Ponder

[CaptainMusky]

Even if he was rolled out in a wheelchair.

[jerkbait]

Funny thing is (or maybe not so funny)Favre would probably still be twice as good as Ponder.

Exactly correct.

[nofishfisherman]

Funny thing is (or maybe not so funny)Favre would probably still be twice as good as Ponder.

Probably? I'm almost positive Favre could step in here still wearing his Wrangler jeans and out play Ponder.

[SkunkedAgain]

Sure, just put out a bowl of Vicodin and make sure there are plenty of hot tubs and sideline reporters...that's like putting out a salt lick for the old Silver Fox

[FISHINGURU]

Palmer or Fitzpatrick sure would have been nice additions.

Oh wait, Cassel is just like them. Sorry to break it to you guys but Cassel was just a tool with equal skills to try and get Ponder to step his game up. I do think our passing game would be better with Cassel though, Ponder shouldn't be looking like a deer in the headlights after all these starts.

If a guy like Palmer or Fitz came in they would of beat out Ponder in camp and that's not something the coaches wanted.

Ponder pretty much gave that game away by throwing that stupid INT when we were about to score again and bury them. That decision was like a guy in his first game would make.

[CaptainMusky]

Ponder pretty much gave that game away by throwing that stupid INT when we were about to score again and bury them. That decision was like a guy in his first game would make.

Manning cost the Broncos the season last year with a similar play. Favre did the same in the NFC championship game. It happens, even to some of the game's all time greats.

BUT, I tend to agree that the coaching staff may not have really wanted a lot of challenge for him this year. I still believe he can be serviceable as a quarterback for us, but there were so many glaring issues in game 1 that I have a lot of concerns overall if it is even worth it. LB = terrible. O - Line = worse than terrible.

Hopefully they will all come ready to play. Cannot go down 0-2 to division opponents and have hopes to win the division. Granted they are both on the road, but...

[Bobby Bass]

I'm just not seeing it from Ponder, no improvement in his game, still making stupid mental mistakes with the ball. Does not have the arm to fling it and get luckly. Play calling is still and will continue to be predictable. My time will be better spent on Sundays fishing and just come home to watch AD's highlights on TV

[greebs]

ponder sure appears to be the wrong answer and hope to see cassel given a shot soon. funny thing about the favre references is many have apparently forgot about 2010 when the o line was also not so strong. few qbs can do much behind a weak line. btw I dont think ponder can do enough behind a strong o line either but think in addition to qb this team has some holes to fill.

[LABS4ME]

Ha... All this Cassel talk is very reminisent to everyone screaming to bring in Joe Webb!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Big Dave2]

Ha... All this Cassel talk is very reminisent to everyone screaming to bring in Joe Webb!

Good Luck!

Ken

The "unknown" is always more appealing when the "known" is this bad.

[Scott K]

[Slabasaurus]

The "unknown" is always more appealing when the "known" is this bad.

It's not an unknown that Cassel is about as "talented" as Ponder is, but without the ability to run very fast. The only "unknown" we have in MN is MBT.

I don't like the QB sitch here one bit... nope. Be nice if our O-line shows up next week to at least give AP a chance to run... and maybe give our terrified QB a little time to throw before he wets himself.

[hockeybc69]

Any way I look at it, we are basically hosed for the season... doesnt matter which of the 3 they put in.

We have Cassel with experience and his own problems, we have Ponder who has tried and tried and its clear where thats going(nowhere), and a 3rd string QB that is probably at best a long shot.....

Poor AP is wasting away the best years of his life on a team that has no possibility in contending for the foreseeable future.... again....

[CaptainMusky]

Any way I look at it, we are basically hosed for the season... doesnt matter which of the 3 they put in.

We have Cassel with experience and his own problems, we have Ponder who has tried and tried and its clear where thats going(nowhere), and a 3rd string QB that is probably at best a long shot.....

Agreed, this is why I was saying that if Ponder is yanked, throw MBT in there. IMO its a lost season at that point and you REALLY need to know what you have in QB options. You pretty much know what you have in the other two. This would determine direction for the draft or FA.

[EBass]

In the 2014 draft the Minnesota Vikings select QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville! Hey it's never too early, is it?

[harvey lee]

Our O line was poor at best but Ponder was his usual self. Throw the ball to the other team.

I was overjoyed with Ponder's performance as we are now 1 more game closer to saying good bye to him.

[Getanet]

Jeesh guys, it must have took a lot of restraint to wait until the preseason was over before declaring this a lost season. I agree Ponder hasn't shown nearly enough improvement and in many respects appears to be regressing. But we're only 1 game in, a lot can happen. Can we at least wait until the Bye Week to write this season off?

