Read here about how Brad Childress suspiciously called a meeting with former starting QB Tarvaris Jackson late last week – after essentially not talking to Tarvaris since his benching after Week 2. In this meeting last week, Childress apparently told Tarvaris that he needs to be ready in case Frerotte goes down. (Or more exactly, he said this: “as sure as I’m sitting here talking to you, you’re going to be playing before we get to the end of the year.”) Seems simple enough – coach telling a back-up to be ready. While it does seem odd that he would call a special one-on-one meeting with the back-up QB like this after not talking to him for months…possible I suppose. But something seems fishy about this whole thing.
My underdeveloped theory has me believing that Frerotte was asked to fake an injury by Childress toward the end of the first half if he continued to struggle offensively. Frerotte obliged both by throwing another interception (not intentionally, remember, Frerotte is very bad) and then falling to the ground “hurt”. So Childress could put Tarvaris in. This way, Childress could act like the decision to go with Tarvaris is based on Frerotte’s injury, not so much on his realization that Frerotte could easily misfire the Vikings right out of the playoffs. This would add up from a PR standpoint too. Childress’ approval rating in MN is very low and this scenario would work better for Childress than benching Frerotte, going back on his word that Frerotte would be the starter for the rest of the season, only to see Tarvaris chunk it to end the season – that would all lead to his sure termination. But going about it via fake injury, if Tarvaris doesn’t finish well for the Vikings, Childress can point to Frerotte’s injury as an “excuse”. He can have it both ways.
I realize that all of this sounds like I’ve lost it and have slipped into a totally delusional state. I assure you, I remain only semi-deluded. But the fact that I thought at the time that the injury looked fake, that the injury is labeled an “undisclosed lower-back injury” and the fact that Childress had this “prophetic” meeting last Thursday with a QB he hasn’t spoken to since Week 2 leads me to wonder. Add to this that we’re talking about the Vikings and anything is possible.
December 10, 2008 at 2:56 pm |
Well, you know what they say, “the best evidence of a conspiracy is the complete lack of evidence.”
December 10, 2008 at 3:02 pm |
“Hello, Bellevue? Yes, we have a pickup for you.”
December 10, 2008 at 3:09 pm |
I didn’t get to see any of the game, but did Ferrotte pull a Rodney Dangerfield after throwing the pick? “Ow!….my arm”. (or back, in this case)
December 10, 2008 at 3:24 pm |
Trav – when I watched the replay, I was able to notice Frerotte mouthing “Ouch, my arm, or I mean my back”…
December 10, 2008 at 5:40 pm |
[...] The Packers’ season is all but over at this point and there’s not a lot left for us fans to do but to wait to see what moves Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy make during the offseason. But is it really so bad that at packergeeks they’re posting about the Vikings? [...]
December 11, 2008 at 12:41 am |
As long as we’re laughing at the Viqueens it okay. If this talk were serious, I’d be worried.
December 11, 2008 at 1:43 am |
Andy, crack. Again.
http://blogs.startribune.com/vikingsblog/?p=2274
December 11, 2008 at 4:03 am |
Viking fan here… definately possible that Frerotte faked his injury. I think its safe to say that Childress feels insecure about his ability to make quarterbacking decisions, and needs the illusion of a Frerotte injury to shift the blame of Tarvaris’ future failures off of him. Of course, most likely story is that Frerotte actually hurt his back.
Bears suck
-TC
December 11, 2008 at 5:44 pm |
Agreed Vikings fan – Bears do suck.Thanks for the comment – feel free to check back as I tend to read and post about a fair amount of Viking stuff and of course, our readers actively despise the Vikes so there is usually lively discussion.