The Christian Ponder Thread

[indianation65]

I fell out of the NFL watching party for years, but have come back around. I have not been this excited for a season to start since I was a little kid. This receiver, that receiver, AP, middle linebacker, it all matters, but not as much as this year's qb productivity. CPonder, make it count!

...wisdom while watching a castle among the hills!

[dead_poet]

@UltraNasty

Ponder's first start was at home, not on the road. He relieved McNabb in a blowout in Chicago the week before

I don't believe that's considered a "start."

[King James]

Christian Ponder - His first start of his very young NFL career cam ON THE ROAD against our biggest rival Green Bay Packers. I hate the word "almost", but he ALMOST won that game for us. No training camp, No OTAs, NO OFFSEASON other than a couple weeks at camp. He showed plenty of promise his first year. Let it be known his only legit receivers were a very young TE with no experience at the professional level Kyle Rudolph and young slot WR Percy Harvin.

And people accuse me of "making up" facts. The irony.

[Mothman]

And people accuse me of "making up" facts. The irony.

He simply mis-remembered where a game was played.

[King James]

He simply mis-remembered where a game was played.

Right......

[dead_poet]

It's not but that's not what I was saying. I was saying that Ponder first start was at home vs. GB which came a week after he came in for McNabb against Chicago. I wasn't conisdering the Chicago game a start.

I misread. I dumb. Dumb me.

[PurpleMustReign]

Right......

I hope you are kidding.

[Raptorman]

Found this on another Forum. Found it interesting to say the least. Only posting the first 7, rest can be seen at the link. Haven't checked the numbers.

One of the more difficult challenges a QB must face on a regular basis is the Red Zone. Here the field is much shorter, more crowded, the margin for error is drastically minimized, and your throw can be the difference between a 7 point lead or a 7 point deficit. The pressure is turned up, and passes must be as precise as ever. A quarterback being able to operate in the Red Zone is crucial to his teams success, and seeing as the goal for every player is to win, there isn't too many abilities for a qb more important than the ability to get the ball in the endzone.

So here I've decided to take a look at various quarterbacks and their stats within the Red Zone since the 2009 season, playoffs included. Only QBs with at least 100 plays in the Red Zone are listed. Listed in order of conventional passer rating...


Aaron Rodgers
1,414 Yards (4.1 Y/A), 63.1% Completions, 102 TDs, 3 INTs, 107.7 QB Rating
204 Rush Yards (3.7 Y/C), 16 TDs, 3 Fumbles Lost, Sacked 32 times

Peyton Manning
1,124 Yards (4.2 Y/A), 58.8% Completions, 82 TDs, 3 INTs, 103.5 QB Rating
-8 Rush Yards (-0.9 Y/C), 0 TDs, 0 Fumbles Lost, Sacked 6 times

Jason Campbell
526 Yards (4.1 Y/A), 57% Completions, 32 TDs, 1 INT, 103.1 QB Rating
77 Rush Yards (3.7 Y/C), 4 TDs, 1 Fumble Lost, Sacked 3 times

Tom Brady
1,618 Yards (4.4 Y/A), 59.7% Completions, 110 TDs, 6 INTs, 102.9 QB Rating
79 Rush Yards (1.9 Y/C), 10 TDs, 1 Fumble Lost, Sacked 23 times

Drew Brees
1,731 Yards (4.2 Y/A), 61.6% Completions, 115 TDs, 8 INTs, 102.4 QB Rating
14 Rush Yards (1.1 Y/C), 4 TDs, 1 Fumble Lost, Sacked 6 times

Andy Dalton
527 Yards (3.7 Y/A), 51.4% Completions, 35 TDs, 0 INTs, 99.7 QB Rating
51 Rush Yards (3.2 Y/C), 5 TDs, 1 Fumble Lost, Sacked 12 times

Christian Ponder
398 Yards (4.1 Y/A), 64.6% Completions, 25 TDs, 3 INTs, 99.7 QB Rating
8 Rush Yards (1.0 Y/C), 1 TD, 1 Fumble Lost, Sacked 6 times

http://www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/v ... p?t=525605

[dead_poet]

Found this on another Forum. Found it interesting to say the least. Only posting the first 7, rest can be seen at the link. Haven't checked the numbers.
http://www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/v ... p?t=525605

Thanks for the link. This is not a surprise as he was one of the best (if not the statistical best) in 2011, only to have his production dip a bit last season. Certainly encouraging. Hopefully with the additional weapons he continues to be one of the top red zone QBs in the league (suggestion: throw it to Rudolph!)

[mosscarter]

truth is, ponder's two best performances might have been his relief job against chicago and the next week at green bay. i remember watching that chicago game and thinking, we have found our man. he came out gunning, and i think he had nearly 150 yards passing in something like a quarter and a half of playing time. but since, he has been inconsistent to say the least.

[Mothman]

truth is, ponder's two best performances might have been his relief job against chicago and the next week at green bay. i remember watching that chicago game and thinking, we have found our man. he came out gunning, and i think he had nearly 150 yards passing in something like a quarter and a half of playing time. but since, he has been inconsistent to say the least.

He's been inconsistent but those were certainly not his two best performances. He's had much better games since then.

[mosscarter]

well mothman that may be true, but his deep ball hasn't developed whatsoever. i believe his first pass in his first start was his longest, and how many starts has he had since? that is pretty lousy when you get right down to it.

[Purple bruise]

For even the biggest cynics out there it would be hard to not see the potential in Ponder. Fortunately it is not up to "you" to make any football decisions for the Vikings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LCK5Df2S1M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoFrhWjWiBo

[Mothman]

well mothman that may be true, but his deep ball hasn't developed whatsoever. i believe his first pass in his first start was his longest, and how many starts has he had since? that is pretty lousy when you get right down to it.

His deep receivers haven't been much to speak of when you get right down to it. Deep balls tend to be completed to receivers who actually get open deep and make catches. If a team doesn't have someone who can do that frequently and effectively (and the Vikes haven't had a really good deep receiver since drafting Ponder), they don't tend to throw or complete many deep passes. His deep passing will probably improve as he gets better deep targets and attempts to throw deep passes more often. Hopefully, that started with Wright and will expand and continue with Wright, Patterson and Jennings.

[Demi]

well mothman that may be true, but his deep ball hasn't developed whatsoever. i believe his first pass in his first start was his longest, and how many starts has he had since? that is pretty lousy when you get right down to it.

Yep. I see a new Joey Harrington in the NFC North. Just athletic enough to get into trouble. No consistency down field.

Give him 3 years no questions asked. Desperately flail at wide receivers to try and polish that turd.

In the end we've flushed over a decade down the toilet, with one Favre year to show for it.