Christian ponder growth as QB with vikings Qb coach (video)

[Dark]

Giving up on Mr. Suck is not a pointless endeavor. It is facing a harsh reality and moving in a better direction.

Exactly. If we hold on to ponder, its going to be T-Jack all over again.

[Mothman]

Next stop, Nike vision camp.

LOL!

Well played.

[losperros]

Sorry, but I have given up on this guy. And I honestly don't even think he has all the tools.

Yes, I have seen him throw some nice passes -- displaying some degree of arm strength and accuracy on particular throws. But his accuracy, as a general matter, is near the bottom of the league, and his arm strength generally hasn't impressed me either for an NFL quarterback.

Yes, I have seen him make some nice runs. In fact, that's probably his best feature. But there are guys who play his position that can run rings around him as a scrambler/runner.

Yes, I have seen him make some nice decisions with the ball. But generally, he appears to make terrible decisions with the ball. In fact, in some games, I marvel at just how horrid his decision making has been.

When people say that Christian Ponder has all the tools, I can't help thinking that so does Joe Webb -- if by that, we mean that he too has made nice throws, nice runs and nice decisions. At least Webb has blazing speed. What does Ponder have? (Besides a first round draft selection that is hanging around this franchise's neck like an albatross.)

From my perspective, Ponder doesn't excel at anything. His running is pretty good, but he's no RG3 or, for that matter, a Joe Webb. His accuracy is poor -- really poor. His arm strength isn't exactly going to rival Rodgers or Cutler, to say the least, and he absolutely stinks when it comes to the mental part of the game. But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln ...

I think the comparisons to Tavaris Jackson are inapposite. TJ wasn't selected in the first round. That made him relatively expendable. Ponder, who inexplicably was selected in the first half of the first round (despite having a nondescript college career), will be much more difficult to jettison. The Vikes have been hyping him as the QB of the future, and until we have seen multiple QBs excel in their rookie years the team had been suggesting that Ponder just needs more seasoning. Rubbish. The real problem isn't simply that he is capable of stinking, but that he just isn't very talented. But the Vikes can't admit that because they were the fools who reached to take him in the first half of the first round.

Yes, the team was 4-1 with him, but that was fool's gold. The league figured out how limited he is in his passing range, he lost the ability to utilize the league's best 1-2 punch (once Percy went out), and now, we are seeing the real Christian Ponder. Watching him squander a 210 yard rushing performance by AD should have been the last straw ... but as I suspected, we're going to need to watch Friday the 13th Part 11 before it's all over. Oh well -- I always have been an aficionado of bizarre horror shows.

A draft reach.
A mediocre talent.
And a head case as a QB.
But hey, the guy dates attractive women. You've got to give him that.

That's an articulate and thoughtful post, Dan, and definitely food for thought. I might mildly disagree about Ponder's college career since he was a good leader and displayed poise for the Seminoles. But your points about Ponder as a pro seem valid to me.

[PurpleMustReign]

LOL!

Well played.

Didn't TJack take Tae Kwon Do or something one offseason? Maybe Ponder can do that.

[S197]

Didn't TJack take Tae Kwon Do or something one offseason? Maybe Ponder can do that.

I don't recall TJack doing any of that but I could be wrong. I know Robison is into Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai.

[akvikingsfan]

He (Jackson) trained in MMA after the 2008 season

http://www.aolnews.com/2009/01/30/tarva ... ck-at-job/

[DanAS]

LOL! Indeed, he's earned it.

Nice post, Dan. I could quibble with a few points (for example, I think Ponder's college career was better than nondescript) and I haven't completely given up on Ponder yet but a few more performances like he had last week and I'll be there. I think you nailed it when you said he doesn't excel at anything and unless that changes fast (and dramatically), I don't see how the Vikes can even consider going into another season with Ponder as the unchallenged starter.

We were fortunate today that the D was so dominant and AD was AD. Could Ponder turn out to be as good as Trent Dilfer if we had a D as good as the Ravens' D? Perhaps. But that's never been the standard. And besides, Ponder was darned lucky he didn't have two needless turnovers -- the one involving the play that was very nearly a fumble when they apparently decided he was sacked, and the other involving his "punt" pass late in the second quarter (that was ultimately intercepted), which involved one of Tavaris' lobs in the middle of the field except that Ponder's didn't have quite the arc.

Anyway, it's all good because we won. Great D play and great running back play. Plus, it's kind of cool when you beat a good team despite the fact that your second longest scoring drive was five yards.

