First a loss and then a promise

Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson didn't play in the Vikings' 12-10 preseason loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday at the Metrodome but said afterward he had "no doubt at all" he would be ready for the regular-season opener Sept. 8 in Green Bay.

It was the first time Jackson has spoken to the media since he suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee a week ago in Baltimore. There appears a good chance Jackson also will be held out of the preseason finale Thursday in Dallas.

"I wasn't ready," Jackson said.

Following the Vikings' defeat -- which ended when Steelers kicker Jeff Reed made his fourth field goal of the night with four seconds remaining in the fourth quarter -- coach Brad Childress said he decided to not play Jackson after talking to the quarterback 40 minutes before kickoff.

"We took him out there, he warmed up before the game and as late as 6:20 I made him come and sit down with me and told him, 'Tell me exactly where you are at,'" Childress said. "I said, 'What can you do in this game plan and what can't you do?' It's important that you have that honesty."

Childress said Jackson could have played with a brace on his knee but that he would have had to remain in the pocket and play "a certain way," with a "certain menu of plays."

For a preseason game, even one that is considered the final dress rehearsal for the regular season, it was decided not to chance it, so Gus Frerotte started.

"That's not the prudent thing to do," Childress said. "There may be a time when he has to play a game that way. But I thought he did a good job of pushing to that."

Said Jackson: "I maybe could have played. We're just trying to be precautionary. Not trying to go out there and push it."

Jackson, who took part in individual drills in practice last week but did no 11-on-11 work, said the knee remains sore and that making cuts is an issue. "It's sore a little bit, but it's a lot better than it was when I first hurt it," he said. "A lot better than it was when I woke up [last] Sunday morning. But I still have a little ways to go."

Jackson wasn't the only player Childress decided to hold out Saturday. Starting receivers Bernard Berrian (toe) and Sidney Rice (virus) also did not play.

Childress said he wants to take a look at players on the bubble against Dallas, and that means the chance for starters to get extensive action came and went.

"I know that that's what third games are for, but there are plenty of people that are out in this league and obviously two weeks from now nobody will be talking about the third game of the preseason," Childress said.

"They'll be talking about playing with all your ammo on opening night. I think that's the overriding sentiment right there. You have to play without those guys, and we weren't able to establish the rhythm without those guys, but that's no excuse. You still have to be able to do it with the guys that are out there."

Among Childress' frustrations Saturday was the fact his team was assessed 10 penalties, including three for false starts on its opening possession.

Frerotte completed 13 of 19 passes for 133 yards with an interception. He also was sacked three times. Rookie John David Booty played much of the second half (4-for-5 for 19 yards) as Brooks Bollinger did not get into the game.

Frerotte directed the game's lone touchdown drive in the second quarter, but on the next series he was intercepted by Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor.

Jackson's latest injury is his fifth since being drafted in 2006. Asked if he's concerned about being labeled as injury prone, Jackson said:

"I really don't care about that stuff. Stuff I've been getting is stuff that I really can't control. There are different things that you control, but ligaments and cartilage and stuff like that, you really can't control. So, I really don't care about that label at all."

Jackson also made it clear that although his latest injury resulted from not sliding at the end of a scramble, he isn't about to start hitting the deck early. No matter how many people tell him it's a good idea. "Nah," he said. "I'm still not sliding."