Bleacher report article on Ponder

[J. Kapp 11]

I have to disagree about Ponder yesterday. He played pretty bad.

And the INT wasn't a "stupid" throw. It was the right throw and the right read. The fastest receiver on the Vikings had his man beat for a 61-yard TD, but Ponder threw a duck. He wasn't pressured. He just threw off his back foot and quacked it.

What's worse, according to Kevin Siefert, is what Ponder said after the game. Basically, he said he had a check-down in the left flat and should have taken that instead. WRONG! If you have your primary open for a sure TD, you choose that receiver and you MAKE THE DAMN THROW! Dumbest comment ever from a quarterback postgame. It's totally outcome-based. I made the right read, but the play turned out bad, so I should have taken the check-down. Ugh!

Read the article.

[Mothman]

I have to disagree about Ponder yesterday. He played pretty bad.

What did you think he did badly? The only plays that stood out to me as bad were the INT (right decision, poor execution) and the attempt to throw the ball away when he was practically on the ground, being sacked.

And the INT wasn't a "stupid" throw. It was the right throw and the right read. The fastest receiver on the Vikings had his man beat for a 61-yard TD, but Ponder threw a duck. He wasn't pressured. He just threw off his back foot and quacked it.

LOL! Nice use of "quacked" as a verb...

[PurpleKoolaid]

Wow I have to follow the board closer. I missed where Ponder is now good QB, and I missed where Fraizer became a good HC. 1 win and half the people posting change thier opinions, like dust in the wind...

[Dark]

Wow I have to follow the board closer. I missed where Ponder is now good QB, and I missed where Fraizer became a good HC. 1 win and half the people posting change thier opinions, like dust in the wind...

I agree. Just last week I remember everyone hating on Frazier, but now they act like he's the best coach in history. I believe Frazier has done a good job turning this team around, but we have very good potential for this team and I dont think Frazier is going to make us reach our full potential. Sure, ill keep him around for another year or so, but I dont think we keep him around forever.

[Mothman]

I agree. Just last week I remember everyone hating on Frazier, but now they act like he's the best coach in history.

Are they they same people?

[J. Kapp 11]

What did you think he did badly? The only plays that stood out to me as bad were the INT (right decision, poor execution) and the attempt to throw the ball away when he was practically on the ground, being sacked.

Total net yards: 248. Total net yards on the first two drives: 85. Total net Adrian Peterson yards on the first two drives: 74.

Total net yards for the final 55 minutes of the game: 163.

This is not sustainable, Jim.

I don't think you can just say, "Well, Ponder wasn't asked to do much." I think the proper thing to say is, "Ponder wasn't asked to do ANYTHING ... even though the Bears routinely had 9 men within three yards of the line of scrimmage." That's because Vikings coaching staff has no confidence in him. None.

Want proof? We all saw it. At halftime, Tony Siragusa asked Leslie Frazier what the strategy would be for the second half. The answer? Run the ball. And when that stops working, run the ball some more. Which is pretty much what they did. Just kept running AP into brick walls.

I can say this ... Ponder wasn't as putrid as he had been the previous couple of weeks. But c'mon. "Not putrid" can't be the standard for a winning team.

LOL! Nice use of "quacked" as a verb...

Well, thanks.

But don't try this at home. I'm a professional.

[Dark]

Are they they same people?

I don't really keep track, sorry. But I don't see as many people hating on Frazier as there was last week, and I see more people that aren't hating on him.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Are they they same people?

Yeah they are, for the most part. Why?

[Mothman]

.

[Mothman]

Yeah they are, for the most part. Why?

Because there would be a difference between people singing a different tune from week to week or a different set of people who may have been supportive of Frazier all along.

[Demi]

I agree but that's not an indication that Ponder played badly.

37 yards in an entire half and the inability to move the offense even into field goal range in an entire game isn't an indication?

oh goodness the ponderaholics have lost it.

[Just Me]

I have to disagree about Ponder yesterday. He played pretty bad.

And the INT wasn't a "stupid" throw. It was the right throw and the right read. The fastest receiver on the Vikings had his man beat for a 61-yard TD, but Ponder threw a duck. He wasn't pressured. He just threw off his back foot and quacked it.

I was glad my 7 hour trip to the Dome to watch the game was worth the effort. One of the advantages (disadvantages? ) of being there is, as I'm sure you're all aware, the ability to watch the play develop. That play was coming right towards the end zone I was at and the receiver had his defender beaten easily. In fact, had Ponder only "underthrown" the ball it would have still been a TD. The receiver has to actually break stride and wait for the "duck" to get to him. I was disappointed because I was for giving Ponder a chance to develop, but that display has me wondering if he (Ponder) will ever get it. The Vikings won and for that I was happy, but it was the defense that won the game. AD helped (obviously) but without the two great defensive plays by Robinson and Smith, I think we lose that game even with the monster effort by Peterson. Ponder did not show me much to be optimistic about. With only 3 more games left, his body of "bad" work is overshadowing whatever postives he may have had. This really isn't an "anti-Ponder" except to say that I hope we have a "back-up" plan for next year. I wish it weren't true, but I think we are going to need it in order to be successful.

[Dark]

37 yards in an entire half and the inability to move the offense even into field goal range in an entire game isn't an indication?

oh goodness the ponderaholics have lost it.

Exactly!

And also, that INT when he threw to the wide open Wright was an example of his wimpy noodle arm, and his terrible footwork. I've seen quite enough games of him making these terrible mistakes. Throwing deep is a hugely important part of football and ponder can't throw anything farther than 10 yards. When we are stuck on 3rd and long (which happens quite a bit), we are basically screwed. I can tell that the coaching staff is starting to realize how bad ponder really is. I can tell that because they ran the ball to Adrian so much, and after the game Frazier said that ponder did his job!

If the job they want him to have is handing off to AD 30 times per game, that's fine with me

What I'm trying to get at here is what you see that is good in ponder. He has one of the worst qb ratings in the league, and the only passes he can even get reasonable yards on is when he throws the short passes to harvin and he runs it about 10 yards.

[saint33]

Exactly!

And also, that INT when he threw to the wide open Wright was an example of his wimpy noodle arm, and his terrible footwork. I've seen quite enough games of him making these terrible mistakes. Throwing deep is a hugely important part of football and ponder can't throw anything farther than 10 yards. When we are stuck on 3rd and long (which happens quite a bit), we are basically screwed. I can tell that the coaching staff is starting to realize how bad ponder really is. I can tell that because they ran the ball to Adrian so much, and after the game Frazier said that ponder did his job!

If the job they want him to have is handing off to AD 30 times per game, that's fine with me

What I'm trying to get at here is what you see that is good in ponder. He has one of the worst qb ratings in the league, and the only passes he can even get reasonable yards on is when he throws the short passes to harvin and he runs it about 10 yards.

The deep ball int had nothing to do with a noodle arm, it was 100% due to his footwork. Something that he does FAR too often, which has lead to this notion of a "noodle arm". Ponder had a guy in his face, throwing his timing off, forcing him to move. He made the crucial mistake of moving backwards and throwing the ball off his back foot. His footwork and pocket presence are the two main reasons he is failing at such an alarming rate. However the noodle arm comments are still rather bothersome to me, especially after a game in which he threw a very nice should be 55 yard td pass to aromo.

The kids arm isn't the problem, it's his feet and at times his decision making

[Demi]

especially after a game in which he threw a very nice should be 55 yard td pass to aromo.

What it should have been is out in front of him not noodle armed.