Vikings @ Redskins Gameday Discussion Thread -- Week 6

[Lash Man]

Well we knew we wouldn't go 15-1 and we also knew that we would have some games like these. I'm still OK with this game. Even though I gave up on a victory our offense didn't give up so that shows a great fighting spirit. I've watched too many games where the team just gave up but this wasn't one of them.

Skol Vikes

True the Vikings don't seem to quit under Frasier and we need to get some receivers that can separate the ones we have are just bush league .

[Just Me]

Moral of the story, Christian Ponder is still experiencing growing pains. That will happen. I'm not too concerned. On to the next - SKOL

+1

[thatguy]

True the Vikings don't seem to quit under Frasier and we need to get some receivers that can separate the ones we have are just bush league .

Time to bring in T.O.!

[S197]

It wasn't such a bad performance overall. The only serious mistake I'd put completely on Ponder was the bad overthrow that Williams picked off. The fumble occurred because AD didn't get a solid block and the pick at the end was just a desperation throw at a desperate time of the game. While people are ripping Ponder they should also remember that he helped lead the Vikes back from a big deficit to get them one score away from a win. I don't think he had a bad game or an amateur game, he just had a mixed game: some good and some bad. It happens to all QBs.

The last interception was rather bad as well. You can't float the football when the defense is defending a short field. This was by far Ponder's poorest performance of the year. Sure his yardage will look nice as he was able to rack up yards while the Redskins were in prevent but in other games he at least had a few throws that were impressive. Everything today was either vanilla or poor IMO.

Not that Ponder lost this game on his own, clearly the penalties and defense should be held accountable but I'd have to say his game today looked rather bad to me.

[Raptorman]

How many people here predicted the Vikings to be 4-2 at this point of the season? Yeah, I thought so. So they lost the game. It's not all on one player.(Ponder) This is a team game that the team wins or losses. Did Ponder make a mistake sure. Did any other players make mistakes or were they all perfect? Did the pick 6 hurt? Sure, but show me a QB who has never had one and I will show you a QB that doesn't play. RG3 is a good player. He broke a good run for a TD. Those things happen. The thing is the Vikings didn't quit. I still see an 11-5 or 10-6 season.

[J. Kapp 11]

so what exactly do you not like about him? His elite accuracy? His poise in the pocket? Arm too strong? Don't like his ability to keep defenses on their heels running the ball?

I know you didn't ask me, but here's my problem ...

He's so hyped. It's just hard to deal with. And he's incredibly cocky.

No doubt, he's good. Electric. But the whole worship thing is too much for me.

[PurpleKoolaid]

How many people here predicted the Vikings to be 4-2 at this point of the season? Yeah, I thought so. So they lost the game. It's not all on one player.(Ponder) This is a team game that the team wins or losses. Did Ponder make a mistake sure. Did any other players make mistakes or were they all perfect? Did the pick 6 hurt? Sure, but show me a QB who has never had one and I will show you a QB that doesn't play. RG3 is a good player. He broke a good run for a TD. Those things happen. The thing is the Vikings didn't quit. I still see an 11-5 or 10-6 season.

Man i wish you lived near me, you would be my main guest for poker night.

[FailedtoOpen]

I know you didn't ask me, but here's my problem ...

He's so hyped. It's just hard to deal with. And he's incredibly cocky.

No doubt, he's good. Electric. But the whole worship thing is too much for me.

He is having the same type of success as Cam Newton did his first year. You tailor an offense for him, and around his athleticism and you succeed. However we will see if he progresses throughout the year, and into next year. Because as it is now Cam has actually regressed.

We will see if that arrogance he has inhibits his development.

[Mothman]

The last interception was rather bad as well. You can't float the football when the defense is defending a short field.

I agree but at that point in the game, I just don't think of a desperation throw as a serious mistake, which is why I phrased my comment as I did. The Vikes were out of timeouts and needed two TDs in about 30 seconds. Ponder threw up a prayer on that play and I seriously doubt that's a pass he would have thrown under different circumstances so while it's a mistake, I don't consider it a serious one. He was just trying to make something happen against a defense overloading the endzone to stop it. It was a bad throw and it was his fault, I just don't think it was a big deal. There were out of time to throw the ball away and go for it on the next play. They needed to score, kick and recover an onsides kick and then try to score again.

[Raptorman]

About RG3. The question is, If he was on the Vikings would he still be hyped? Right now he is playing great ball for a rookie. Remember last years great rookie, Newton, how's he doing this year? Griffin and Ponder are currently leading the league in passing percentage. They are both in the top 10 in QB rating, what the hell more do you want? Oh yeah, down field passing. 352 yards. When was the last time a Viking QB put 352 yards? 352 yards on dink and dunk. Those long ball down field passers, look at my signature. The top 5 QB's in yards last year are now 10-16 for the year. After tonights game it could be 10-17 depending on how Rodgers does.

