Minnesota Sports Forum

Please get someone worth a damn. This guy is terrible. I knew that pick would set us back four years. If you want a guy to dump off screen passes and hand off to Peterson then sign me up.

Crazy, while I'm not feeling as down as you are about Ponder, I think I'm really starting to lose hope in his progress.

I think Ponder can be okay. I actually have the Vikings winning the division this year. Kinda crazy, but I like the moved they made this off-season. Jennings and Patterson are gonna help Ponder out a lot and it should help AP even more. Be patient with this team. I think you guys have a pretty good squad.

I watched the game last night and have to admit with a lot of frustration at times. The Vikings' refusal to attempt any pass longer than 7 yards when Ponder is in makes the game very unwatchable. But on the other hand, his completion percentage on those short passes was good, albeit better when SF took out their first team, and I like his ability to pick up first downs with his feet. And we all know how much more effective Ponder will be when his greatest weapon is lined up behind him. One thing we know for sure: the Vikings' offense is terrible when Peterson is not on the field.

In the final analysis, it's unwise to draw too many conclusions from pre-season. Smart teams don't want to reveal much of their playbook, and the players who are actually going to be playing are not on the field much. Ponder has not looked very good overall in preseason, but I remember how he looked the second half of last year (even with his best receiver injured) and expect that he should be a little better this year because he has much better receivers to throw to and he has another year of experience. Barring any serous injuries, I expect that our offense will be just fine this year.

Two words, PRE SEASON. Do you think the Pats are in panic mode after the piss poor showing against Detroit? Nope, as we shouldn't be so quick to judge about what we see/don't see in these fairly meaningless pre season games, when it comes to what the known starters do.

Go Chargers Go. That's all I gotta say. :D

The two years of ineptitude and absolutely no ability to throw the ball down field at all has done me in. This guy just doesnt cut the mustard. I really cant name one redeeming factor of Ponder. Sorry JD, I love the Vikes, but it drives me crazy to see us wasting away Petersons best years with this guy. The Barry Sanders story all over again.

Ponder reminds me of Alex Smith.

crazysauce wrote:The two years of ineptitude and absolutely no ability to throw the ball down field at all has done me in. This guy just doesnt cut the mustard. I really cant name one redeeming factor of Ponder. Sorry JD, I love the Vikes, but it drives me crazy to see us wasting away Petersons best years with this guy. The Barry Sanders story all over again.

No redeeming factors, sauce? I'm not completely sold on Ponder, but I can certainly find some redeeming factors.

1) He improved his QB rating by 11 points in his second year, and his touchdown to interception ratio improved from 13-13 to 18-12.

2) Despite losing his best wide receiver and having to throw to arguably the worst set of wide receivers in the NFL, he led his team to the playoffs by winning the last 4 games, two of them on the road.

3) NFL QBs almost always need an adjustment period. For instance, let's compare the 2nd year stats of Ponder and future HOF Brett Favre.

QB rating Yards TDs Interceptions

Ponder 81.2 2935 18 12

Favre 72.2 3303 19 24


4) Ponder is a very good running QB, with 253 yards and two TDs last year.


NFL QBs often make a quantum leap in production in their third year, and Speilman has given Ponder a better receiving core to work with. And frankly, he doesn't have to be that good with Peterson lined up behind him. If he makes the same strides in his third year that he did in his second, we will have the makings of a good NFL QB.

As many have said, don't judge him by what he has done in pre-season with Peterson not running at all...it bears no resemblance to how the Vikings will look on offense once the season starts.

Thank you for perspective lst, and this being the third year, it is totally make or break for him.