Seahawks intend to start Jackson at QB again next season

RENTON, Wash. – When Tarvaris Jackson was told Thursday that Seattle coach Pete Carroll intends on Jackson being his starting quarterback when 2012 begins, Jackson gave a sheepish reply about not even thinking about next season yet.

It’s understandable Jackson isn’t thinking too far into the future when considering his past.

Jackson will close out his first season as Seattle’s starting quarterback on Sunday when the Seahawks play at Arizona. It’ll conclude a season in which Jackson has set career highs in games played, yards passing and touchdowns, while enduring a painful pectoral injury that slowed him for part of the season.

It hasn’t been perfect and it’s not a surprise Jackson will likely be the starter in 2012 with the only other quarterback on the roster under contract being rookie Josh Portis. But for Jackson the stability is far better than the roller coaster he endured during his first five seasons in Minnesota.

“I understand how the NFL works. This is my sixth year now and all you guys understand I’ve been through probably worse,” Jackson said on Thursday. “I don’t see it getting any worse than that. Not complaining or anything, but nothing really surprises me right now in the NFL.”

Jackson enters the season finale against the Cardinals with 2,869 yards passing, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

He’s been a major part of Seattle’s turnaround from a 2-6 start to a potential 6-2 finish with a win on Sunday. As Seattle’s running game improved with Marshawn Lynch putting together the finest season by a Seahawks running back since 2005, Jackson’s been asked to do less in the passing game. The result is a formula the Seahawks hope can continue next season.