I'm not trying to be mean. It's just a way of saying that Tarvaris had ceased to be relevant. He had his shot, blew it and became a symbol of the frustrating past.

But on Thursday, the NFC's offensive player of the week stood in front of his locker and faced a horde of media. People were jockeying to get close to him, not around him. Suddenly, after playing very well for a game and a half, Tarvaris Jackson is in vogue again.

In September he was as popular as E. coli. Today, he's as well-liked as free beer. Vikings fans who cursed him are clamoring for his continued presence in the lineup.

"I can't really say what I want to say," noted Jackson, biting his lip. "That's how it is. That's part of the game. It's a bandwagon type of league."

All aboard the Tarvaris train.

"I probably still don't have a full bandwagon," he said with a wry smile.

Those who want to see more of Jackson will get their wish Sunday. He has been named the starter against the Atlanta Falcons. Jackson is thrilled, of course. The three months on the sideline were hell. There were times when he wondered if he had blown his chance to be an NFL quarterback.

"There's a lot of time on the sidelines to think about everything," he said. "I really didn't know. I prepared for everything."

He chuckled at the sight of all the reporters gathered around him.

"On the sideline, I was a nobody over there," he said.

So here's the deal: Three months ago, Jackson belonged on the sideline. He was horrible and getting worse. Even he knows that. But during the past game and a half, he has appeared to be a different quarterback while filling in for injured Gus Frerotte. A much better one.

Based on his results, there's nothing wrong with giving him another chance. Clearly he has stopped listening to all the advice and started playing more intuitively.

"I was trying to be perfect. I always put a lot of pressure on myself," he said of his early troubles. "Being on the sideline about 13 weeks, there's a lot of time to think. Putting pressure on myself didn't get me anywhere. I'm going to loosen up and do what I did in college."

And he's not talking about swallowing goldfish or cramming into a telephone booth, either. He's talking about taking advantage of his natural abilities instead of thinking, "Gee, what would coach want me to do in this situation?"

"You see things a lot clearer on the sideline," he said. Then he added with a chuckle, "Nobody's trying to kill you. You're a little comfortable on the sideline.

"You can learn by watching."

Jackson was told Thursday morning that he would be the starter against the Falcons. Hey, how can you sit the NFC offensive player of the week? Oh, and Tarvaris had the same reaction to winning that award as a lot of us did upon hearing he had won it.

"Really?" he said when notified at home.

He was good against the Arizona Cardinals, throwing four touchdown passes. But, geez, he completed only 11 of 17 for 163 yards.

"A hundred and sixty yards passing isn't a lot," he agreed. "But I appreciate it."

Sunday's game is a big one for the Vikings, but probably an even bigger one for Jackson. If he reverts to previous form, he'll be back on the bench quickly, probably for the rest of the season. Heading into the playoffs is no time to fool around with the quarterback position.

He'll get to answer the question: Was the previous game a fluke? If so, he's likely done here. If not, well, the skies will open, and the angels will sing.

I never thought he'd be in position to have an impact again. It's an unlikely scenario, but definitely one worth checking out.Tom Powers can be reached at tpowers@pioneerpress.com