Pacifist Viking - Dr. Z, Brad Childress and Tarvaris Jackson

Joe Fischer is a split personality: a mild-mannered English teacher that turns into a raving, obsessive lunatic when the subject turns to the Minnesota Vikings. He blogs at Pacifist Viking, and will share his thoughts on the Beloved Purple here at 10,000 Takes.

Dr. Z, Brad Childress and Tarvaris Jackson

As you’ve probably heard by now, Sports Illustrated’s Paul Zimmerman has picked the Vikings to win the Super Bowl for the 2008 season. The reaction I’ve sensed from most Viking fans is “Yeah, we’ve seen pre-season Super Bowl predictions for this team before.” The reaction I’ve sensed from non-Viking fans is “Tarvaris Jackson Tarvaris Jackson Tarvaris Jackson.”

I’ll admit, I find it a bit weird for Dr. Z to pick a team that hasn’t won 10 games in a season since 2000. What’s particularly intriguing, though, is how he deflects the primary objection. Dr. Z recognizes that Tarvaris Jackson is a raw, inexperienced quarterback, but he trusts him to be good. His reason might surprise many Viking fans: he believes Brad Childress is a great offensive coach and a great quarterback coach, and he’ll be able to help Jackson progress. Dr. Z refers to Childress as “a coach who can do everything for the position except throw the ball,” and he cites Childress’s experience and success tutoring quarterbacks and coaching offenses.

And as you no doubt know, Brad Childress is not a terribly popular coach among Viking fans. Among other complaints, Viking fans and local columnists have been frustrated with Childress’ short passing game and his commitment to a quarterback that nobody else seems sure about. Often in the past two years I’ve heard fans and columnists suggest Childress just doesn’t know how to run an offense.

It’s refreshing, then, to read a take on Childress from a respected sportswriter with no Minnesota ties. Reading Dr. Z, one might actually believe Childress isn’t a complete bum. He might be a capable, creative, experienced offensive coach that can tutor a raw but talented quarterback into success in his third season.

But he has to. The Vikes seem pretty strong at every position but quarterback. They’ve still got all their strengths from last season, and they’ve fixed a lot of their weaknesses. Expectations are high for Childress to get the Vikings to the playoffs in his third season. For that to happen, the quarterback Childress has shown such commitment to will have to provide competent play in the passing game. If he doesn’t, the Vikes will likely miss the playoffs, Childress will likely lose his job, and the search for the next quarterback of the future will begin.