2008 Woodie Awards
Jared the average guy
Jared Dyrdahl
Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: Sports
Before this week's article, I would like to take a moment to thank the football gods for finally shining the light on head coach Brad Childress to bench his abysmal quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.
Last Sunday was like Christmas morning for me and several Vikings fans. We watched in anticipation waiting for the beginning of the Gus Frerotte era and the end of the futility of the Jackson debacle. At the end of the afternoon, Vikings fans were able to enjoy the rest of their Sunday knowing that our beloved Purple People Eaters were back on track to go to the Super Bowl. However, after watching the game, I find myself unconvinced that the Vikings will even partake in the NFC playoffs this year.
While the Vikings eradicated one problem, they are stuck with another for at least the duration of the year. The impediment of which I speak is Childress, who, it appears, is out-coached on a week-to-week basis.
Even though he has had moderate success with the team, it always seems that the Vikings are winning in spite of his tutelage, not because of it. Listening to a Childress press conference is enough to make any purple-blooded fan wonder if he actually has any idea what he is doing.
Take, for instance, the Jackson decision. At the beginning of the week, the head coach steadfastly stuck by his quarterback, insisting that he was his starter. Over the progression of the rest of the week, Jackson went from "probably" the starter to "maybe" the starter, finally settling in as a backup to Frerotte by the week's end.
Coupled with the apparent clueless nature displayed by Childress on a weekly basis is his inability to succeed at his own professed craft: namely running a football offense.
Childress made his name in the NFL as an offensive mind working as an offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles before coming to the Vikings. Given this pedigree, it is mind-boggling how a man who possesses capable wide receivers, a veteran quarterback and perhaps the greatest offensive weapon in today's game (Adrian Peterson) can manage to score a meager 16 points-a-game through three separate showings.
Last Sunday was like Christmas morning for me and several Vikings fans. We watched in anticipation waiting for the beginning of the Gus Frerotte era and the end of the futility of the Jackson debacle. At the end of the afternoon, Vikings fans were able to enjoy the rest of their Sunday knowing that our beloved Purple People Eaters were back on track to go to the Super Bowl. However, after watching the game, I find myself unconvinced that the Vikings will even partake in the NFC playoffs this year.
While the Vikings eradicated one problem, they are stuck with another for at least the duration of the year. The impediment of which I speak is Childress, who, it appears, is out-coached on a week-to-week basis.
Even though he has had moderate success with the team, it always seems that the Vikings are winning in spite of his tutelage, not because of it. Listening to a Childress press conference is enough to make any purple-blooded fan wonder if he actually has any idea what he is doing.
Take, for instance, the Jackson decision. At the beginning of the week, the head coach steadfastly stuck by his quarterback, insisting that he was his starter. Over the progression of the rest of the week, Jackson went from "probably" the starter to "maybe" the starter, finally settling in as a backup to Frerotte by the week's end.
Coupled with the apparent clueless nature displayed by Childress on a weekly basis is his inability to succeed at his own professed craft: namely running a football offense.
Childress made his name in the NFL as an offensive mind working as an offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles before coming to the Vikings. Given this pedigree, it is mind-boggling how a man who possesses capable wide receivers, a veteran quarterback and perhaps the greatest offensive weapon in today's game (Adrian Peterson) can manage to score a meager 16 points-a-game through three separate showings.
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