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Just another QB controversy
By Bobby Hart
Published:
Thursday, October 2, 2003
Never in a million years did I think I'd ever say this, but here it goes: Gus Frerotte should be the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings.
I could very well end up choking on those words as early as next week, but from what the perfection that Vikings fans were treated to last weekend it's unlikely.
Frerotte looked like last seasons Rich Gannon the way he kept his focus in the pocket and rifled bullets to his receivers with pin-point accuracy.
Even if Daunte Culpepper could fully recover from his back injury and come back next week against the Falcons in prime condition, I'd say no way.
Confidence and loyalty in a league that's ran by money, greed, and criminal misdemeanors, is over-rated. Let the better man win and Frerotte was with out a doubt that man the last two weeks. In fact few could even compare to his 267 yard, four touchdown performance and 157.2 QB rating.
You all have to admit that you felt a little more relaxed with out an indecisive turn-over prone Culpepper behind the helm (23 fumbles and 23 interceptions). You didn't tremble like usual when when the linebacker built Culpepper looked nervously back and forth between receivers as the pocket got smaller.
Confidence has been an issue for the Central Florida graduate since his rookie year, but it has gotten worse. It's at the point where he's so afraid to make a mistake, he'll question himself at the wrong times and hesitate. When's the last time he's thrown a bomb to Randy Moss?
Don't get me wrong, Daunte is a good quarterback. His athleticism can't be questioned and the big man has one heck of an arm. He's just not the brightest bulb on broadway.
Frerotte could be seen on the sidelines in a consistent basis, studying and reading defenses. And when he sees a slight opening, he guns for it (not as dim-wittedly as Farve though).
After all, what would Vikings football be without a quarterback controversy? One year Randal Cunningham is building cabinates, the next he's in the Pro-Bowl (1998) as a back-up to Brad Johnson. The next season he seemed to have lost all talent and was overshadowed by Jeff George.
Those were just the two latest of the Minnesota QB controversies of the 90s'. There was Gannon vs. Wade Wilson in 1991, Gannon vs. Sean Salisbury in 1992, Jim McMahon vs. Salisbury in 1993, and Brad Johnson vs. Warren Moon in 1996. Even former SCSU QB Todd Bouman had his time to shine last season.
So will Frerotte be the knight in shining armor that sweeps Vikings fans off their feet and into the playoffs this season? Will Daunte Culpepper heal, regroup and become the stable quarterback the Vikings' organization has been dreaming about for the last twenty years?
My guess is as good as yours.
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