"The question was answered before it was ever really asked.

Tarvaris Jackson will start the season at quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. That declaration from coach Pete Carroll on Saturday morning sapped all of the suspense out of the biggest question facing the team entering the season.

Any head-to-head comparisons between Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst were headed off before they really got running, and instead of judging a winner Carroll was able to chalk it up to circumstance.

"In this situation, I think to make it the most competitive for our team, Tarvaris needs to be our starter right now," Carroll said.

Carroll left open the possibility of a competition between Whitehurst and Jackson later this season, but the coach was unequivocal that Jackson will be the starter. That decision came as a disappointment to Whitehurst.

"I didn't know what to expect coming into camp with the quarterback situation," Whitehurst said. "I just wanted a chance, and I'm here, I've got a chance. It's not necessarily how I wanted to start out, but I respect the fact that he was direct with me and told me."

So why make that decision now before a training-camp competition? It all has to do with familiarity because while Jackson is new to Seattle, he has five years of experience in the offense the Seahawks will run.

"Tarvaris brings so much continuity to us," Carroll said.

When Carroll uttered those words, Jackson had been a member of the Seahawks for less than 24 hours, which underscored the odd circumstances of this unprecedented NFL offseason."