Vikings bench QB Jackson, turn to Frerotte
With the passing offense sputtering in two losses to open the season, Minnesota coach Brad Childress decided the Vikings can no longer afford to let 25-year-old quarterback [url=http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7813/;_ylt=AqWTyRfx4awzAAjp6LcP0HAdsLYF]Tarvaris Jackson learn on the job.
On Wednesday, Childress turned to 15-year veteran Gus Frerotte to run the offense for the rest of the season.
“I’m just not seeing right now the aggressiveness from Tarvaris that I saw throughout the offseason, training camp, the two preseason games that he played in,” Childress said. “And part of it may be experience. I know Gus will give us that. And I know his approach will also lend itself to that.”
Jackson completed just 51 percent of his passes this season. He threw a game-ending interception at Green Bay that sealed the Packers victory and was partly responsible for the offense settling for five field goals and scoring no touchdowns in an 18-15 loss to the Colts.
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“I know there’s many other plays, there’s a lot of other people that have to step up,” Childress said. “But then when you go back through and look at the tape, and most importantly to be able to sit across from the young man and want to be able to verify what you’re feeling—it’s kind of like looking in your kids’ eyes and saying one (thing) and feeling another.”
It’s an abrupt and drastic move for a team that entered the season with sky-high expectations after spending $60 million in guaranteed money to position itself as an NFC contender.
Only two weeks in, the Vikings already are two games behind NFC North-leading Green Bay with games against Carolina, at Tennessee and at New Orleans coming up.
“We’re 0-2 right now, and the key thing, probably one of the reasons Coach made the decision, was maybe because we need to get something to get us over the hump to get us a win,” the 37-year-old Frerotte said.
Jackson admitted to “inconsistent play to say the least,” but also said he was surprised and upset by the move.
“I could easily hold my head low, keep my head down, you know, be a cancer to the team,” Jackson said. “I’m still frustrated and mad about the situation, but I’m going to use that as motivation to try to get better and just better myself for the future.”
The passing offense has struggled mightily through the first two weeks, not only with Jackson’s accuracy, but also with receivers dropping passes and conservative play calling.
After the loss to the Colts on Sunday dropped the Vikings to 0-2, Childress said Jackson “is definitely our quarterback this week.”
But that stance started to soften on Monday, when he said coaches were “chewing on a bunch of things right now and making sure that he’s the best guy for us to go forward.”
By Tuesday, the decision was made to give the job to Frerotte.
“I wish I had more time, but it’s coach’s decision,” Jackson said. “I don’t want all my work to go to waste. I felt like I’ve come this far and I’ve worked so hard to get to where I am now and I’m going to continue to work hard and keep trying to get better and take it one day at a time. Whatever happens, happens.”
Childress said he still believes Jackson has a “bright future.”
“While I know he doesn’t like it, I’d worry about him if he did like it,” Childress said. “I know he’ll make the most of it.”
Frerotte has played with seven teams, including Minnesota twice, in his 15 years in the league.
“I was very surprised,” receiver Bobby Wade said. “I didn’t anticipate that. Obviously it’s the coach’s decision and the administration’s decision and we have to run with that.”
Last season, Frerotte started three games with St. Louis and played in five others, completing 56.3 percent of his passes for 1,014 yards, seven touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Frerotte showed in training camp this year that his 37-year-old arm still has plenty of juice in it. Wade said the playbook may open up with a veteran in there as opposed to a guy who has 16 total starts.
“I think the coach was keeping it limited for a reason, obviously not to try to put too much on a young player and trying to get a guy more comfortable and more confident,” Wade said. “You might see some things change this week with Gus back there.”
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Subject: Vikings bench QB T. Jackson 
