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Backup quarterbacks do, undo all they can

  • Article by: Judd Zulgad
  • Updated: August 31, 2007 - 12:40 AM

Until his last play, Kelly Holcomb succeeded in front of his new coaches. And with a solid first half, Brooks Bollinger wiped out a bad memory.

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While Kelly Holcomb got a chance to make a first impression in the Vikings' 23-14 preseason victory over Dallas on Thursday, it probably was more important that Brooks Bollinger got his opportunity to erase the impression he had left on the coaching staff only five days earlier.

Holcomb, obtained from Philadelphia for a draft pick last Monday, was at quarterback for the third quarter Thursday after Bollinger ran the offense for nearly the entire first half.

Bollinger fared far better than he did last Saturday in the Vikings' 30-13 loss at Seattle. In that game, Bollinger completed six of 11 passes for 52 yards, was intercepted twice (one returned for a touchdown) and had a 27.7 quarterback rating. Bollinger replaced starter Tarvaris Jackson after the Vikings' opening offensive series Thursday and completed nine of 15 throws for 109 yards with a touchdown, no interceptions and a 104.6 rating.

"You just try and wipe the slate clean and go out and have a fresh week," Bollinger said. "It felt good to go out there and score some points as a unit. ... It's fun when you work with these guys all camp as a group and you go through your ups and downs. To really finish with a nice push at the last game and have some success."

Bollinger's first two series ended in punts, but the third time he was on the field running back Artose Pinner capped an eight-play, 58-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown. Bollinger and receiver Robert Ferguson connected on a 38-yard pass play to set up the score. The Vikings offense got the ball back shortly thereafter at the Dallas 19 after a Cowboys fumble, and Bollinger ended the ensuing drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to rookie Sidney Rice.

Coach Brad Childress, who made it clear Bollinger's spot on the 53-man roster is not in jeopardy, was pleased to see the quarterback rebound. "You know at that position you're going to have some ups and downs, but the biggest thing in this deal is always to bounce back," Childress said. "You get measured more by that than getting knocked down. It's how you get up."

Holcomb had been told he would get in the game to complete the first half, but when the Vikings didn't get the ball back until 1 minute, 56 seconds remained it was decided that having him run the 2-minute drill was too much to ask.

Holcomb played the third quarter and completed five of eight passes for 59 yards. But on first down at the Dallas 31, the 11-year veteran tried to hit Jason Carter over the middle, and his pass was picked off by safety Courtney Brown.

"I felt good until that last play," Holcomb said. "It was coming to me. I was getting a little bit more comfortable, and then it goes back to the old saying that it doesn't matter if you're a rookie or going on a 13-year vet, if you try to make something happen that's not there it bites you. That's what happened."

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