Separate standards for Childress, Gardenhire

Four Downs while wondering if this post will get me kicked out of Twins Territory ...

FIRST DOWN:

In 2010, Ron Gardenhire won a weak division in which only one other team tried finished above .500. He then got swept out of the playoffs, as usual, by a better team. He won AL manager of the year, we all love him, call him Gardy, and there's probably a statue in the works.

In 2009, Brad Childress won an OK division in which only one other team finished above .500. He then destroyed the Cowboys in the first round, 34-3. He then went on the road and came within 19 seconds of a short field goal attempt that would have put the Vikings in the Super Bowl. Yet we hated him, wanted him strung up, fired or worse.

Why is that?

Yes, Childress had the 12 men in the huddle. But his team dominated the Saints for 59 1/2 minutes, only to throw it all away with five turnovers. Gardenhire's players were lifeless for most of three postseason games.

I'm not saying Childress should have been coach of the year in 2009. I'm just fascinated by the difference in the perception of Gardenhire after his 2010 season and Childress after his 2009 season. Maybe it's a football thing. Or a Vikings thing. Football fans are naturally more uptight when it comes to the coach.

When I talked to former Vikings coach and current Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice last week, he kept saying, "We're a work in progress." And he wasn't just referring to the Bears' offensive line. He was talking about the whole team.

"Are we where we think we'll be in Week 17? No," Tice said. "But are we better this week than Week 1? Absolutely."

Watching the Bears last night, you have to agree with him. I know the Dolphins were down to Tyler Thigpen at QB, but if the Bears reached the Super Bowl behind defense and special teams back in 2006, who's to say they can't do it again in 2010?

Jay Cutler threw another interception and was sacked three more times. But unlike the Washington meltdown a few weeks ago, it appears Cutler and the Bears offense can be good enough to give the Bears a shot at winning this division.

THIRD DOWN:

So what do you do with Brett Favre if the Vikings lose to the Packers on Sunday? There will be six meaningless games to follow. Do you bench him and take a six-week look at Tarvaris Jackson?

Now, he won't leave on his own terms. He'll retire because his contract is up and no one will want him. There will be no offseason suspense (finally!) about when he'll show up during someone's preseason. Even if he wanted to do that again, he'll have no dance partner for the first time in 20-some years.

Off the top of my head (this is a blog, you know), I'd start him the rest of the season, but make sure Jackson sees plenty of playing time. But I wonder, "Which is less dignified, not playing or rotating in with Jackson?"

The other way out is to use one of his multiple injuries as a way to slip away on injured reserve.

FOURTH DOWN:

If Sidney Rice is healthy enough to practice, he owes it to the team to suit up and try to play Sunday. This could be the last meaningful game Favre ever plays. If they aren't at that point already, a loss Sunday buries the Vikings too deep to come back from.