Back-up quarterback Charlie Whitehurst was favored two-to-one over starting quarterback Tavaris Jackson by respondents of a Seattle Seahawks poll, according to ESPN's Mike Sando. The poll surveyed 4,400 people, and the results add an interesting dimension to Seattle's quarterback situation given that Jackson has been touted as the team's starter for several weeks now by Coach Pete Carroll.
Jackson had a bad outing against his former team, the Minnesota Vikings, during Saturday's 20-7 preseason loss. He completed 11 of 21 passes for 75 yards, but also threw a costly pick-six to Marcus Sherels, who returned the ball 64 yards for a touchdown. The Seahawks did not score any points during the first half, when Jackson was the quarterback.
Whitehurst, meanwhile, came out firing when he got his chance to play in the second half. He completed 14 of 19 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, completing his first seven passes in a row and leading the Seahawks 89 yards down the field on his first drive for the score.
The results are clear: Whitehurst is winning the confidence of the Seahawks' fan base while Jackson is not. Coach Carroll indicated earlier this preseason that Jackson is the starter, but that he expects competition between his two quarterbacks for the starting job as the season goes on. Given Whitehurst's recent play and the results of this poll, the QB battle could come earlier than expected.