Vikings QB Situation Has Improved, With Or Without Favre

By the end of this week, we should know whether Brett Favre will be a Viking or whether he'll finally fade into retirement in Mississippi. If he says he'll play, the Vikings will have their best situation at quarterback since Brad Johnson left after the 2006 season.

But here's the interesting part -- even if Favre decides to stay home, Minnesota will still have its best quarterback situation in years.

For two seasons, head coach Brad Childress has put much of his coaching career and credibility on the line with his faith in 2006 second-round pick Tarvaris Jackson, whom they took despite most teams thinking he wasn't worthy of a second-round pick. For the next two seasons, the Vikings didn't bring in a backup quarterback who would offer too much competition for Jackson.

In 2007, Brooks Bollinger was the only other veteran on the roster in training camp. Just a week before the season began, the Vikings also picked up aging veteran Kelly Holcomb after the Eagles released him.

Two weeks into the season, Jackson threw four interceptions in a three-point loss to the Lions. Holcomb was forced into the starting lineup before he even knew the entire playbook. Jackson returned a couple of weeks later (after Holcomb showed he wasn't the answer), but he was in over his head all season. Minnesota finished 8-8 anyway despite a quarterback crew that threw for only 2,745 yards and 12 touchdowns all season.

Jackson may have been bad in 2007, but a strong season finale against the Broncos convinced Childress that he needed another chance. So Jackson headed into the offseason as the likely starter. Childress found another aging veteran backup -- Gus Frerotte -- to serve as a challenge, but one unappealing enough not to lead to an outcry if Jackson started. After all, Frerotte had last been a full-time starter in 2005 -- the only season in the past decade in which he had been a full-time starter, and he was going to play the whole campaign as a 37-year-old.

But once again, Jackson fumbled away his chance to be the undisputed starter. He began the season as the starter, but after two poor outings Childress turned to Frerotte. Jackson didn't get the starting job back until Week 14. To his credit, he went 3-1 in the final four games of the season, helping the Vikings nab a playoff spot. And this wasn't a case of him just staying out of the way; he threw for more than 200 yards twice with eight touchdowns and one interception.

If it would have ended right there, Jackson would have entered the 2009 season as the undisputed starter. Yeah, it was only a four-game stretch, but he had shown more potential than he had flashed in his first three seasons. But that's not where it ended. He fell apart in a playoff game against the Eagles (15-for-35, 147 yards, one interception, one fumble), which is why the Vikings acquired Sage Rosenfels and have been flirting with Brett Favre all offseason.

Rosenfels has never been a full-time starter, and he's most famous for his helicopter-like ride in a disastrous turnover-filled fourth quarter against the Colts. But at 31, he's one new Vikings quarterback who isn't a gray hair away from retirement, and he has shown promise in between the turnovers.

If Favre becomes a Viking, they will have a once-great, if aging, starter, and behind him they will boast Rosenfels and/or Jackson as well. But if Favre decides to stay home, Minnesota will still have Rosenfels and Jackson to battle for the job.

If that happens, you'll probably read a lot of wondering how Jackson and Rosenfels can function after knowing that they were not the team's first choice at the position. But maybe that's just what Jackson needs. He was clearly the team's first choice in each of the past two seasons and that didn't turn out so well. Maybe knowing he is in danger of being benched, or even cut, is the motivation that will finally prove Childress' faith in him wasn't misplaced.

And if it isn't, for once, Minnesota has a viable Plan B.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-26-2009 @ 5:32PM

hardshellpt said...

farve should just retire and stop being this prima donna bitch that needs attention..he cant do it with his arm anymore..so he does this..he is a douche bag..always has been

7-26-2009 @ 6:23PM

Favre - Farve? said...

I hope Favre comes back. If for no other reason so hardshellpt can learn to spell his name correctly. Really I hope he comes back to keep ESPN with something interesting to talk about.

7-26-2009 @ 8:55PM

Dexter Lau said...

I cant believe this, talk of Tarvarian Jackson starting AGAIN ! Not only should Childress and Jackson BOTH be cut immediately so should the imbicile writer JJ Cooper ! Hey Cooper , you actually watch football or just write about it ? How did you get your gig, nepotism? Let me help you with this, T-Jerk SUCKS. He has proven it and cost the Vikings enough. NO MORE.

7-26-2009 @ 11:25PM

firstclassdjz said...

