Minnesota Vikings: The Case for Tarvaris Jackson

The most talked about player on the Minnesota Vikings this off season has been Tarvaris Jackson. Kevin Seifert of the Star Tribune thinks that Jackson is the one player that Minnesota's Super Bowl hopes rest on. Don Seeholzer of the Pioneer Press says that Jackson may be the Viking's weak link.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated has confidence in the 25-year-old right arm of Tarvaris Jackson, though.

Tarvaris Jackson began his NFL season eight hours after the Giants upset the Patriots. As King reports, Jackson began a 45-minute sprint workout on his treadmill the morning after the Super Bowl.

Much has been made of how supposedly "inept" and "under-achieving" Jackson has been. That will change in 2008.

Minnesota has a playoff caliber team in place surrounding Jackson. It will literally be up to him whether the Vikings reach the Super Bowl or not. If he plays well at best, there is no reason in the world why Minnesota cannot be world champions.

Jackson certainly feels the pressure. After a near pre-draft trade for Houston quarterback Sage Rosenfels, Jackson knows that Minnesota would certainly cut him loose and get another signal-caller in a heartbeat.

"I know what people are saying. 'The Vikings have a great defense, the best running back in the league, a great offensive line ... what about the quarterback?' The quarterback position -- every day of your life you're under the microscope anyway. I understand that. I'm very confident in my growth as a player in this system. But I know what's going on. People don't have any reason NOT to ask that question about me.''

Jackson is only a few years removed from playing college football against teams like Tuskagee and Arkansas Pine-Bluff. He struggled to throw the ball accurately during his three years of playing behind center in an Alabama State uniform, completing 51 percent, 52 percent, and 61 percent of his passes, respectively.

Jackson is now an NFL starter and has a career record of 8-6, (8-4 in 2007). He has drastically improved his accuracy, ending the 2007 season by throwing games with accuracy percentages of 77, 83, 75, 64, 62, 61 and 52.

The young Minnesota quarterback is capable of winning. If he struggles at times, everyone knows he has the best security blanket in the NFL in Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. That running back tandem averaged an incredible 5.5 yards per carry in 2007, and there's no saying why it can't be six in 2008.

The 25-year-old is getting outside help as well. Rich Gannon, former MVP quarterback of the Oakland Raiders, has been helping Jackson with his drop-back and accuracy. Gannon also taught Jackson another important lesson.

"He stressed accuracy, and he told me, 'Set your goals high. Set it [completion-percentage rate] for 70. So I did.''

Jackson's teammates know he is improving as well. Guard Steve Hutchinson says this of Jackson:

"He made a tremendous jump toward the end of the last year and it's continued this spring. Quarterbacks need to get a swagger. Not be cocky, but just be confident that where they're going with the ball and how they're leading is right. Now, just the way he is around us and on the field, it's not like he's a rookie quarterback. He's more like one of the guys. He knows he doesn't have to put up Peyton Manning numbers. He's got a great arm, but he's also got a great support system on offense.''

Jackson knows what he is up against. He knows what to expect when he walks onto Lambeau Field after the retiring of Brett Favre's jersey. He expects the blood to run high, and he knows the crowd will be pumping with adrenaline.

If Tarvaris Jackson can step up and deliver, there is no telling how far this team will go. I think he can.