Vikes VS Bucks

[Musky Buck]

Jenkins best year in Atlanta he had 777 yards. Ponder would be getting sacked before MJ gets downfield, he's too slow to get downfield, not quick enough or strong enough to get off the line. I'll take a shifty short Percy Harvin over a tall slow guy the way the passing rules are set up today. Now this Rudolph guy is drooling with potential, he needs to go on routes more. Talking size Calvin Johnson is 6'5" and had 3 catches for 34 yards last week, he doesn't necessarily need to be "open" for Stafford to get him the ball. M Jenk wouldn't even be allowed to tie CJ's shoes.

[MUSKY18]

I'm thinking there will be many 8-12 crossing routes by #12 tonight. Just get him the ball in space and let him work his magic. The O-Line is going to play MUCH better if they have any chance at all. Protect Ponder better and open some holes up for AP. I see Kalil has a lower back problem but is supposed to play tonight. I'd like to see the Vikes run some more screen passes to #28.....haven't done that hardly at all this year. Get him into some space and watch him RUN PEOPLE OVER!!!!

[nofishfisherman]

If you're going to throw to someone who isn't open your better off going to Simpson. He is 6'2" so only gives up 2 inches on Jenkins but its faster and can jump.

In this league you do need to learn when and where to throw a ball to a covered receiver in hopes he'll make a play. That is something Ponder still needs to learn.

The other thing he needs to learn is to get rid of the ball. An incomplete pass after 3 seconds in much better then holding onto it for 5 in hopes of something comnig open. Thats when he takes a bad sack or throws his picks. That should be something that he should be able to learn as time goes on since its not a physical skill nor some complex scheme, its just a matter of learning when to hold em and when to fold em.

[Big Dave2]

Is this why the pack had Rodgers carry the clipboard for 3 years.

The reason that Rodgers carried the clipboard for so long is that the packers already had one of the best quarterbacks of all time playing in the games.

[harvey lee]

Gonna be one ugly night.

Send Ponder away please. Thern a new head coach as long as we are rebuilding.

[blue_healer_guy]

ponder is horsecrap and our punter better concentrate on just that, not social issues.

[96trigger]

Ponder was very bad tonight. We are in year two of a new system, new qb, they have already shown some improvement. Frustrating to be a fan but I can't jump ship yet.

[nofishfisherman]

Oline =junk

wr's = junk

Ponder = junk (although he didn't have much of a chance tonight given the 1st two)

defense = junk

Vikings = back down to earth

Well if the honeymoon is over at least I don't need to worry about trying to catch the game the next several weeks while I'm hunting.

[LMITOUT]

Super Bowl home boy.

[schmitty3]

Oline =junk

wr's = junk

Ponder = junk (although he didn't have much of a chance tonight given the 1st two)

defense = junk

Vikings = back down to earth

Well if the honeymoon is over at least I don't need to worry about trying to catch the game the next several weeks while I'm hunting.

LOL, and if they win next week will you be back on the wagon?

[fishersofmen]

After looking at the upcoming schedule we could still sneak out 8 wins. Maybe. A total collapse certainly would not be surprising. The team just got hyped up way too much after beating the 49ers. Fact is they are not very good. But next year......look out.

[schmitty3]

They were bad in every aspect of the game tonight. Greenway has had a good season up until tonight, but he was awful. Don't know how many times Martin gave him a stiff arm in the hole and kept going for a big gain. Then how bout Kluwe? What'd he average 34 yards a punt, and none of those were trying to pin the Bucs inside the 20. Doesn't do much good punting 20 or 30 yards and giving them the ball at midfield.

[zepman]

Ponder just isn't a #1 QB IMO...nor do I think he ever will be. He just looks and acts like a back-up QB out there.

A real franchise QB shows confidence, poise, and leadership...something I have yet to see from Ponder. He looks scared, unsure, and is making some terrible decisions with the ball...just like a back-up.

Remember this, the Bucs came in with what, the 31st ranked defense against the pass this year. 31st. It's not only Ponders resposibility to make good decisions with the ball, it's also his resposibility to call the protection schemes the line is running. His protection tonight sucked...doesn't necessarily mean the O-Line played badly. He has to make better protection calls at the line.

I think overall, he just doesn't pass the eye test. He doesn't look the part. I think no matter how much talent the Vikings place around him he will lead this team to nothing better than a .500 record...ever.

Hope he can turn it around and prove me wrong but I doubt it.

[harvey lee]

I have said from the het go to dump Ponder unless you want a average at best QB. But I guess we have that in a coach so why bother with changing the QB.

The Vikes have looked terrible the last 3 weeks even for a rebuilding team.

man, they can stink it up. Tonight I do not think most even wanted to try.

[james_walleye]

That was ugly. Zero insensity in the first half. I was offered 2 free tickets to that game and turned them down. Thank god I didn't miss a night in my treestand for that mess.

