Ponder

[EBass]

Start or Bench?

[schmitty3]

Give him a few more games, but if he keeps this regression you gotta sit him down at least a game or two. Thing is we don't have a real reliable backup. Webb is not a good qb imo, he is athletic and can run that is it. His throwing skills are nowhere near NFL caliber.

[Dylan33]

Even though Webb is not a good QB, he gives us a better chance at winning(and he is fun to watch). Ponder threw for 63 yards this week...and 58 yards 2 weeks ago vs AZ.

Since this season is a rebuilding year (and it always was, we all got way too excited when the year started strong) I say we stick with him, let him learn and take his lumps. Get another few decent pieces in the draft, and maybe a WR in free agency or via trade, and see what he can do next year.

Remember, Eli Manning was also HORRIBLE his first few years, but is pretty solid now. Maybe the same can happen with Ponder.

[nofishfisherman]

I say let him play. We aren't wining the divison or going to the playoffs regardless of who's at QB so I say let him play and see if he can start correcting his mistakes.

If we ever hope to see Ponder as a legit starting QB we have to let him play. I'm also expecting him to be the starting Qb going into next year as well. Maybe this time next year we'll see a change but thats the soonest I can envision it.

As for Webb he's a good QB as long as he doesn't need to throw the ball and as long as the defense doesn't have time to prepare for him. If he's a long term starter the opposing defense would shut him down by his second start.

[aanderud]

I say let him play. We aren't wining the divison or going to the playoffs regardless of who's at QB so I say let him play and see if he can start correcting his mistakes.

If we ever hope to see Ponder as a legit starting QB we have to let him play.

I think you're right here. I guess they could just as well keep him in there and lose a few more games and give him some more experience. It'll result in one of two things -- either it'll show people that he can't cut it, or it gives him a chance to pull an Eli and prove the doubters wrong. He won't do either of those things sitting on the bench, and as you said they don't have a starting caliber QB on the bench that'll take em deep into the playoffs anyway.

Someday, somehow, the vikes have to either

a) do a better job of scouting QB talent or

go back to the strategy of bringing in veterans that, while not necessarily pro-bowl caliber players, have proven they can win some games.

I'm a fan of strategy ( in general, and most definitely right now with where the Vikings are at with AP. When Denny Green was here they had like 8 starters in 10 or 11 years, and ALL of those teams went to the playoffs except maybe one. Or, refer to the Favre adventure where they made the championship game the first year he came in. When you have arguably the best running back in the league you don't need a superstar quarterback, and it seems silly to me to try to develop one out of thin air while the superstar running back gets old.

[FISHINGURU]

If you bench him now your basically saying he's a failure and time to move on. Webb is not a starter QB, although you could easily make a case that he's better then Ponder right now. We've already seen what we have with Webb and so has other teams and there isn't much interest in him.

We basically have to finish the season with Ponder to see if he progresses and how he handles diversity. The rest of our schedule is pretty mean so lets see what the kid has.

If we did decide to bench Ponder I'd rather see what we have in Mcleod-Bethal-Thompson to be honest, atleast he has a cannon of an arm. We already know what we have in Webb and it's never been enough to even consider him an NFL starter.

It's tough though because in a close game like yesterday we would of had a better chance winning telling Ponder to take a seat and putting in a different QB. His throws have been absolutely horrendous.

[goblueM]

I think you're right here. I guess they could just as well keep him in there and lose a few more games and give him some more experience. It'll result in one of two things -- either it'll show people that he can't cut it, or it gives him a chance to pull an Eli and prove the doubters wrong. He won't do either of those things sitting on the bench, and as you said they don't have a starting caliber QB on the bench that'll take em deep into the playoffs anyway.

Someday, somehow, the vikes have to either

a) do a better job of scouting QB talent or

go back to the strategy of bringing in veterans that, while not necessarily pro-bowl caliber players, have proven they can win some games.

I'm a fan of strategy ( in general, and most definitely right now with where the Vikings are at with AP. When Denny Green was here they had like 8 starters in 10 or 11 years, and ALL of those teams went to the playoffs except maybe one. Or, refer to the Favre adventure where they made the championship game the first year he came in. When you have arguably the best running back in the league you don't need a superstar quarterback, and it seems silly to me to try to develop one out of thin air while the superstar running back gets old.

Strategy B is more often a failure than not...ESPECIALLY when the talent level of the team is somewhat low. The Vikings are doing the right thing here. You need to be able to consistently scout and draft talent. Look at all the worst teams in the league - they make a lot of big FA acquisitions, but have terrible draft histories.

Compare that with consistently great teams - they have great draft histories and rarely make big moves in the offseason.

The Vikings need more talent at WR and they need better pass protection, regardless of who is at QB. Constantly switching QBs while ignoring the other stuff is a recipe for disaster

[gregg52]

I dont think he is the future of the vikes

he cant hit the broadside of a barn

not sure how good Web is he hasnt played as much as ponder

but he's way more fun to watch

i think then you have one more guy that can make a big play on the field

but i hope they look for a better QB

[nofishfisherman]

If I could only change one position I'd rather make a coaching change than a QB change. Sounds like Sean Payton is a free agent once he's off suspension.

