This amateur thinks the Seahawks can’t win with Tarvaris Jackson

By Jim Moore

Yesterday at 710Sports.com, Dave Wyman wrote a heart-warming story, professing his unconditional support of Tarvaris Jackson.

Like so many other excuse-makers for the Seahawks’ new quarterback, Wyman talked about Jackson’s solid completion percentage despite the lack of protection. He talked about the number of times that Jackson’s been sacked and hit. He also referenced the absence of a running game, which makes it even more difficult to generate an aerial attack.

So don’t blame Jackson for the Seahawks’ losses to San Francisco and Pittsburgh, Wyman wrote, because if you do, you’re basically a know-nothing amateur.

The Go 2 Guy isn’t buying the notion that protection issues and a lack of a running game are to blame for Tarvaris Jackson’s struggles. (AP)

With that, welcome to today’s post from a know-nothing amateur who did not play in the NFL like Wyman did and did not go to Stanford like Wyman did. My football career ended at Redmond Junior High, and I went to Washington State, where I majored in bar-hopping in Moscow, Idaho.
I don’t know what Wyman majored in at Stanford, but from the condescending tone of his story, I’m guessing it was quantum physics.

As a result of screwing around so much in the Palouse, I don’t know jack about Jackson or anything else to do with football. Since I’m an amateur, I must be an idiot to think that Jackson doesn’t cut it as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

I must be the only one who thinks that Jackson holds on to the ball too long before getting rid of it, the only one who thinks that if he made faster reads, he wouldn’t get hit so frequently. The only one who sees him throwing high passes to open receivers when he does get time in the pocket.

As an amateur, I should listen to professionals like Wyman because they’re a hell of a lot smarter than me. They know that Jackson has a chance to shine in Seattle, ignoring that the Vikings thought so little of him that they released him last spring.

The professionals ignore that Gus Frerotte replaced Jackson in Minnesota before Brett Favre did. The professionals insist that quarterbacks like Jackson can be effective game managers. They say you can win with Jackson, even if he never lights it up like Tom Brady and Drew Brees.

I respect Wyman’s opinion for one reason — the man is a lot bigger, stronger and meaner than me. If I didn’t respect his opinion and told him he’s full of crap, he could knock me out with one flick of his little finger because I’m not as tough as T-Jack.

But you know what, I’ll say it anyway — Dave, you’re full of crap. I’m going to speak for the amateurs who don’t think Jackson would thrive if you gave him the Great Wall of China as protection and Pro Bowl receivers to throw to.

In Minnesota, he had a good offensive line, good receivers, a great running back, and it still didn’t work out. Why in the world anyone thinks it will work out here is way, way beyond me, but again, keep in mind that I’m a know-nothing amateur.

It’s also beyond my limited grasp to understand why Pete Carroll just automatically made Jackson his starter before he even took his first snap in Seattle.

I’d be fine with that if Jackson were clearly better than Charlie Whitehurst, but he’s not. I’d be fine with that if Whitehurst had been given a chance with the first stringers in the preseason and struggled, but he wasn’t.

I would love to go out with Whitehurst and buy him several shots of tequila. Well, actually, since he’s making $4 million a year, he could buy his own shots. And after he’s had five or six of them, I’d like to hear how he really feels about his situation here. I’ll bet he’d rip Carroll up one side and down the other.

“You brought me in from San Diego for this? ‘Always compete,’ my ass.”

I feel like Wyman and the so-called professionals who support Jackson are under some kind of spell that’s been cast by Carroll. I’m calling it a “T-Jack Trance,” taking every word from Carroll as gospel.

As an amateur, I go to every Carroll press conference with a Win Forever filter that helps me decipher fact from fiction. I have to put that sucker on “vibrate” because if I didn’t, it would be going off like a smoke alarm when he talks about Jackson.

Ah, but the professionals will no doubt have their day on Sunday. Because the Arizona defense has been torn up by Cam Newton and Rex Grossman, the professionals think Jackson will have a big day too.

Maybe he will. Maybe all of us amateurs will have to slink back to the know-nothing hole we came from.

Don’t get me wrong — I hope the professionals are right. I want T-Jack to throw for 300 yards. I want this game to be a momentum-builder for the rest of the season.

But based on his years in Minnesota and what we’ve seen from him here, I just don’t think that will happen long-term. From this amateur’s point of view, Jackson gives the Seahawks a better shot at Andrew Luck than an NFC West championship.

The Go 2 Guy also writes on his website, www.jimmoorethego2guy.com, that the Seahawks won’t win their first game until Oct. 30 against the Bengals. You can reach Jim at jimmoorethego2guy@yahoo.com, and you can follow him on Twitter @cougsgo.

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