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Undoubtedly, the Vikings will set some kind of record if they start a third quarterback in as many weeks next Sunday against San Diego.

Tarvaris Jackson started last week in the loss to the Cowboys but got hurt. Kelly Holcomb was the starter Sunday in the 23-16 loss to Philadelphia and, when he got hurt, Brooks Bollinger came in midway through the third quarter. Bollinger, who was 7-for-10 for 88 yards Sunday, might end up getting his first Vikings start next week.

The Vikings' troubled quarterback situation is a major reason for the team's 2-5 record. It's a situation that has been unsettled ever since Daunte Culpepper severely injured his knee at Carolina almost exactly two years ago.

However, based on how he looked Sunday, Bollinger deserves a chance to start, and he might give the team the leadership it has lacked.

The former University of Wisconsin quarterback was naturally disappointed that he couldn't bring the Vikings back from their deficit.

"You want to go in and find a way to help the team win a football game, and you never know when it's going to happen," Bollinger said. "If it's going to be the first or the second play of the game, or the last play of the game or what, I tried to do what I could to help us win and just came up a little short."

Bollinger was playing in only his fourth game in his two seasons with the Vikings. He relieved Brad Johnson twice last year, and he entered his only other game this year in overtime when Jackson got hurt at Detroit.

While Bollinger might have a reason to complain, he won't. "I think everyone in here wants to be on the field and help the team win football games," he said. "Whatever they tell me, and whatever my role is, I'm going to execute it to the best of my ability and find my talent for this organization."

He admitted it is tough to come into the game in relief.

"Sometimes it helps because you don't have time to think, you just go in there and fling it around," he said. "But ... backup quarterback is not always an easy job. You get put in some difficult situations, but that is the job description and that is what I signed up for, and that's my job. And I need to come in and execute."

Bollinger was impressed by the Eagles defense, which is ranked ninth overall in the NFL, allowing opponents an average of 300.7 yards per game. Bollinger was sacked twice.

"We got a little momentum there and, to their credit, they just found a way to make a play in critical situations and we shot ourselves in the foot a couple times," he said. "A couple of those sacks I could have came out of, I just got arm-tackled. We had a couple of penalties that hurt us, that kept us from getting [touchdowns] and getting [field goals] instead.

"That's a tough outfit to play against for anybody in the National Football League. [Eagles defensive coordinator] Jim Johnson does a great job with them and shows a whole plethora of different looks; you don't know where they're coming from. Luckily I think it helped us out some that we were able to have a good running game and counter some of that."

Is Bollinger looking forward to the chance to start? "I'm ready and willing and able to do whatever's asked of me, and we'll see what tomorrow brings," he said.

Bollinger was a winner at Wisconsin. He had some good games in his three years with the Jets. This is a great young man. He never complains. He does his job.

I watched him have some great days in a Badgers uniform against the Gophers. The Big Ten isn't the NFL, but unless given a chance as a starter, we won't know what he can do. And he deserves an opportunity.

Rogers coached McNabb

Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers coached Donovan McNabb for four years at Syracuse and knew the Eagles made a great choice when they drafted McNabb in the first round, second overall, in 1999.