QB Controversy

Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress made a drastic change in his starting line-up last Sunday when he announced that 37-year old Gus Frerotte would start over a struggling Tarvaris Jackson. Minnesota would go on to defeat Carolina 20-10 to win their first game of the season. Frerotte put up good-enough numbers for the game (16-28, 204 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT) to help a once immobile Viking offense.
Frerotte improved his numbers a little in Sunday's 30-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans (25-43, 266 yds, 1 INT), and while Minnesota outgained Tennessee in total yards offensively, it was the lack of points put up on the board and the lack of execution at crucial points in the game that ultimately cost Minnesota.
As for Frerotte, who threw a critical interception inside the Minnesota 20 in the 4th quarter and got his hand cut in the process, the question must be raised: how long is Frerotte going to stay the starter?

According to Childress, Frerotte is expected to be the starter for the remainder of the season. So what does that mean really? Is Tarvaris Jackson done? Is there no one else out there for the Vikings to turn to that could possibly aid them if Frerotte struggles to get the Vikings into the endzone like Jackson did?

First off, I'll start by saying that the option for Minnesota to go shopping in the free agent market is probably one the Vikings will save for a very rainy day. Minnesota would have to suffer numerous injuries at the QB position before this staff would consider acquiring another QB. Dante Culpepper is available after having retired before the season started, and while that may seem like a popular choice, chances are the Vikings won't be asking the former Pro Bowl quarterback to return to Minneapolis. Culpepper also is a shadow of what he used to be and Minnesota probably wouldn't want to risk seeing if he could shake off the rust and make plays for the Vikings or if he will continue to look hobbled from wear and tear through the years.

The other thing is, Tarvaris Jackson by no means has been thrown under the bus. I did get the sense that the Vikings organization may have lost some faith in the kid, but in all likelihood, if Frerotte cannot go for one reason or another, Jackson would most likely take his place. He is the most experienced backup Minnesota has. It will be interesting, though to see where the Vikings will go in the offseason next year. Will they look to draft another quarterback perhaps early on in the draft? It will all depend on just how much faith Minnesota has really lost in Jackson being the starter agian. Frerotte is a temporary solution. He will not continue to be the Vikings starter for the next couple of years. This is why it is becoming urgent that Minnesota starts looking at their options if Jackson isn't the guy they want.

The Vikings did draft John David Booty in the 5th round of this year's draft, but early indications have JDB holding a clipboard for the remainder of the year and possibly into next season as well while he grows into his role. He could be the quarterback of the future for Minnesota, but it's gonna take much longer than the Vikings are willing to wait for.

For now it looks like Frerotte is the guy for Minnesota for better or worse. It's not like Minnesota lacks guys who can make plays. It's that there seems to be chemistry issues on offense. Minnesota lacks a cohesiveness on offense and that is affecting their execution. When you can't convert at critical points, especially on third downs, and you turn the ball over at crucial moments it hinders the development of any offense.

But the season is still young and there is plenty of time left for the Vikings to make improvements, so it's still a little too early to hit the panic button just yet.