I know many of you are sick and tired of reading stories about the possibility of Brett Favre landing with the Vikings. I don’t blame you. But it’s not like we can ignore the issue and thus the main story in the Friday paper will be on that very topic.
However, we also realize that right now Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels are the top two quarterbacks on the Vikings roster and if “you know who” doesn’t show up in Mankato in late July it will be Jackson and Rosenfels who battle for the starting job.
Both quarterbacks talked today after the Vikings’ third day of organized team activities and while Favre certainly came up, so did various other issues. Here are a five non-Favre questions that were presented to the two, who each got about the same number of snaps in seven-on-seven and team drills.
TARVARIS JACKSON
Q. Where do you want to improve as a quarterback?
A. “That big mistake. I tend to try to make the big play sometimes, try to save every play like I did in ‘07. I got a little bit better at that [in 2008], but a couple of plays I wish I could have back. Just going out there and just playing. At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t playing like myself. I was trying not to make mistakes and being very passive, not being aggressive, not really being Tarvaris. Just going ahead and letting it ride and whatever happens, happens.”
Q. Does that come with repetition?
A. “No, just confidence. If I mess up, I’m going to mess up – not just try not to mess up. That really prohibits me. I really can’t do anything when I’m out there being passive like that.”
Q. How are you and Sage feeding off each other?
A. “I think it’s going to be a great competition. He’s a smart guy. Just by listening to him talk to coaches, you know he knows what he’s doing. He’s been in the system before. He has a lot of experience in this offense. It’s good to listen to him talk. Just trying to pick his brain and learn as much as possible.”
Q. Is this your job to lose because you finished last season as the starter?
A. “Nah. I just feel like it’s 50-50 right now. We’re just fighting for it like any other guy. I don’t think they’re going to show me any favoritism just because I ended the year as a starter. I just think it’s 50-50 and we’re going to fight for it as hard as we can.”
Q. What do you think of Percy Harvin?
A. ”He’s a very talented guy. He’s paying attention to detail, the little things, and it’s going to carry over for him. Everybody knows he’s a very explosive player. I know the guys, we’re going to love having him out here. Like a new toy, just want to try him out and get him the ball as much as possible.”
SAGE ROSENFELS
Q. What’s the biggest challenge for you coming here from the Houston Texans?
A. “Just getting the feel. The intricacies of all the receivers, the offensive line. Football is a game of fine details and every team may run the same plays but there’s always a little bit of fine detail that’s always a little bit different and it’s those details that you only really get when you’re out here practicing.”
Q. Is it tough to split reps when you are new?
A. “It’s always better to try to get the most reps possible. But we’re out here competing. I’m working my tail off and I know Tarvaris is working his tail off. And everyone is just working trying to make this football team better than it was last year.”
Q. What have been your first impressions of Percy Harvin?
A. “He’s doing some nice things. He’s come in, he’s got a lot on his plate and we have him as a Z-receiver, we have him as the third receiver in the slot. He does a lot of things and we’re trying to make the most of his athletic ability which he has a lot of. And he’s a playmaker. He’s probably one of the best playmakers in this draft this year and we’re hoping to get him the ball as much as we can this year.”
Q. Are you guys drawing up plays to use Harvin in every different scenario?
A. “Well, I’m not going to tell you our whole offense but there’s some things that we’ve added that he’s had success with and some things that you look around the league and the guys that are really good in the slot, the Wes Welker’s and those types of guys, you try to do similar type of things that maybe he can do.”
Q. How have things been between you and Tarvaris?
A. “I think he can help me with certain things in this offense and I can probably help him with certain things [from] where I’ve been before and certain things that I’ve done or been taught in the past. But I think it’s a healthy competition. Anytime you have competition it’s going to end up helping the football team and at the end of the day that’s all that really matters. I want to start, he wants to start but at the end of the day what matters is where this football team goes this year.”
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So is JDB not even in the hunt?
Sage sounds like he knows a thing or two. I’m looking forward to this competition. Any word on how Ian Johnson is doing?
AND HOW WAS IT????
T-Jax and Gus were not big buds last year.
Is it possible the relationship between Sage and T-Jax will be healthier? Both have had to put up with the Favre Fiasco and probably formed a bond on that issue.
I liked both their comments. Class
seems like sage is a smart guy. If Brett doesnt put forth the effort, hope sage gets the starting job over t-jsck. And to quote sludgie - lets see what happens . . .
“we also realize that right now Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels are the top two quarterbacks on the Vikings roster”
Does that sentence scare the hell out of anybody? It does me.
Gator1,
That surprises you?
We haven’t had a decent QB since the “QB Guru” arrived.
Great report Chip and Judd.
So nice to dwell on our real players rather than this mythical Farve dude.
And for the record, I have(For some strange reason) a lot of confidence in Sage Rosenfels.
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