[leech~~]

What's the name of our backup QB again?

[eastside]

I consider myself a Vikings fan! but last night I turned them off and went to bed.......

I just don't think they prepare themselves very well? In a mind set anyways..they started out looking like they had been on vacation for two weeks? maybe they all need a two week vacation!

Just my 2cents

[schmitty3]

Yea lets just put in Bethel-Thompson, that's prolly the best thing to do for the team...

[countyline]

looks like Chris Cook is out for awhile with a broken wrist.

Wonder if the Vikings brass is pondering the Ponder pick. A lot of rookies and second year QB's playing a lot better. In this day in age QB's do not need the bench time as in years past. They are running complicated intricate college offenses now. More ready to play when they get to the NFL. Between this years rookie class and last Ponder will have the worst stats of both. He is the type you draft to be a clip holder. He however doesn't have squat other than Harvin down field.

[nofishfisherman]

LOL, and if they win next week will you be back on the wagon?

If you look back at all of my posts on this season you'll see I've had pretty reserved expectations for this team even during the little run they went on.

I've always maintained that I see this team as an 8-8 team at best and missing the playoffs. I also said if they wanted a shot at the playoffs then yesterday was a must win game for them because I don't see them winning 4 out of the next 8 games in order to get to 9-7 and have a shot at the playoffs.

[JosMN]

Harvey and Zep are right - Ponder isnt a #1 QB, and nor will he ever be. He doesnt have the skills, plain and simple. I dont care if its just his 2nd or 3rd year or whatever, he doesn't have it. He doesnt have the arm or the skills to make those throws that good QB's make. Your not going to win games by throwing 5 floaters out there to have Jenkins catch out of bounds. I honestly just watched and laughed. Then you hear the boo's cause they take a knee before half? Really? Ponder just threw a pass across his body and almost a pic for the bucs at the Vikings 40? Did you want him to do it again?

I look at this team and think AP and Harvin can't do everything. Jarred Allen needs to get over it, take his lop-sided left eye and get back to the line and bust some heads. Yes, their left tackle went to far after the one play but come on...keep whinning about it for 6 more plays?

The balloon that this Vikings team has been riding in the first half of the year has deflated. Get up a couple scores on them, pressure Ponder and sit back and play a cover 2 and let Peterson run all he wants. Because any qaulity passing team is going to pass all day long against the Vikings secondary. Now you have to go to seattle, chicago, GB, houston - I see one more win out of the Vikings maybe against Detroit. Maybe against my Pack the last game of the season if they decide to sit players if they have clinched a playoff spot.

The NFL teams that are good teams start at the QB position. Its going to be a lonnnggg road if you stick with Ponder. Look at Jacksonville, Az (after Warner), Buffalo, NYJ, - the teams that have struggled for years because of the absense of a solid QB. Heck, even Chicago. If they didnt have the defense they do they would be sub-par also becasue Cutler isn't a good quarterback.

It's time to put your pride of "rebuilding" aside and find a QB that will get your franchise where you want to be.

[Scott K]

Am I missing where the franchise allstar QB tree is? Because it isnt like there are some at every draft position in the draft, all you can do is take the best available at the time you draft. Or you can try trading for one, but IF you can find a team that is willing to trade their franchise QB, you will be mortgaging your teams future for several years, and since we are rebuilding, and have many big holes on the team, even an allstar QB, wont put them in the Superbowl, and they then wont have any draft picks to fill those holes.

Franchise QB are by luck, either from getting lucky on draft day, and having one fall to where you are drafting, or by having someone else draft one, that just didnt work out in their offensive scheme, then be dropped, to only leap forward in a new system.

Like I said before, for those of you saying we should just go get a franchis QB, where do you suggest we get him?

I didnt like the Ponder pick from the beginning, but at this point, we have to deal with it, and hope he will develop into a better QB.

[fishersofmen]

JosMN you are right Ponder's deep ball is scary. I don't know if he doesn't have the skill or if he is just overly paranoid at this point but every single time he goes deep its the floater that is hoisted up for grabs......Pretty sure the Bucs aren't loaded up with pro bowl recievers either but their QB threw some nice passes last night.

[JosMN]

Thats what I mean. Just by looking at him in college, you know he wasnt anything special. He may be a "smart" QB and know the system and was easy to mold into it, but being smart and having the skills is totally different. I would have traded down to get RG3 this year, but thats just my opinion and they probably wouldnt have been able to anyway.

I like Ponder, nice guy and all and actually takes blame on most things. But heres the thing, check down passes dont win you championships in this league anymore. At this point, thats all I can see he has the ability to do.

I dont even know why I'm posting in here, I'm a packer fan. lol.

[countyline]

Maybe they need to get Ponder on the strength program that Matt Ryan did this past off season. Ryan faded towards the end of his first few seasons. Ponder faded before the first half of one.