Coordinator-speak

Sunday's opener against Atlanta will be offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell's first regular-season game as the Vikings' primary play caller and he said he's looking forward to it.

Bevell said quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has made great strides since the start of the offseason and that he won't call a more conservative game because the Vikings have such a young starter.

"It was a good feeling-out process in the preseason to see how we all fit together with our different areas," Bevell said. "I thought it went really well. I've said it all along, the communication was excellent."

"I don't think you ever want to call plays that way," Bevell said. "You never want to call plays not to make mistakes. You want to call your offense."

Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said he and coach Brad Childress talked as far back as February about setting up a phone conversation between Jackson and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and it finally took place over the weekend.

"There's so much wisdom there from a Pro Bowl (guy) and the fact that Peyton is willing to help a young quarterback," Frazier said. "A guy who he knows is going to go through some of the same adversity that he experienced as a young quarterback. I take my hat off to him for being willing to share some of his knowledge."