I'm so sick of seeing under a minute to go in a half and the coaching staff calling the most ridiculous plays. Take a knee and head to the locker room. There is no need to do a series of three short passing plays that have no hope of getting you into scoring position.

[PierBridge]

You guys were right it wasn't that big of a deal missing out on RGIII and Luck ..

[ted4887]

While I agree that Ponder has been downright terrible, we can't blame him for all of the Vikes problems. We need to upgrade our O-line and give him more options at WR. Hopefully with time he will develop, but right now the outlook is bleak.

I think the best thing to do for Ponder would be to bench him next week, and let Webb start. At this point, I think Ponder is so screwed up mentally that benching him for a week won't do much harm.

[nofishfisherman]

If we had the 1st or 2nd pick last year do you think we would have drafted one of those two or would we have traded back for more picks?

I'm guessing they saw Ponder as their guy and would have traded back.

[zepman]

You have to start him the rest of the season and he'll more than likely be there at the beginning of next year too.

For every one Eli Manning...there are 15 other qb's who never figure it out.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I think he should play the rest of the year, but i dont see much getting any better. Then what? Go into next season with him as your starter again and hope he improves? Maybe have ANOTHER losing, pathetic season, which will be the 4th in a row?

[Big Dave2]

I say put in Webb so he can fail just as miserably. Then maybe he will start to understand that he is not NFL QB material and maybe the Viking coaches can convince him to change positions so they can utilize his athleticism, if he is athletic as people say he is.

[MontanaMax]

This is a tough one. Ponder looked great early, and now has the deer in the headlights look that he had at the end of last season. In early games he was getting the ball to Rudolph all game. Defenses have taken that away and he looks lost. This is not a talent or mechanics problem it is in his head. I say sit him one quarter, let him see what the defense is doing from the sideline, and then put him in. He has to start punishing the blitz and until he does that (and his receivers help) he won't mature. (And did anybody see a screen pass called yesterday?) Getting sacked 6-8 times in the first half won't keep guy like Rogers or Manning from winning as long as the coaches figure out how to attack the defensive scheme.

[schmitty3]

Why throw screen passes to the best RB in the league? That'd just be foolish...

[nofishfisherman]

Screen plays are designed to exploit an over aggressive pass rush. If they get caught on a blitz on a few screen plays the D usually starts thinking twice about blitzing. It doesn't matter if you have the best RB in the league or the worst, the screen pass is more of a chess move then an attempt to utilize our players strength. Besides you could always set Harvin up in the backfield and run a screen play to him. That would certainly be to his strengths.

[schmitty3]

Screen plays are designed to exploit an over aggressive pass rush. If they get caught on a blitz on a few screen plays the D usually starts thinking twice about blitzing. It doesn't matter if you have the best RB in the league or the worst, the screen pass is more of a chess move then an attempt to utilize our players strength. Besides you could always set Harvin up in the backfield and run a screen play to him. That would certainly be to his strengths.

Exactly, but if you have the best RB in the league you'd think you would utilize him in the passing/screen game. Seattle was pinning their ears back and going after ponder last week, some screens coulda helped with the pressure. And if you are going to throw a screen I don't see the point of taking out the most dangerous runner, and putting in Gerhart. Lining Harvin up in the backfield just puts a target on him, defenses would sniff that out.

[zepman]

Why aren't they running the screens with their TE's then.

I question Muskgraves intelligence....

[RumRiverRat]

Ponder is total garbage.

Can he please throw the ball more than 5 yards once in awhile.

[cheddar 86]

I agree with just letting Ponder play the rest of the season. But realistically does Frazier have a long enough leash to go 5-11 or 6-10 and come back next year? At what point does he fear for his job and make a move?

[Slabasaurus]

I say put in Webb so he can fail just as miserably. Then maybe he will start to understand that he is not NFL QB material and maybe the Viking coaches can convince him to change positions so they can utilize his athleticism, if he is athletic as people say he is.

hahaha.

if he had talent at other positions, we would have utilized him by now.

Cutting webb would have been the right call, instead we cut the only QB on our roster that seemed to have any idea how to control the game.

Being athletic and being able to catch and hold onto a football are not the same thing.

Webb is fast though. Golly he's fast.

[Big Dave2]

hahaha.

if he had talent at other positions, we would have utilized him by now.

Cutting webb would have been the right call, instead we cut the only QB on our roster that seemed to have any idea how to control the game.

Being athletic and being able to catch and hold onto a football are not the same thing.

Webb is fast though. Golly he's fast.

I thought back when the Vikings drafted Webb they had to promise to use him as a QB in order to sign him? I'm not sure if he is any good at all at any other position but if he DOES have any useful skills it would be nice to use them or else cut him loose.

You don't have to be able to hold on to or catch a football in order to play cornerback or safety.

[Slabasaurus]

I thought back when the Vikings drafted Webb they had to promise to use him as a QB in order to sign him? I'm not sure if he is any good at all at any other position but if he DOES have any useful skills it would be nice to use them or else cut him loose.

You don't have to be able to hold on to or catch a football in order to play cornerback or safety.

I didn't think about utilizing him on D, though I bet he'd make a pretty decent corner with a little bulking up and work on tacklin!