[Scott K]

I dont think the season is over, but we need to get a different QB in there, before the season is over for them.

[Big Dave2]

Season was over before it started.

[CaptainMusky]

Jeesh guys, it must have took a lot of restraint to wait until the preseason was over before declaring this a lost season. I agree Ponder hasn't shown nearly enough improvement and in many respects appears to be regressing. But we're only 1 game in, a lot can happen. Can we at least wait until the Bye Week to write this season off?

if you are referring to me, areas my post more closely. I said its a lost season IF they have to replace Ponder. Not that it is right now. They won't yank him before the bye IMO. So my thinking would align directly with you but I honestly don't want to see Cassel in there. I don't think he gives us anything better.

[zepman]

I had to listen to the game on Sunday over the radio...tonight I watched it for the first time.

Couple of observations that were glaring.

--Ponder did make some really stupid mistakes...

--Our offensive line got completely man-handled and embarrassed by the Lions D front. For those of you who are Sullivan supporters...PLEASE STOP!!! He is NOT a good football player despite what the Minnesota media will tell you.

--Our offensive coordinator bears as much blame as anyone. Predictable play calling...(non-stop 2nd and 3rd and LONG)allowed the Lions to just T-off! I thought by upgrading our receivers we were going to be able to pass the ball when 8-9 men are in the box...guess not.

I'm not a Ponder guy but he wasn't given much of a chance to succeed by the lowsy O-Line play and Musgraves bone-headedness.

My 2cents....

[Big Dave2]

Quote:

Fran Tarkenton on Vikings: 'It is up to you, Christian Ponder'

Pioneer Press

Hope is not a strategy or a game plan.

Like many Vikings fans, I came into Week 1 with a lot of optimism for what the team could do with another great season from the greatest running back ever and improvement from a young quarterback. But after a disappointing opener at Detroit -- and knowing that, yes, it's only one game -- I have some concerns.

On Sunday, the Vikings were clearly the fourth-best team in the NFC North.

After Adrian Peterson's amazing 78-yard run to start the game, there wasn't much to feel good about. If you take out that play, the Lions held Peterson to 15 yards on 17 carries. Peterson didn't suddenly go from the greatest of all time to a scrub; he was the same guy, but Detroit had everyone, from the starting lineup to the coaches to the water boys, keeping an eye on him at all times. The Lions dared the Vikings to beat them another way -- and it paid off.

If a defense is totally focused on one thing, something else is available -- and the job of a great quarterback (of any quarterback) is to find what's open to him and grab it. Look at what happened to the Packers against San Francisco: they were so focused on stopping the read-option that Colin Kaepernick could sit back in the pocket and read the newspaper, he had so much time to throw.

During my career, I never wanted to make the "spectacular" throw, the one commentators gush over. I wanted to make the easy throw, the one I knew I could make successfully to move down the field. I didn't want to have to make a 30-yard, back-shoulder pass into a tiny window between three defenders -- because for every one I completed, I knew I would have seven incompletions and a couple of interceptions. I'd rather find one-on-one matchups on throws I had confidence in.

The easy throws come when you know what the defense is doing -- and not doing. If you take one thing away, something else is there. The great quarterbacks make it look easy because they're always throwing to open guys, because they've figured out the defense. Against Detroit, Christian Ponder had to work way too hard for his completions and tried to force too many plays -- leading to bad turnovers.

It's fine to hope for the best for your team and believe things will go well, but "hope" can't be part of the game plan when the coaches are preparing for Sundays. Players have to go out and perform.

Ponder has time to recover from this, but he's not off to a promising start -- and I do believe that this year is a crossroads for his career in Minnesota. Coaches can put him in a position to succeed, give him a good game plan and talent to work with, but ultimately it is up to the player -- it is up to you, Christian Ponder -- to do it. Only he can line up under center, look at what the defense is doing and make the right throw in the heat of the moment.

The NFC North is tough. The Lions won Sunday despite doing everything they could to give the game away -- terrible penalties that took away touchdowns, botched holds on field goal attempts, penalties on fourth-down attempts. The Packers are better this year, too. They lost their first game, but there's no shame in losing on the road to the 49ers -- and Green Bay played the NFC champs dead even all game.

And the Bears are better this year, too. Chicago came back to win against a very good Cincinnati team and looked much more composed on offense than in the past. I've known Marc Trestman for a long time, and he's going to have that team ready. He has -- dare I say it? -- a little Bud Grant in him, and that's going to make things a lot tougher for the Vikings in the division.

