Ponder

[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 HSOforum 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.

[FISHINGURU]

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.

We never really upgraded though, we just paid alot more for the same type of production.

Meanwhile the guy with the best chance at being a big playmaker (Patterson) sits on the bench most the game.

[Slabasaurus]

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

Because of who is sitting on the bench behind him? Thinking Cassel will do anything other than make Ponder feel bad for losing the starting job is just plain silly. He's worse than ponder and has no feet to fall back on.

[Scott K]

I think he is much smarter in the pocket then Ponder, and is capable of finding an open receiver, rather then staring down one guy until the pocket collapses. I think Cassel is an average QB, Ponder has no clue what he is doing in the pocket. I have seen high school QB's with a better pocket presence then Ponder has.

[harvey lee]

Vikes have alot of issues but Ponder does need to go for a quality QB.

Frazier, he can go also, looks like a dead stump of wood on the sidelines with about zero life.

One can say this, we will have 2 of the nicest, newest stadiums in baseball and football with neither having a team worthy of these fields.

These new stadium's are good for one thing for sure right now, it should have raised the team value for both teams for the owners.

[bbfenatic]

I think he is much smarter in the pocket then Ponder, and is capable of finding an open receiver, rather then staring down one guy until the pocket collapses. I think Cassel is an average QB, Ponder has no clue what he is doing in the pocket. I have seen high school QB's with a better pocket presence then Ponder has.

+1

Tunnel Vision, Stiff Neck or something. Ponder seems to have to move to find people and when he does that more often than not he runs into a tackler. For some reason he cannot look around quickly enough while dropping back in the pocket to find the open receiver and get him the ball while that receiver is open. If they don't win this weekend at home it will be time to move on to other options. As for Leslie....I think he is in over his head...knows it...and is just biding his time...at least that is what it appears. He knows the answers after viewing game film but sorry...too late by then.

[nofishfisherman]

Frazier, he can go also, looks like a dead stump of wood on the sidelines with about zero life.

I'm getting tired of hearing this argument for firing Frazier. Who cares what he looks like on the sideline or how animated he is. It’s not a modeling contest, you don't win based on what you look like on the sideline. There are plenty of winning coaches in the NFL that don't yell and scream and storm up and down the sidelines.

If you want to criticize Fraizer why not look at more important factors like how he prepares his team to play and how he manages the game. The team looks lost at times, the game plan seems to be poorly designed, and the midgame adjustments seem to be non-existent. These are real reasons to criticize Fraizer and maybe even call for his firing.

Based on what I've seen so far this year unless things get better in a hurry I kind of doubt Fraizer will be the coach next season. Consdering the way the Wilfs handled his contract in the offseason I think they are looking for more from a coach then what Fraizer has shown so far.

[zepman]

All head coaches in the NFL without a true franchise QB lose their jobs...every single one of them...100% of the time.

Frazier will be no different....

[hockeybc69]

Quote:

If you want to criticize Fraizer why not look at more important factors like how he prepares his team to play and how he manages the game. The team looks lost at times,

The apples dont fall far from the tree I am afraid.....

[greebs]

Sounds to me like Frazier needs to try coaching a different sport. Baseball for example. All the descriptions of his ineptitude remind me of someone from another local franchise yet many fans are defending that other guy like crazy right about now. Lol.

[BuckSutherland]

Ah, the reality is setting in and I love it. I yelled, and screamed and whinned about not get WRs until we had someone to throw them the ball. Cordalle Patterson has played 11 offensive plays. Yes 11! And Jennings, lotta good that big contract did when you dont have anyone to throw the dam ball!!

When the guy that touches the ball on every single play is your worst player you are gonna suck, plain and simple. Ponder is not even a quality backup. The O-line would look way better with a good QB back there. Peterson might get 150+ a game if anyone was the least bit afraid of us throught the air. Probably on pace for most 3 and outs ever. Our defense will play 32 games and the offense looks like they will play about 6 at this rate.

Then there is Bill Mustpuke. Are we only capable of 5 plays? I would hate to see how confused this richard cranium gets ordering of the menu at McDonalds.

And Harvey Lee Dont leave out the gophers, saints and timberwolves stadiums. have poured 100s of millions into those dumps too. And for what?? about 65% losses seems to be the norm.

We should not have blown our whole draft on Patterson and drafted Barkley. No way he could blow as bad as Flounder.

[Scott K]

[fishersofmen]

[Snag]

I don't think Ponder has any Peripheral vision. He likes to look at the pass rushers feet when pressured and stops looking down field.

He said something about the coaches not letting him do anything to the press this week. I agree they need to let him out of first gear.

I think we need another Calcutta clipper to get this kick azz offense going.

Get the rookie receiver on the field, please.

[otterman91105]

Its going to be a long season.

[hockeybc69]

.... can you imagine being a Browns fan right about now?

Traded away Richardson yesterday. Starting some new QB...

I almost feel worse for them. LOLLLLLL