Vikings Bench Tarvaris Jackson

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By John Clayton
ESPN.com

The Minnesota Vikings, with an 0-2 start to the season, are turning to veteran Gus Frerotte to bring them out of the hole.
No coach had more faith in his quarterback than coach Brad Childress had in Tarvaris Jackson, who has had 14 career starts. But Childress named Frerotte the starter for the remainder of the season, announcing the decision at his Wednesday media availability.

Jackson was 8-4 as a starter last season, even though he completed only 58.2 percent of his passes and had a 70.8 quarterback rating.

This season started even slower for Jackson. He completed only 30 of 59 passes for 308 yards in two games, in an offense that is ranked 24th in the league in passing despite a strong running game from Adrian Peterson.

Jackson has been playing with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee, an injury that forced him at times to wear a brace. Vikings fans booed him throughout Sunday's 18-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts when the Vikings, despite a 160-yard rushing day by Peterson, had to settle for five field goals.

With a tough home game coming up against the Carolina Panthers, Childress decided to go with the strong-armed Frerotte. The 37-year-old Frerotte is in his 15th season, and spent the past two seasons as a backup in St. Louis.

Frerotte has been with seven teams, but this is his second tour with the Vikings, having spent 2004 and 2005 in Minnesota.

Frerotte has completed 54.2 percent of his passes during his career for 19,134 yards and a 74.3 quarterback rating. He's 37-44-1 as a starter.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.

My father just called to tell me. This is a team that was hoping to go to the super bowl and is now in complete turmoil. Oh well.

Can't blame them but Gus is no better. I can't figure out why would you draft Booty if your 100% behind TJACK? The Vikes may as well bring back Culpepper.

They need to bench Childress.

Gus is better then Jackson. All the Vikes need is the passing game to open up and they are unstoppable. 250 yards a game is all that is needed. The Vikes are not in turmoil. 0-2 is not a death sentence and I still think we'll be there at the end of the season. We could have won week 1...we beat the Colts for 55 minutes and gave that game away. I am not worried at all. I prefer the cold start as opposed to the past.

This is a joke right? Why draft 2 QB's if your 100% behind Rodgers?

By how much? Can't be that much better with his years in the NFL and no starting job.

Interesting video in your sig, Vikeman. Very reminiscent of an Ahman Green hit on a certain loud-mouth Viking DB in a game in December '00. Didn't shut him up for long though.

May as well put Booty on the fast track to starting. Frerotte may give MN the best chance to win for the next couple of months but Booty should be brought in by season's end to get him quality PT. Good luck. Well not too much luck :devil:

Gus is a little better but yeah why draft a QB when you dont feel you need one. Yes, just like the Pakers draft I dont understand that either? I guess they hoped to get one good back up between the two.

BTW I grew up in MN.....Live in packerville and still fly the purple flag every Sunday. It has stirred up the neighbors a little but I don't bad mouth the packers and my neighbors still rip me (a little) about the Vikes...

Good Luck to your team too. If you beat Dallas Green Bay will have the best team in the league.

Concerning my sig...I just don't care for Al Harris. I never did even prior to the injury he put on Peterson last year. He is hands down the most overrated cornerback in the nfl. He's abused by top notch receivers, he constantly gets run over, and swears he's good. Favre did not lose that game to the Giants...he did. I also didnt cre for him complaining about Moss pushing off on every play...when Moss cleary wan't. When he got ran over by Peterson...it was a site to see.

I think that childress pulled the trigger to soon. I believe the young fella has a really good future. How is a someone supposed to become a franchise player if after two loses your benched. It's not all his fault he need a supporting receiving cast. Bernard Berrian isn't exactly a threat. I guess we will see how everything unfolds in the weeks to come.

Still not sure why they had so much trust in this guy.

Great combine, excellent college career. Just one of those guys who didn't play well in the Vikes system. He might fit well somewhere else, but I am not sure becasue there is not much that anyone has seen out of him since college. AP is that team and rightfully so the guys a monster.