? It's always good entertainment to hear a fan lecture on a coach who's actually paid to know and understand down and distance tendencies of the opponent's defense and then formulate an offensive game plan taking into consideration his own team's strengths and weaknesses. It's quite possible Childress pared down the playbook because T-jack just wasn't getting a grip on the nuances of the position of quarterback. I don't know the circumstances involved and I'm going to guess that unless you have some actual experience with an NFL playbook you don't either. Childress had some significant success as the OC in Philly so it's safe to say he understands offense a little better than you do. What do you do for a living Dave? Drive a truck, sell insurance, install sound systems for Best Buy, go to medical school....you get the idea. Unless your job includes knowing an NFL playbook that's the size of a city phone book, my money is on you not having a clue about running an offense in the NFL. But hey, at least you're entertaining if nothing else.

Gina said...

What credentials do any of us have to have any opinion on things having to do with sports. If we all just kept our opinions to ourselves because of a lack of "credentials" or whatever it would kind of take a lot of fun out of being a sports fan.

9-22-2008 @ 7:43PM

Craig said...

Are you an NFL coach? You must be, your so knowledgeable of playcalling, but if thats the case you would know Brad Childress never even got to call plays even when he was an O coordinator in Philly. Because hes an offensive genius? or maybe his "Kick ass Offense" isnt as good as its coach. (hes failed to put up points with 4 other starters.)

9-17-2008 @ 11:18PM

Rick, my credentials are not in the NFL and thats not a secret. And thats why I said what I did. I could sit and watch the game and tell you what play was next. It tells me the other team with NFL experience of the game knows aiot also. And T-Jack wasn't the only one to blame.And we have to good a team to bring down a whole team for one project. And who are you to question what my proffession is? You are nobody to me, but if I must satisfy you arrogants. Iam a diabled vet and fully retired. And I worked with the hanicap and mentally challenge for my career. It my not be much. BUT ITS ME DUMBASS!

9-17-2008 @ 11:25PM

DON said...

HEY..I THINK WE FOUND THE ONLY CHILLY FAN HERE...RICK..WOW...I BET YOUR A AL FRANKEN FAN TOO.

9-18-2008 @ 9:41AM

Nice responses, all of them. Dave, you should be commended for you choice of occupations. You do something that does make a difference in our society. Craig, Childress was very involved in the gameplan at Philly. I know that for a fact regardless whether you choose to believe it. Don, a nice touch with the caps. Get your point accross by screaming. I could not care less about your coach. Al Franken, have not heard that name in a while. Thanks for the laugh. Gina, I agree with you. It is fun on these msg boards. That's why we go here from time to time. The idea was to see how many responses I could get. You did not disappoint. Lastly Dave, I'm very hurt by you calling me a dumbass. I have no doubt it takes a special type of person to do what you do. I hold people such as yourself in high esteem for giving your life to such a worthy cause. Do you lash out at the people you work with simply because they have an opinion that differs from yours. I think it was Paul Brown who said it's not the playcalling, it's the failure to execute the play. But that's just him and he was a dumbass right. Enjoy the season.

Fred Smorgasbord said...

If Gus Frerotte is an upgrade over T-Jackson, what does that make T-Jackson?

Rick, I certainly do not lash out at my clients,, Iam not unprofessional. Besides Iam fully retired. The dumbass remark was in favor of the be-littling of the other ouccupations you said, as if they wern't inportant. I think any job you do is a benifit to someone. even to you. I think anybody who makes an assinie comment like that should be called a dumbass.

9-18-2008 @ 11:35AM

NFLINSIDER said...

Vikings need to make a trade 'deal' with Tampa (if possible) and get Jeff Garcia ASAP! This team can NOT afford to piss away anymore years. There's no better time than NOW to make a major move and get the right quarterback that can take this team to the Superbowl...........and that time is NOW. It's like playing chess............you keep making the wrong moves........you lose every time.......Wake up Zig........your move!

(Gus isn't the answer......)

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