(An open letter to Gus Frerotte from Minnesota Vikings Fans)
Dear Gus,
There was a time when you and we just clicked. You came into our life when we needed you the most. We were troubled, having a difficult time with Tavaris, and you were there to provide stability and guide us through troubled times. For that, we will always be grateful and you\’ll have a special place in our hearts.
But lately there have been signs. Signs that things were no longer the same as they were during those heady first few weeks. But in reality when we look back, nothing changed, you haven\’t changed, you\’ve been the same quarterback from the moment you stepped on the field in Week 3. What has changed is us.
We had such high expectations of Tavaris, and when he disappointed us we were so hurt. You came in and everything changed… including the play calling. You threw the ball downfield, in that beautiful rainbow arc of yours. Sure you threw some interceptions… lots of interceptions… more interceptions than touchdowns; but we overlooked that because the team was winning games.
We thought we were winning because of you, but in fact we were winning in spite of you. We overlooked all of those passes where you threw low or short-hopped the ball to wide open receivers. You threw 4 interceptions in Chicago in a game that we still almost won. The Detroit Lions have 4 interceptions all year… you have thrown 3 of those 4. You threw 3 interceptions in the home game against Green Bay, a team that is in shambles we should have destroyed at home. We had to hope for a missed last minute field goal to win that game.
Were things that bad all along or was it just a matter of circumstance and luck? Tavaris didn\’t have Bryant McKinnie on the offensive line for his games. Beyond McKinnie, Tavaris didn\’t have an offensive line playing well in front of him. Tavaris didn\’t have a TE who was actually catching passes.
Or is this just a case of romanticizing the good old days? If Tavaris were to start, would Darren Bevell revert back to his conservative play calling from the first couple of weeks? Will it become an endless predictable string of handoffs and rollout passes? Would Tavaris not have the touch it appeared he had during the second half of Sunday\’s game against the Lions? Maybe… maybe not.
Gus, not only have you played like the 7th worst QB in the league, you\’ve been knocked out of the last 4 games. Your age is showing, and sadly it\’s not coupled with experience (see: Warner, Kurt or Favre, Brett).
If this team is going to take a step up to go deep into the playoffs we need someone who can be what Trent Dilfer was to the 2000 Ravens. A quarterback who doesn\’t throw many touchdowns, but more importantly throws even fewer interceptions.
I don\’t think you\’re that guy. I\’m not sure Tavaris is either, but I know that you aren\’t that guy. So that\’s why I have to let you go. This just isn\’t working anymore.
Take care and we\’ll always remember the good times.
Love,
Minnesota Vikings Fans
(An open letter to Tavaris Jackson from Minnesota Vikings Fans)
Dear Tavaris,
You know all that mean things we said about you…. yeah, we were just really hurt, and didn\’t mean any of them.
(In our best Ike Turner voice) We\’re sorry Tavaris Jackson. Come on baby, we didn\’t mean it. Come back and play for us, play like you know you can… play like *we* know you can!
Love,
Minnesota Vikings Fans
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