Jim Souhan: Childress doesn't look so bad with Frerotte at QB

The clamoring of Vikings fans for the head of Brad Childress -- and why would you want that head, with the baldness, and the '70s mustache? -- proves that in sports as in politics, the virulence of the attack is often inversely proportional to the intelligence of the attacker.

For just a moment, stop typing on message boards in capital letters (it hurts my ears) and hit the refresh button on reality.

It's fine to question whether the Wilfs should have hired Childress. Given his record and the success of other recent hires, that's fair, and I've suggested he has been ripe for replacement at various junctures of his stay here.

It's fine to question the way Childress assembled his "kick-ass" offense -- he made mistakes in personnel and for much of his tenure has installed overly conservative and predictable game plans, leaving him looking unimaginative.

It's just that, as with most tidal waves of public opinion, the public's disgust for Childress has become so irrational that it ignores the current reality.

Which is that lately, Childress' offense has actually kicked a few rear ends, and his assertion that he just needed a quarterback who could run his offense has been proved by, of all people, Gus Frerotte.

The entire Vikings braintrust deserves blame for placing too much faith in Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson was not ready to quarterback this team in September.

Whatever your perceptions of Childress, the numbers indicate that his offense has thrived with Frerotte under center.

Since Frerotte assumed the position, he ranks fourth in the NFL in yards per completion (12.88), and is tied for third in most completions of 25 yards or more (13, along with Donovan McNabb.)

In two games with Jackson, the Vikings averaged 154 passing yards and 17 points per game while going 0-2.

In six games with Frerotte, the Vikings have averaged 246.7 passing yards and 24.7 points while going 4-2.

With Frerotte's big arm stretching defenses, the Vikings finally have begun capitalizing on the big plays available against defenses obsessed with stopping Adrian Peterson. Whether by cause or effect, receiver Bernard Berrian has thrived since Frerotte began playing.

Berrian is doing what Troy Williamson could have done for this offense last year, if Williamson could actually catch airborne footballs.

In the past three weeks, the Vikings have gained 392, 439 and 345 yards. Against the Texans on Sunday, the Vikings scored on both of their drives inside the red zone -- not counting their last drive, when Childress properly decided to take a knee.

More important, they scored on pass plays of 49 and 25 yards. "There are a lot of factors, but Gus is definitely the major factor, because he's the only major change we've had," said receiver Bobby Wade. "He's come in and played extremely well. He's allowed our offense to open up.

"He's allowed the coaches to be confident in him, which allows us to play a little more worry-free. You see us making plays down the field, moving the chains, it has a lot to do with the plays they call because of how they feel about Gus."

Everyone's familiar with Childress' flaws. Over the last six weeks, realists have become familiar with some of his strengths.