Favrotte?: How Gus Frerotte As the Viking's Starter Will Impact the Season

From favorite to Frerotte, the Minnesota Vikings officially named Gus Frerotte as the starting quarter back for the remainder of the 2008-2009 season. 

One can assume many things from this change, for starters this means the end of the Tarvaris Jackson experiment in Minnesota. To completely understand the magnitude of this situation, one must look back three years ago, when the Minnesota Vikings drafted Tarvaris Jackson, a highly athletic, yet very raw Quarterback from Division 1-AA Alabama State University. 

At the time, Tarvaris was a highly unknown player, his stats were average, and his ability—unknown. The Minnesota Vikings, whom have been searching for a replacement since Daunte Cullpepper's exit from the Twin Cities, put a lot of stock in the 6'2 Jackson. 

Now that he has in all indications played his last game for the Vikings, fans must be asking why?  Why did a team with Super Bowl aspirations put their season in the hands of an unproven quarterback, only to bench him two games into the season? 

The answer is simple...it's Brad Childress. 

When the Vikings hired Childress, I was skeptical at first, but liked what he had done with Donovan Mcnabb in Philadelphia.  When Childress drafted Jackson he forever linked himself to the Quarterback. 

Coaches are hired to be fired in the NFL, and Childress is no exception.  This benching of Jackson has nothing to do with winning games, but everything to do with Coach Childress feeling the heat from owner Zygi Wilf.

A team with a prolific defense, a multi-talented running back, and an offensive line built for domination should easily make the playoffs, right? Wrong. 

I, for one, have never believed nor liked Jackson, but Frerotte? This is a guy who has played for seven teams, including the Vikings, in 15 NFL seasons.  As bad as Jackson has played, what do they think is going to change with number 12 at the helm? 

Unlike Jackson, Frerotte is as mobile as an 94 year old woman with one leg.  This change at Quarterback has nothing to do with winning games, this is a pushing of the panic mode by the Minnesota staff. 

Vikings fans should be infuriated at this change, and be calling for the head of Brad Childress. Jackson never had any business being a starting NFL quarterback, however, he is the guy fans have invested their hearts in for three years now. 

A year that started out with our beloved Vikings as favorites to end the year in Tampa, has suddenly become a year where a top five pick doesn't seem very unlikely.  With this 0-2 start and the controversy at quarterback, all we can do is continue to support our Vikings and hope ownership will make the right move at the end of this season. 

Hello Bill Cowher.