[Arma]

About RG3. The question is, If he was on the Vikings would he still be hyped? Right now he is playing great ball for a rookie. Remember last years great rookie, Newton, how's he doing this year? Griffin and Ponder are currently leading the league in passing percentage. They are both in the top 10 in QB rating, what the hell more do you want? Oh yeah, down field passing. 352 yards. When was the last time a Viking QB put 352 yards? 352 yards on dink and dunk. Those long ball down field passers, look at my signature. The top 5 QB's in yards last year are now 10-16 for the year. After tonights game it could be 10-17 depending on how Rodgers does.

+1

Ponder didn't play particularly well, but he wasn't as bad as people are making it out to be.

[mosscarter]

i think someone pointed out the 3 consecutive field goals and i agree, we cannot score touchdowns early in the game. musgrave doesn't even allow ponder to throw into the end zone when they get down in the red zone. his 352 yards and two tds were misleading, because most of that all came in the second half. with the exception of the sf game, i think all of ponder's passing td's came in the second half of games when they were trying to come from way behind. that tells me either one of two things-the offensive coordinator is to blame, or maybe ponder isn't quite progressing like people think. i can't remember how many games this year that he has looked utterly horrible through 3 quarters, and then had huge 4th quarters.

[saint33]

Poise? Accuracy? He runs, apparently running QB's are bad to like 90% of the board so why is this guy the exception?

Missing in your veiled sarcasm is the fact that coming into this game him and ponder have really close stats minus the rushing. So why is he a top 5 qb in your opinion and not ponder? They're both bad if thats the case. I think he's way overrated and that opinion will not waver

Edit: minus two blown coverage 70+ yard td strikes ponder would actually have more yards

have you ever heard me say anything about running QBs? There's nothing wrong with running QBs if they have the ability to pass the ball from the pocket, which RG3 does almost as good as any QB in the league.

And again, how is having similar numbers to Ponder a bad thing? Ponder has put up excellent numbers all season long.

RG3 is an efficient QB with the added ability to make big plays both passing and running.

Sorry, but like you will not be able to be convinced otherwise, you won't be able to convince me otherwise either. I think the numbers at this point lean in my favor, and I'd bet they stay in my favor throughout the year. RG3 will be a historically great QB barring injury

[S197]

I agree but at that point in the game, I just don't think of a desperation throw as a serious mistake, which is why I phrased my comment as I did. The Vikes were out of timeouts and needed two TDs in about 30 seconds. Ponder threw up a prayer on that play and I seriously doubt that's a pass he would have thrown under different circumstances so while it's a mistake, I don't consider it a serious one. He was just trying to make something happen against a defense overloading the endzone to stop it. It was a bad throw and it was his fault, I just don't think it was a big deal. There were out of time to throw the ball away and go for it on the next play. They needed to score, kick and recover an onsides kick and then try to score again.

No, I agree with you Jim, at that point he had to put the ball in the endzone. I would have liked to see more zip on the football but it is what it is. I guess just looking back in my head at the game, I don't see an average performance. In addition to the turnovers, he threw a few into the dirt intended for Rudolph, missed a wide open Harvin, and I thought he mis-read pressure at times, checking it down when he really had more time. Rudolph did have some drops and the line did have trouble picking up the blitz at times, so I'm not putting this loss all on Ponder, I'm just having trouble seeing his performance today as average.

Really the only player (other than the usual suspects of AD, PH, Walsh) I saw that had a nice game was Winfield.

[Mothman]

No, I agree with you Jim, at that point he had to put the ball in the endzone. I would have liked to see more zip on the football but it is what it is. I guess just looking back in my head at the game, I don't see an average performance. In addition to the turnovers, he threw a few into the dirt intended for Rudolph, missed a wide open Harvin, and I thought he mis-read pressure at times, checking it down when he really had more time. Rudolph did have some drops and the line did have trouble picking up the blitz at times, so I'm not putting this loss all on Ponder, I'm just having trouble seeing his performance today as average.

It may just be a question of how each of us wants to define good, bad and average. I thought he did a lot right (352 yards passing, 2 TDs, some very nice throws) but made some mistakes too (fumble, INTs, some missed throws). To me, that balances out as average. If he'd had the negative plays without all the accompanying productivity, I'd call that a bad day.

It doesn't really matter. I think we can all agree that Ponder has played better and, like most of the team, this was far from his best day.