[Cliff]

I think Ponder is going to have to have a very dramatic turnaround in these last games for Vikings management to not draft a QB higher than they might like in the next draft (rds 1, 2, or 3). Building for the future means having better backup plans than what they have considering what Ponder has shown this season.

I think a dramatic turnaround is next to impossible considering Ponder's receivers. We can argue about whether or not the passing game is his fault or how much it's his fault but this is a results driven league and that's true with every position on the field. Considering that fact, Ponder's job should be in jeopardy.

Ponder will probably get another off season and probably start next season as well ... but I think he'll be on a very short leash. If he can't at least be a manager while AD runs wild in these last games then he might not make it past preseason ... but I feel that's unlikely. I think he'll end the season with enough doubt to start in 2013 unless someone falls to the Vikings in the 1st round. Even then they've already stated they want to bring QBs along slowly in the mold of Aaron Rodgers.

[Mothman]

I think Ponder is going to have to have a very dramatic turnaround in these last games for Vikings management to not draft a QB higher than they might like in the next draft (rds 1, 2, or 3). Building for the future means having better backup plans than what they have considering what Ponder has shown this season.

I think a dramatic turnaround is next to impossible considering Ponder's receivers. We can argue about whether or not the passing game is his fault or how much it's his fault but this is a results driven league and that's true with every position on the field. Considering that fact, Ponder's job should be in jeopardy.

It almost certainly is ... I can't imagine they're sold on him at this point but the coaches are probably taking those receivers into consideration too. They know Ponder doesn't have many opportunities to make big plays or put up big numbers with this crew. Consequently, while many fans fret about stats, the Vikings are probably far more concerned with mechanics, decision-making, etc.

Ponder will probably get another off season and probably start next season as well ... but I think he'll be on a very short leash. If he can't at least be a manager while AD runs wild in these last games then he might not make it past preseason ... but I feel that's unlikely. I think he'll end the season with enough doubt to start in 2013 unless someone falls to the Vikings in the 1st round. Even then they've already stated they want to bring QBs along slowly in the mold of Aaron Rodgers.

I have no idea how Spielman will handle the QB position in the offseason. IF a QB they like falls to them in any round, I won't be surprised if they take him.They may sign a veteran backup too.

For what it's worth, I though Ponder was a game manager today and I thought he did it pretty well. It was nothing exceptional, nothing to be excited about, but he didn't do much of anything to really hurt their chances to win either. I suspect they'll ask a little more of him in the next 3 games.

[Hunter Morrow]

What growth? I've seen nothing but regression. Without Harvin, who was playing at a truly special level, the guy stinks.

Yeah, the receiving corps is pretty lousy but there should at least be enough collective talent where we can get 100 yards against teams completely selling out against Peterson on an 8 and 9, even 10 in the box level. Third down, 10 in the box and we run.

Why? Ponder is a bum. Percy Harvin really sheltered us from the stark reality of what a dud he is.

I'd rather have these guys than Ponder and none of 'em are studmuffins by any stretch of the imagination...

Jake Locker
Colin Kaepernick
Russell Wilson
Carson Palmer
Josh Freeman
Andy Dalton
Nick Foles
Sam Bradford

Yeah, lets address the big issue. The big can of worms. We have a good revamped D. We have a good special teams unit. We've got the best running back in the league. We're over .500

Are we even starting the quarterback who gives us the best chance to win on our roster?

[mondry]

Are we even starting the quarterback who gives us the best chance to win on our roster?

Probably not, unless Joe Webb has regressed a lot and got quite a bit slower. I mean if we're getting 91 yards 0 TD's and 1 INT could Webb really make less of an impact? You could have Webb run every play he doesn't hand off to peterson and get more production then 91 yards heh.

Reminds me of the Lions win, he "did good" because he essentially didn't have to do anything heh. I guess the standard for decent QB performances in minnesota now is that you dont single handedly lose the game. Kind of an awkward bench mark though, one that probably isn't high enough to win the game in non defense / ST scoring games against playoff teams...

[Demi]

but he didn't do much of anything to really hurt their chances to win either.

That INT wasn't much of anything? Throwing for 37 yards in an entire half doesn't hurt a teams chances of winning? 91 yards in an entire game doesn't?

Early AD led drive. Score. INT to the 5, AD score. After that we scored one defensive touchdown the entire rest of the game! And that doesn't hurt our chances to win? Not even getting into field goal range once after the opening touchdown doesn't hurt their chances of winning? MADNESS! :300emoticon: