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Vikings bench QB Jackson, turn to Frerotte
By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, AP Sports Writer
19 minutes ago
AP - Sep 17, 1:48 pm EDT NFL Gallery EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP)—The Minnesota Vikings are benching quarterback Tarvaris Jackson in favor of Gus Frerotte.
Coach Brad Childress said Wednesday that Frerotte will start Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
Jackson started the first two games, both losses. He completed just 51 percent of his passes in those starts, prompting the coach to turn to the 37-year-old journeyman Frerotte.
“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.”
Frerotte was signed in the offseason to be Jackson’s backup, but now finds himself trying to turn around a team that had high expectations. The passing offense has struggled mightily through the first two weeks, not only with Jackson’s accuracy issues, but also with receivers dropping passes and conservative play calling.
After an 18-15 loss to the Colts last weekend in which the offense managed only five field goals, 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 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.”
Childress said that barring injury, Frerotte will be the quarterback for the rest of the season. However, Childress added he hasn’t given up on the 25-year-old Jackson as an option for the team’s long term.
“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.”
By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, AP Sports Writer
19 minutes ago
AP - Sep 17, 1:48 pm EDT NFL Gallery EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP)—The Minnesota Vikings are benching quarterback Tarvaris Jackson in favor of Gus Frerotte.
Coach Brad Childress said Wednesday that Frerotte will start Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
Jackson started the first two games, both losses. He completed just 51 percent of his passes in those starts, prompting the coach to turn to the 37-year-old journeyman Frerotte.
“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.”
Frerotte was signed in the offseason to be Jackson’s backup, but now finds himself trying to turn around a team that had high expectations. The passing offense has struggled mightily through the first two weeks, not only with Jackson’s accuracy issues, but also with receivers dropping passes and conservative play calling.
After an 18-15 loss to the Colts last weekend in which the offense managed only five field goals, 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 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.”
Childress said that barring injury, Frerotte will be the quarterback for the rest of the season. However, Childress added he hasn’t given up on the 25-year-old Jackson as an option for the team’s long term.
“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.”
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