I could be wrong, but I don't think there is any doubt that Brad Johnson will continue to be the starting quarterback when the Vikings, still in contention for a playoff spot, play at Detroit on Sunday.
Johnson beat the Lions earlier this year, although it took a 23-point, fourth-quarter rally to win the game. It would be extremely unlike a football coach such as Brad Childress to gamble by giving rookie Tarvaris Jackson his first NFL start in a game the Vikings must win if they have any hopes for the playoffs.
However, Jackson says he is confident he can do the job if he is called upon, something I can't believe will happen.
"Yeah, it's been just learning how to prepare for a game," Jackson said. "I have learned a lot more than I knew in college, so the stuff that I learned this year will help me be a better quarterback next year."
Jackson doesn't expect to start Sunday, but he is confident he can be the Vikings' No. 1 quarterback in the future.
"Yeah, I'm very confident," he said. "And I am just getting prepared. You know, if I work hard like I always do and just prepare myself, I feel like I can be good.
"I've learned a lot from watching Brad and watching Brooks [Bollinger] and just being out there and preseason stuff."
He said he doesn't initiate any conversation with Johnson and Bollinger, but he makes sure to listen to what they say.
If called upon Sunday, Jackson says he is confident he can lead the team to victory.
"Yeah, I'll be ready to play," he said. "My coaches will put me in a good position to understand. And they'll prepare me."
Like McNabb
Jackson, who has shown he can scramble, was asked if he believes his style is similar to any other NFL quarterback.
"I'm not like [Atlanta's Michael] Vick," Jackson said. "Vick is a lot faster. Maybe [like Philadelphia's] Donovan McNabb. You know, he can stay in the pocket and make plays, and he can run outside the pocket and make plays."
Even though he has played little this year, Jackson is confident he was drafted by the right team and he will get the opportunity to be the No. 1 quarterback in the future.
In his Monday news conference, Childress was asked if he would consider starting Jackson against the Lions.
"I think you'd consider everybody," Childress said. "You just need to see where you are at and what you think you can accomplish here. These next four games are obviously important for the Minnesota Vikings. But I'm not necessarily looking to cast my gaze to the future, and nor would a quarterback change mean how I look at the next four games is any different."
Yes, Johnson had a bad game against the Bears with four interceptions, but he still is a quarterback with a Super Bowl ring on his hand. Like Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said Thursday: "I don't think you can throw it all at Brad Johnson's feet for one. You can look at the four interceptions from last week and you can definitely see how all four of them can't just be attributed to Brad. There's 10 other guys out there that have a job to do."
Robinson underpaid?
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