Hope is not a strategy. We need more confident, decisive playmaking Sunday against the Bears to get back to .500.

Fran Tarkenton is Minnesota Vikings analyst for TwinCities.com and the Pioneer Press. He is a former Vikings quarterback and a Pro Football Hall of Fame member. He also is an advocate for small businesses and the founder of SmallBizClub.com.

[1900_LE]

I see this is titled "Ponder". But what about Frazier? This guy looks like a statue standing on the sidelines. Don't you think that blank look on his face reflects to the players? Isn't he the one who said in the preseason "Ponder's my QB"? Maybe he's the problem. I remember when Chilly was there, everybody was all excited to get rid of him and see Frazier step in. Well, how's that working out? Mn needs a real coach not some hack that will do for the time being.

Don't expect much from Cassel. He was a bozo at KC. Consistency is what wins games, not having one or two good plays per game. That,s just luck.

Next is the Bears. You think they're gonna cut Ponder any slack? NO WAY! They'll tear the Vikings apart.

Let's hope that Ziggy sees what's going on and makes changes before it's to late.....like in Dec.

[hockeybc69]

Quote:

I remember when Chilly was there, everybody was all excited to get rid of him and see Frazier step in. Well, how's that working out?

Whooaa there..... dont be using too broad of a brush to paint a picture.

I have been anti Frazier since the day he stepped in to finish off the season when chilly was dumped. What a dud and excuse maker!!!

[Big Dave2]

Quote:

Vikings fan takes dislike of Ponder to President Obama

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings' fans are fed up with quarterback Christian Ponder after two years as Minnesota's quarterback.

One fan is taking his issues with Ponder to a higher authority: President Barack Obama.

A petition was started on the White House website to remove Ponder as the Vikings' quarterback "by executive order."

The petition reads: "Minnesota Vikings fans have had enough and it's time for President Obama to do something about it! We as a state have stood loyally by our team and democratic principles only to suffer the atrocities of the 1998 NFC Champion game, the 2009 NFC Championship game and four years of Jesse Ventura. Mr. President, how long will you stand idly by as we suffer under the regime of Bill Musgrave and his inept offensive play calling abilities. Alas, Mr. President let our voices be heard."

An 0-2 start has resorted to fans going to any extent. As of Monday morning, there was only one signature on the petition, which was created by a B.L. in St. Paul, Minn.

Ponder threw an interception returned for a touchdown in Sunday's 31-30 loss at Chicago and is the league's 29th rated quarterback heading into Monday night's games. Ponder had four turnovers in a season-opening loss at Detroit a week earlier.

He has completed 58.6 percent of his passes (27th in the NFL) for 463 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. Ponder is in a critical season, his third in the league since being drafted No. 12 overall in 2011, in which the Vikings will likely make a decision on his future as the team's starter.

Ponder did recover from the interception on Sunday. After Bears cornerback Tim Jennings returned an interception for a touchdown, Ponder was 4 of 12 for 52 yards. The rest of the game, Ponder went 12 of 18 for 175 yards and a touchdown.

But apparently one Vikings' fan has seen enough.

[leech~~]

Well at least he is not trying out for BatMan!

[blue_healer_guy]

where can i sign this?

[FISHINGURU]

Manning cost the Broncos the season last year with a similar play. Favre did the same in the NFC championship game. It happens, even to some of the game's all time greats.

BUT, I tend to agree that the coaching staff may not have really wanted a lot of challenge for him this year.

LOL, really?

Your comparing Blunders Week 1 performance of being in the lead in scoring position and throwing a duck up for grabs to Elite QB's trying to march down the field in a big game for the win? The all time greats make mistakes trying to win, Blunder makes mistakes trying not to lose.

Atleast you agree with me this week about them not wanting to challenge Blunder, a few weeks back you said that wasn't the case.

Hard to point fingers though when it could be a few factors.

A. Blunder

B. Coaching

C. Lousy WR's

D. Bad O-line

E. All Of The Above

[Scott K]

Quote:

Coach Leslie Frazier said he didn't think about benching Christian Ponder during the Week 2 loss at Chicago.

Now in his third NFL season, Ponder has shown no signs of progression. Through two games, he's 34-of-58 (58.6 percent) for 463 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. His 67.0 passer rating ranks 29th in the league, ahead of only Josh Freeman, Brandon Weeden, Geno Smith and Blaine Gabbert. Matt Cassel is a good bet to start games at some point this year.

Fire Frazier Now!

WHy would you stick behind a QB that has a passer rating of 67. TJack was better then that!

[FISHINGURU]

Junkson Vs Blunder?

I'd have to stick with Blunder.