Vikings QB situation spins again

If it hadn't started with Kelly Holcomb again replacing injured Tarvaris Jackson, the Vikings' game of musical quarterbacks now can be considered officially under way.

The latest entrant is Brooks Bollinger, who has been going back and forth between being the No. 2 and No. 3 quarterback. He ascended to the top spot in the third quarter of the Vikings' 23-16 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday.

So who will start next Sunday against San Diego? That depends on how pleased the coaching staff was with Bollinger's performance and the status of the broken index finger on Jackson's throwing hand.

Holcomb suffered a whiplash-like injury on a sack by Eagles defensive end Juqua Thomas. Holcomb needed help to get his shoulder pads off in the locker room and was to have his neck placed in a brace. He will undergo an MRI today.

"It was a shock to my system," said Holcomb, who spent most of training camp with the Eagles before being traded to the Vikings. "A burning situation. I kind of went numb for five, six seconds. That kind of scared me. Then it was OK. They took X-rays on it. I have no broken bones, but it's pretty sore."

Starting for the third time this season because of an injury to Jackson, Holcomb completed seven of 16 passes for 88 yards. Bollinger entered at the start of a series with the ball on the Vikings 31-yard line and 7 minutes, 23 seconds left in the quarter. He completed his first three passes and led an 11-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a 32-yard field goal. He also led the Vikings on a nine-play drive in the fourth quarter that ended with a 48-yard field goal.

Bollinger completed seven of 10 passes for 94 yards and had a 99.6 quarterback rating in four series.

Coach Brad Childress gave no indication of who might be his starter against the Chargers.

"You know what, I like all of my quarterbacks," he said. "I'm not going to get drawn into, 'Who is the starter this week?' ... [Bollinger] gave a decent accounting of himself."

Bollinger had not appeared in a game since Week 2, when he completed three of four passes in overtime at Detroit after Jackson suffered a groin injury.

"It's tough. The last couple of weeks I was second and third [string] and back and forth," Bollinger said. "You don't get the reps with our offense, so if anything it's making sure your cadence is the same as Kelly's. I hadn't had a chance to be in the huddle with those guys a whole bunch of late, but it's part of the job description."

Bollinger admitted he had no idea what role he will find himself in next week.

"Whatever role I am given I am going to show up and execute it each day and I will be ready on Sunday," he said. "All of that [who is starting], they'll tell me. That's the good thing about my job; I don't have to make those decisions. I just have to show up and be the same guy every day and somebody tells me what to do. My job is to go out there and do it."

Judd Zulgad • jzulgad@startribune.com