I think all the quantifying you had to do speaks volumes about where Ponder really stands.
He needs to stay healthy...and takes two unnecessary hits in the first preseason game. Still no sliding. Is he just that dense? Not capable of functioning mentally in the heat of the game? Doesn't slide, doesn't go out of bounds. Just dives. And this is the guy who took hit after hit last year. And got injured more because of his own decisions than any other factor. He reminds me of Favre the way he tries and force things, not worrying a second about sliding or throwing it away. And without Favres arm, luck, or toughness. Maybe he needs more than an entire offseason to figure that out? Seeing hard knocks it seems like a lot of young QBs have trouble with it. But after what happened last year, how couldn't he have adjusted?
I think I can understand the logic behind that. When a QB slides feet first, he leaves his upper body exposed for a possibly nasty hit. Probably an illegal hit but a hit nonetheless, and one that could cause damage. So going head first creates a smaller target, he just has to make sure he angles down to the ground quickly. Also maybe there's risk involved with jamming your ankles/knees when going feet first.
Obviously I liked what I saw tonight, hopefully he can keep building on that success. It seems like he's working on his cadence/snap count too, because that Bills d-line sure seemed jittery before the snap (nevermind that he didn't draw them offsides). Maybe it was just early-season nervous excitement from those defenders, so who knows I guess.
Well yeah, if you get hit sliding feet first it might be more dangerous. The idea is too be intelligent enough to slide feet first early enough so they can't legally hit you...
Any change of opinion of Ponder? 135 QB rating showed good arm stength!!
Did you change your mind when he had a single bad performance? Hopefully he can keep it up for more than one game against a pretty questionable bills secondary...
GBFavreFan wrote:Ponder definitely showed improvements from last season in my eyes from his preseason games last month. He is still not afraid to throw big passes and they seemed a little more on target for me. He's also better at throwing with defenders in his face, or throwing to receivers that aren't wide open. While some of the names and spots have changed the o-line looks the same as 2011, but perhaps they'll improve week to week. The rhythm between Ponder and his receivers also seemed a little off, but I'm confident they will get into gear quickly.
Last year I felt Ponder would be a stable guy without a high ceiling, but also not a low one. A low risk guy whose success would be solely determined by the supporting cast. Entering season two, his ceiling is much higher and I don't think he's going to fail as a starter. I think he is a bit of a risk taker, but I think he's going to win far more than lose over his career. I am starting to see some of those intangibles that "experts" saw for him coming out of college and with interviews with him. I think he will above average to very, very, good. I am very confident that Ponder will not only be our long-term starter, but we will be a top team behind him. and while I'm glad we got him and still think we could've gotten him with a second round pick last year, perhaps the pressure of being #12 is what pushes him so hard to improve?
Maybe, although I'd like to think it's just in his nature.
We'll never know if he would have been there for the Vikes at pick #43 but that's 30 picks later than the spot he was taken and a lot can happen in that time. QBs Dalton and Kaepernick were both gone by then so I have my doubts that Ponder would have slipped to the Vikes in R2, especially after he had a good Senior Bowl, combine and pro day. His stock was on the rise...
I agree with you that he has a high ceiling and consequently, I don't care where he was drafted. I just want him to succeed with the Vikings.
hibbingviking wrote:Liked ponders performance today, didn't love it. He needs to watch tape on aaron rodgers and try to get the ball out faster.
I know they're just words but...
How in the world would watching tape allow a player to get the ball out quicker? Watching tape is about analyze tendencies, or analyzing mistakes. It's mainly for the mental side of the game. Only way you actually anything physical is by actually doing it.
Yep, but to be fair, GB defense looked awful. Rodgers still put up just over 300 yards on what is/was considered one of the better defenses in the league. Most likely better than Jacksonville for sure.
