Check Down Charlie

[BGM]

Just like that? Let's not even consider HOW the team is winning? Or what the QB is actually doing on the field? Yeah ok got it.

Tebow? Who was giving him credit for those wins? Skip Bayless? He was traded for a couple late picks and hasn't sniffed the job since.

Truly I wrote the preceding slightly tongue in cheek...

I did not say I agree, just that it is the current trend. When teams win, who gets the credit? Almost exclusively we hear "QB X led his team to victory today", regardless of his actual contribution. And, conversely, they almost always get the blame when the team loses. The media, and many fans, have lost sight of the fact that football is still a team game.

So, if people are insistent that the QB position is of tantamount importance, then it's only logical and equitable that if losses are attributable to "QB and the Pips", then wins also must be.

But then, asking for equity and logic from sports media and fans may be a bit unrealistic.

[dead_poet]

Christian Ponder - QB - Vikings

Coach Leslier Frazier said Christian Ponder's mechanics are "off-kilter."

Ponder gets no help from his brutally ineffective receiving corps, but he has to shoulder some of the blame here as well. Over the last five games, the 2011 No. 12 overall pick has completed just 57.6 percent of his passes, averaged 4.7 yards per attempt and thrown four touchdowns against five interceptions. Look for more nine-man boxes against Adrian Peterson when the Vikings take on the Rams Sunday.
Source: ESPN 1500 Twin Cities
http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Note ... says121012

[soflavike]

From Profootballtalk.com's Power Rankings:

16. Vikings: Some teams run to set up the pass. Others pass to set up the run. The Vikings run to screw up the pass.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ankings-3/

[Mothman]

Christian Ponder - QB - Vikings

Coach Leslier Frazier said Christian Ponder's mechanics are "off-kilter."

Ponder gets no help from his brutally ineffective receiving corps, but he has to shoulder some of the blame here as well. Over the last five games, the 2011 No. 12 overall pick has completed just 57.6 percent of his passes, averaged 4.7 yards per attempt and thrown four touchdowns against five interceptions. Look for more nine-man boxes against Adrian Peterson when the Vikings take on the Rams Sunday.
Source: ESPN 1500 Twin Cities
http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Note ... says121012

Thanks for the link, Frazier made a great point about that 4th quarter drive that began with the Vikings backed up near their goal line. Ponder wasn't asked to do much overall but he was asked to help them get out of that hole and he made some good throws to help them flip the field on the Bears. We have to take the positives with the negatives, especially when there aren't that many of the former.

I'm sure some of Frazier's comments will get people worked up but I think with the team he has now, he's taking the right approach. If they can add talent on the outside and get their QB situation straightened out, I have no doubt the Vikings will make good use of the play action pass and gradually become more aggressive in the passing game. If they can sustain the outstanding running game they have now for a few more years, a complimentary passing game and the defensive approach they're taking really could yield a championship.

They still have a lot of work to do but I'm excited to see what they can put together for next season and I'm hoping they finish this season strong.

[chicagopurple]

Frazier is an apologist who tries to encourage us to be happy with mediocrity in his QB, which is appropriate as the Head Coach can offer only mediocrity in his game planning, real time adjustments, and most other aspects of HIS job perfomance..NOT GOOD ENOUGH for me to drop thousands of dollars each year to come see my team.

[chicagopurple]

PLEASE, Ponder has under thrown in the red zone soo many times,, hell he seems to have perfected the art of hitting the wide open Cornerback right in the end zone....how can you ignore all that.....he has totally regressed and the Vikes have no well respected QB coach to fix this....as usual our team is just the training ground for second class coaches..

[Mothman]

PLEASE, Ponder has under thrown in the red zone soo many times,, hell he seems to have perfected the art of hitting the wide open Cornerback right in the end zone....how can you ignore all that.....he has totally regressed and the Vikes have no well respected QB coach to fix this....as usual our team is just the training ground for second class coaches..

You might want to look into Craig Johnson's resumé as a QB coach. Between Musgrave and Johnson, the Vikes arguably have two well-respected QB coaches on their staff.

[Cliff]

You might want to look into Craig Johnson's resumé as a QB coach. Between Musgrave and Johnson, the Vikes arguably have two well-respected QB coaches on their staff.

I think it was pretty obvious that a big reason they picked the offensive staff that they picked was to help a young QB along (whoever that was going to be at the time).

[Mothman]

think it was pretty obvious that a big reason they picked the offensive staff that they picked was to help a young QB along (whoever that was going to be at the time).

I agree. I just have a feeling they may have picked the wrong QB to develop.

[Cliff]

I agree. I just have a feeling they may have picked the wrong QB to develop.

Yeah, as the evidence from the season rolls in it is definitely starting to look that way and without Harvin in the lineup we're not likely to see much change in the next three games.

[petev_sj]

You can not win in the NFL by starting a different QB every week as he suggested.

Arizona is basically doing the musical QB thing right now. That's working out well for them.

There is no NFL team with the type of running game the Vikings have. Most team's franchise player is the QB, the Vikings franchise is clearly AD. The Vikings QB and Receiving core is there to help take pressure off the running game. I don't see how a rotating QB hurts the running game.

Also Arizona has the same style QB in 3 people. Their QBs don't present anything different from each other. The current Vikings QB are all vastly different. Yes it is gimmicky, but with our running game and secondary, it might work.

[purplehaze]

Ok, I just thought I would bump this thread. I have been the biggest critic of check down. But I will give him credit where credit is due. Check down had a good game today against the fudgepackers. I am not sold yet that he is the the QB for the future. However, I was encouraged by 3 things today.

1. Check down had his longest completion of the year (play action on 1st down)

2. He actually made a pump fake for a completion downfield.

3. This win got us in the playoffs which was clutch.

[Hunter Morrow]

Check Down Charlie-243 net yards, no turnovers and only 1 sack, 3 touchdowns. Against the biggest rival in the team's history. Without Harvin or anybody approaching number 1 on a team status except maybe, maybe Jarius Wright. A duplication of this performance outdoors, on the road, against a rival should have the haters standing up and paying attention.

[soflavike]

I've been a harsh critic of Ponder as well. I still have my doubts, but he was clutch against the Texans and the Packers and showed he can play at a high level.

He did a fine job and helped the team make the playoffs. SKOL!

[ranskal]

The way this team is built, he just needs to be efficient and not turn the ball over. He had a couple of questionable throws today but he played well. Here's to a deep run into the playoffs!