Vikings Message Board.Com

Vikefan68 wrote:I hate to say this or even wish this on a player, but the best thing that can happen to this team right now is for Ponder to get hurt and miss some time.

That's not even close to the best thing that could happen. The best thing that could happen (at the Vikings QB position) would for the proverbial light to come on for Ponder and for him to start playing really well and end all the questions, doubts, controversy, etc. by becoming the answer at QB instead of a question (or just the wrong answer).

Having to turn to Matt Cassel is not the best thing that could happen for the Vikings. Just ask the Chiefs.

GBFavreFan wrote:There's an awful lot of Johnny Manziel talk on this post. Is that a real possibility? I don't follow college football that closely but that guy seems to be a weekly train wreck who clearly can't handle the pressure of being a famous college QB, let alone an NFL QB. And he also seems a little undersized. I figured he wasn't even an NFL prospect, are they talking like he is now? Isn't he only a sophomore now too?

Throughout the course of last year, he completed 68 percent of his passes for 3,706 yards, threw 26 touchdowns and was only picked off nine times. He constantly made plays with his feet too, running for 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns.

In his second game of this season (first full game) he completed 28 of 41 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 36 yards and a touchdown. In week 1, playing only the second half, he went 6-for-8 with three touchdowns. He already has close to 500 (497) yards passing and six touchdowns.

Yes, he's a sophomore. With maturity issues. But he has legit talent. And legit issues.

Here's one scouting report: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutd ... 22135.html

dead_poet wrote: Throughout the course of last year, he completed 68 percent of his passes for 3,706 yards, threw 26 touchdowns and was only picked off nine times. He constantly made plays with his feet too, running for 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns.

In his second game of this season (first full game) he completed 28 of 41 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 36 yards and a touchdown. In week 1, playing only the second half, he went 6-for-8 with three touchdowns. He already has close to 500 (497) yards passing and six touchdowns.

Yes, he's a sophomore. With maturity issues. But he has legit talent. And legit issues.

Here's one scouting report: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutd ... 22135.html

...and with that talent and those issues, there will be a Tebow/Favre-like media circus and an extremely high level of scrutiny, which isn't a deal-breaker but it's something the team that drafts him will need to take into consideration.

Mothman wrote: ...and with that talent and those issues, there will be a Tebow/Favre-like media circus and an extremely high level of scrutiny, which isn't a deal-breaker but it's something the team that drafts him will need to take into consideration.

Precisely. The interesting part is how Manziel plays (and behaves) this season. Right now, he just doesn't seem like a player Frazier would want in his locker room. Of course, depending how the season shakes out, Frazier might not be here to block this selection. But I highly, highly doubt Manziel would trump Bridgewater or Boyd, who would likely go to the Raiders and Jags, respectively. So he could conceivably be there for the Vikings (others would could be available: David Fales, A.J. McCarron and Stephen Morris).

Of course, this is waaaaay too early to start the speculation. Yet, ####, here I kinda did it.

dead_poet wrote:Precisely. The interesting part is how Manziel plays (and behaves) this season. Right now, he just doesn't seem like a player Frazier would want in his locker room. Of course, depending how the season shakes out, Frazier might not be here to block this selection. But I highly, highly doubt Manziel would trump Bridgewater or Boyd, who would likely go to the Raiders and Jags, respectively. So he could conceivably be there for the Vikings (others would could be available: David Fales, A.J. McCarron and Stephen Morris).

Of course, this is waaaaay too early to start the speculation. Yet, ####, here I kinda did it.

Yes, now you've done it... nice going!

Those QB rankings sometimes shift dramatically between this time of year and the draft so who knows what they'll look like next spring or where the Vikes will be drafting. As you pointed out, Frazier could conceivably be gone by the time the 2014 draft rolls around. Heck, this whole Vikings team could get "blown up" and look dramatically different in 2014. There are a lot of players in the final year of their contracts, other players who are big question marks, a coach who doesn't have an extension, etc. I suspect Spielman's job is secure but even that's no sure thing. I have absolutely no idea what the future holds for this team. I just hope it holds something good.

Manziel will be a 2nd-3rd round pick.

yezzir wrote:Manziel will be a 2nd-3rd round pick.

I'm willing to bet he doesn't go in the third.

yezzir wrote:Manziel will be a 2nd-3rd round pick.

Really? Ponder went 12th overall. He was a huge reach but that's what happens when teams are desperate for a QB. Johnny Football is more likely to go top 20 then in the 3rd round at this point.

Mothman wrote: That's not even close to the best thing that could happen. The best thing that could happen (at the Vikings QB position) would for the proverbial light to come on for Ponder and for him to start playing really well and end all the questions, doubts, controversy, etc. by becoming the answer at QB instead of a question (or just the wrong answer).

Having to turn to Matt Cassel is not the best thing that could happen for the Vikings. Just ask the Chiefs.

I think Ponder needs his "A Few Good Men" moment, where at a post-game where he seems calm, someone asks him a question about good quarterback play, and then he just blows up, slamming his hand on the podium and yelling "Good quarterback play?!? You can't HANDLE good quarterback play!"



But in all seriousness, I think Ponder needs to get a little more heated at times. Just get a little mad and let that adrenaline take over sometimes. He needs to just get p1ssed off and go at some teams.

Look at Jerome Simpson this last weekend. Simpson was playing with a huge chip on his shoulder and you could see it in his eyes. He wasn't going out quietly, and he had a big game and made some plays. He did screw up, but he gave the Lions something to worry about. Ponder needs to drop the Mr. Nice Guy persona and start taking names. He needs to stop thinking about making mistakes, and start thinking about defenders he wants to embarrass or expose. It's just the mentality of the great QBs. They aren't looking to play it safe - they're looking to win it, and when they don't they come back more p1ssed than before.

Forget the playbook for a second and take a page out of the playerbook. What makes a great player? What makes a player a guy who takes it to opponents? Defenses are just *begging* to be victimized down the field when they play against Ponder. It's time for Ponder to make them pay for it.

Demi wrote:http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/ ... lvis-grbac

Awesome....all we need is a doc to prescribe him some Valium and we will have the next Dan Marino!!! wooohoooo!!!

maybe we can have dilfer pick our next QB LOL

Christian Ponder=Joey Harrington.

mondry wrote:maybe we can have dilfer pick our next QB LOL

Why not?

People we could have drafted in the past 3 years that were recommended by Dilfer...

1. Colin Kaepernick
2. Andy Dalton
3. Ryan Mallet
4. Kirk Cousins
5. Russell Wilson as a third rounder
6. Ryan Tannehill
7. Geno Smith

I'd take any one of 'em over Ponder.

If the Vikings aren't taking one of those top guys, I'd like to seem them draft Chuckie Keeton from Utah State and develop him. The guy can play.

Crax wrote:If the Vikings aren't talking one of those top guys, I'd like to seem them draft Chuckie Keeton from Utah State and develop him. The guy can play.

I agree on Keeton. I love Keeton's footwork and mechanics. He's calm in the pocket until he needs to move, and when he moves he has a nice burst. He's also likely to fly under the radar a bit and last longer into the draft.

One thing is for sure - this upcoming draft looks hella-deep at QB. A lot can change between now and the draft, but the way things are shaping up it looks like up to 6 guys could be in the 1st round discussion, and all of them are legit prospects.