Between Jackson and Rosenfels you might be able to trade both of them for half a dozen kicking tees. Favre's annual retirement "should I play or shpuld I go" act stopped being entertaining years ago. No matter - with Childress as the coach this team is destined to mediocrity.

7-27-2009 @ 2:56AM

jessemolson48 said...

hay, farve didnt you play this game before with the jets,,hay dude you aint that good ,you didnt make the playoffs, when was the last time you played in the super bowl? ok git my point ,you suck dude stay at home and quit makin yourself to be an troy aikman, cause you will never be him case n point

7-27-2009 @ 4:31AM

Steve said...

LOOK peoples this needs to be put to bed , Farve needs to grow up and retire , he is not dedicated otherwise we would know by now weather or not he was playing..Im a HUGE Skins fan but i feel it for Minnesota a team i also like to watch having to listen to this man (FARVE PLAY GAMES),He is already a legend in the game so why play the games he is playing..You the Minnesota fans should stand together here and let Farve know what you all think ,also you have MORE DEDICATED PLAYERS than to have to wait for what this JOKER to decide what he will do..you have other QB to start even though two of them are vets but still at least you know these guys will play with heart knowing that if they dont they will be benched..Minnesote needs to sort it before its to late..Tell Farve its to late for him and get going properly in training camp..Me personaly i think that Farve is not worthy of the starting job in Minnesota and he should have retired when he left the Packers AFTER ALL WE ALL KNOW HE IS LOOKING FOR ATTENTION ,Leave now while your GOOD name is still intact and that you ARE remembered for the legend that you WERE to the game and not for the ANTICS you are now displaying ,This is my opinion peoples..Best Regards Steve Dublin Ireland

7-27-2009 @ 6:00PM

ANTON said...

Favre is doing the right thing, he wants to be 100% before he commits. I wish more players were like that, he is throwing 50 yard strikes with ease. T-Jack would benefit from a year under Favre, look what it did for A. Rodgers. As far as T-jack, I am with Bill Cower on his future. Cower likes the progress T-Jack has made. If you look up the 16 games T-Jack has played you will see that he is dead even in yards for the 16 games Matt Ryan had in Atlanta last year 3,442 yards to Ryan 3,440. T-jack 20 TDs 18 ints, Ryan 16 TDs 12 ints. % rate: T-Jack 58% Ryan 61%, average yards T- has 6.6 Ryan has 7.9, running TDs T has 4, Ryan, 1. Yes T-Jack fumbled 4 more times that Ryan. You also have to consider that Ryan {Boaton College} was a top 5 pick in the 1st round and had good WR while T-Jack {Alabama state} was a mid 2nd round pick and his 1st year had Troy {dropsy} Williamson, B. Berrian came in last year. I watched every Viking game last year and can tell you that some of those losses were from the play calling, they were to predictable, the play calling was horrible. How can Matt Ryan have a great season and T-Jack a bad one? Most people just go with what others tell them without looking up the stats. Some people form opinions by what they here sports writers and radio personal say, look at the stats side by side and then form your own opinion. If T-jack sucks, so does Matt Ryan.

7-28-2009 @ 2:18AM

vikingsfan1974 said...

Picture the old man & T-bone splitting time. Graybeard has very limited shelf life. Hello, you a go or not, again & again & again ... Good for Kid to play but not bite-off more than he can chew.Rosenfels could be inserted for the QB "cash for clunkers" clunker. Why were at it, add a Mr. M. Vick to the mix. Seriously! Again, with the bitting-off what you can chew "rule of thumb" strickly enforced. No pun intended. I'm just saying... Note; Mr. M. Vick, "for ALL have sinned & fallen short of the glory of God". You served your punishment, repent & the sin is forgiven, so says the Lord. Follow his path for you & redeemtion shall be yours! My prayers for you and all of Gods creatures. Oh & at RB & WR ...

7-27-2009 @ 8:23PM

jndstigs said...

Anton,

You are completely wrong about this clown T-Jerk
In this game you have to win to be any kind of successful - this guy forced the play calling to be predictable by not having the intellegence to make quality reads. Every time he dropped back i wondered what he was thinking with those silly jump throws in the pocket - The coordinator was telling everybody they played against that he had no faith in his ability to find an open receiver. Minnesota has one of the biggest O lines in football how can you struggle as much as he did. The line made a has been like Gus look good a few games come on. The mistake was made when they didn't sign Cutler. More bad moves by a sleeping front office now we have to fight the Bears for the division - another 9-7 season coming up. Cutler at QB 11-5 and a visit to Atlanta for the NFC championship not be