Vikings @ Packers Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 5

[Pseudo Everything]

Harnish promoted ahead of McLoad. Interesting. Harnish was signed on Monday so not a lot of time to dig into the playbook.

We waived Rodney Smith to make room for Harnish. Charles Johnson sticks on the roster ahead of Smith. Not surprising as Johnson has some serious upside.

[vikeinmontana]

a) I think he is fine to play today. I think the only reason he is questionable is because the Vikings might want to give him more time to heal properly and not risk aggravating the injury. But with 9 days of rest to follow the game, that is a risk worth taking.

b) I think the reason the Vikings are putting up smoke and mirrors now is because they believe McCarthy HAS prepared for Teddy, meaning he hasn't prepared as much for Ponder, meaning that if the perception that Ponder will likely play is growing, he will need to spend some last-minute energy gameplanning for Ponder instead of refining the gameplan for Teddy.

LEAFMAN THE PURPLE FAN

so in other words...they don't know we know they know we know... it's genius!!

[MikethePurple]

That's too bad that Smith was the one who was waived. Hopefully, no one picks him up and we'll be able to sign him back to the practice squad as I believe he is still eligible? He may have just been another training camp and preseason stand out but he looked like he had potential and I'd like to see if he develops.

[Texas Vike]

Ponder is starting tonight:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... vs-packers

[cstelter]

so in other words...they don't know we know they know we know... it's genius!!

Zimmer (in Black): All right. Who is the QB? The battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide and we both play, and find out who is right... and who is 2-3.
McCarthy: But it's so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you: are you the sort of man who would put the health of his QB in his own hands, or that of his enemy's? Now, a clever man would put the young kid in, because he would know that only a great fool would reach the conclusion that Ponder is in any way a good move. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Ponder. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Teddy.
Zimmer (in Black): You've made your decision then?
McCarthy: Not remotely. Because you are the Minnesota Vikings, as everyone knows, and the Vikings have had more arrested players than any other team in the NFL, and criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Ponder!
Zimmer (in Black): Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.
McCarthy: Wait till I get going! Now, where was I?
Zimmer (in Black): Minnesota.
McCarthy: Yes, Minnesota. And you must have suspected I would have known the arrest history, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Teddy!
Zimmer (in Black): You're just stalling now.
McCarthy: You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? You've beaten Atlanta, which means you're exceptionally strong with Teddy, so you could be relying on your him to save you, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Ponder. But, you've also bested my team in 2012 to make the playoffs, only to lose miserably in the wildcard, which means you must have studied, and in studying you must have learned that Ponder is better than *someone*, so I can clearly not prepare for Teddy.
Zimmer (in Black): You're trying to trick me into giving away something. It won't work.
McCarthy: IT HAS WORKED! YOU'VE GIVEN EVERYTHING AWAY! I KNOW WHO IS STARTING!

[Laserman]

The NFl Channel reports that Ponder will get the start. Gosh , this game is over before it starts. I guess all we'll do is run the ball and concede this game. I thought He would never see the field in a Viking uniform again. We'd have a better that with Tavaris Jackson at QB

[ThePiper]

Watch Ponder have a career game!!!

[yezzir]

Ponder is starting tonight:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... vs-packers

Nooooooo. He's so bad.

I did hear that the dude we just brought in, not MBT, will be backup.

[yezzir]

My thoughts are this: It's gonna be wet and rainy and cold. Our game plan is gonna be running the ball. As long as Harnish can hand the ball off, play him. From what I hear he's an alright passer. Let him throw the ball instead of Ponder.

[Thaumaturgist]

Zimmer (in Black): All right. Who is the QB? The battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide and we both play, and find out who is right... and who is 2-3.
McCarthy: But it's so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you: are you the sort of man who would put the health of his QB in his own hands, or that of his enemy's? Now, a clever man would put the young kid in, because he would know that only a great fool would reach the conclusion that Ponder is in any way a good move. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Ponder. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Teddy.
Zimmer (in Black): You've made your decision then?
McCarthy: Not remotely. Because you are the Minnesota Vikings, as everyone knows, and the Vikings have had more arrested players than any other team in the NFL, and criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Ponder!
Zimmer (in Black): Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.
McCarthy: Wait till I get going! Now, where was I?
Zimmer (in Black): Minnesota.
McCarthy: Yes, Minnesota. And you must have suspected I would have known the arrest history, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Teddy!
Zimmer (in Black): You're just stalling now.
McCarthy: You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? You've beaten Atlanta, which means you're exceptionally strong with Teddy, so you could be relying on your him to save you, so I can clearly not choose to prepare for Ponder. But, you've also bested my team in 2012 to make the playoffs, only to lose miserably in the wildcard, which means you must have studied, and in studying you must have learned that Ponder is better than *someone*, so I can clearly not prepare for Teddy.
Zimmer (in Black): You're trying to trick me into giving away something. It won't work.
McCarthy: IT HAS WORKED! YOU'VE GIVEN EVERYTHING AWAY! I KNOW WHO IS STARTING!

Classic! Loved it.

[Texas Vike]

My thoughts are this: It's gonna be wet and rainy and cold. Our game plan is gonna be running the ball. As long as Harnish can hand the ball off, play him. From what I hear he's an alright passer. Let him throw the ball instead of Ponder.

It's not going to happen. CP knows the offense better and likely has had a few days to game plan for the Pack. If it does, indeed, rain the whole game, it's going to be sloppy out there. Who knows? Perhaps tonight Ponder will rise to the occasion? I won't hold my breath, but you just never know. Let's hope they give him some protection and give him a shot at least.

[Mothman]

When combined with the tweet you posted right above it (from @christomasson) that's pretty funny.

Chandler Harnish! Go Huskies!

[cstelter]

Watch Ponder have a career game!!!

Reasons to hope (reasons-- not *good* reasons)
http://rookie.com/14M
http://min.scout.com/story/1454890-pond ... or-vikings

OK.. that list was a lot shorter than I thought I might find.. there is never any shortage of optimistic posts, but this time..

Ahh well. I'm still going to watch it.

[Leafman]

My thoughts are this: It's gonna be wet and rainy and cold. Our game plan is gonna be running the ball. As long as Harnish can hand the ball off, play him. From what I hear he's an alright passer. Let him throw the ball instead of Ponder.

You want the guy who knows the playbook. Harnish doesn't.

LEAFMAN THE PURPLE FAN

[Purple Domination]

If Ponder plays great tonight it would certainly up his trade value for next season.