Breaking down the film from the Vikings' loss to the Lions

[dead_poet]

Good to see Krammer keeping this alive.

http://m.1500espn.com/pages/sportswire.php?sID=8210

[Eli]

Link to the non-mobile version:

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Brea ... ions091013

[Eli]

Ponder attempted at least 123 passes before throwing his first interception last year, but after a bad route by Simpson, Ponder's first pick came on his second throw. Simpson tripped coming into the slant route, putting him behind the ball and the finger-tipped pass landed in the arms of Lions' linebacker DeAndre Levy.

I just watched this play a half-dozen times. I'm not sure Simpson tripped. The ball was thrown high (very similar to a slant to Simpson that was picked in the preseason on the other side of the field). At best, it would have been a tough catch. Worse, he leaves his receiver exposed to getting crushed going over the middle. Or, it gets picked, as here. It just amazes me that a third year NFL QB can't make this throw consistently. It's maybe the easiest throw in the playbook.

[PurpleKoolaid]

I just watched this play a half-dozen times. I'm not sure Simpson tripped. The ball was thrown high (very similar to a slant to Simpson that was picked in the preseason on the other side of the field). At best, it would have been a tough catch. Worse, he leaves his receiver exposed to getting crushed going over the middle. Or, it gets picked, as here. It just amazes me that a third year NFL QB can't make this throw consistently. It's maybe the easiest throw in the playbook.

I've said 3 times on another thread, the ball was thrown high. And it shouldn't have been thrown. But it was a timing route. But people really shouldn't blame Simpson. Some dude here actually said it was a perfectly thrown ball and it was Simpson fault not Ponder's. Period!

[Mothman]

Good to see Krammer keeping this alive.

http://m.1500espn.com/pages/sportswire.php?sID=8210

I'm glad he's keeping it alive too and I thought he did a good job with this installment.

Not much has been said about this play but it was a huge moment in the game:

On 3rd-and-19, the score 27-24 in the fourth quarter, Stafford threw an incomplete pass and it looked like the Vikings would get another chance with 10 minutes left in the game. Guion's spin move stunted Lions' rookie right guard Larry Warford and he came clean to Stafford, but after he released the ball, Guion's hands came down onto Stafford's helmet, which is an automatic penalty in the modern NFL. Instead of Vikings' ball, the Lions finished the drive with the touchdown and the 10-point lead.

[Mothman]

I just watched this play a half-dozen times. I'm not sure Simpson tripped. The ball was thrown high (very similar to a slant to Simpson that was picked in the preseason on the other side of the field). At best, it would have been a tough catch. Worse, he leaves his receiver exposed to getting crushed going over the middle. Or, it gets picked, as here. It just amazes me that a third year NFL QB can't make this throw consistently. It's maybe the easiest throw in the playbook.

Simpson stumbled as he started into the route and even though the throw was high, it was catchable. Despite stumbling, Simpson got his hands on it with a clear chance to make the grab. Ponder could certainly have thrown it better but Simpson has to make that catch.

[Raptorman]

Simpson stumbled as he started into the route and even though the throw was high, it was catchable. Despite stumbling, Simpson got his hands on it with a clear chance to make the grab. Ponder could certainly have thrown it better but Simpson has to make that catch.

I must have watched that play 15 times. The Lion defender looks like he gets a hand on it as well and bats it away. Don't know if I can blame Ponder for that INT. It seems more like the lion who caught it was just in the right place at the right time. Had Ponder thrown lower, it might have been batted down. I don't know, I can't see what Ponder sees. (or doesn't see.)

[J. Kapp 11]

I just watched this play a half-dozen times. I'm not sure Simpson tripped. The ball was thrown high (very similar to a slant to Simpson that was picked in the preseason on the other side of the field). At best, it would have been a tough catch. Worse, he leaves his receiver exposed to getting crushed going over the middle. Or, it gets picked, as here. It just amazes me that a third year NFL QB can't make this throw consistently. It's maybe the easiest throw in the playbook.

Thank you. I've also said the ball was thrown high, always with the typical "Simpson should have caught it" response.

High is the one place you can't throw that ball.

[J. Kapp 11]

Simpson stumbled as he started into the route and even though the throw was high, it was catchable. Despite stumbling, Simpson got his hands on it with a clear chance to make the grab. Ponder could certainly have thrown it better but Simpson has to make that catch.

And Ponder has to be able to put a 15-foot throw in the receiver's bread basket. He almost never puts that ball on the money, and Sunday was yet another example.

At some point, the excuses have to stop, or Ponder has to play better.

[The Breeze]

The throw was on the high side but the fact that it was more at his back shoulder than out in front of him was a bigger issue IMO. I've seen that play run 3 times this year...twice in preseason, and all 3 have been picked off.

Simpsom got both hands on that pass and I'd like to think he'd be able to do more than pop it up into the air.

Regardless, neither he or Ponder has impressed me on that particular route~

[HardcoreVikesFan]

It is evident Ponder has no trust in both his receivers and in himself. The only way Ponder will ever be a competent QB is if starts anticipating his WRs' routes and throws the ball to a spot. All Ponder does is stare down a receiver and throws it to the open man. I honestly do not think he went through any of his progressions this past sunday.

It is going to be a long season if Fusco plays the way he did sunday all season. I honestly do not see what the coaching staff sees in him. He isn't overly athletic and he doesn't have a strong base while he blocks. Also, what the hell was up with Matt Kalil and John Sullivan? I can understand Sullivan may be struggling because of his micro fracture surgery, but Kalil? Did he lose too much weight? Is he hurt? He didn't look at all like himself on sunday.

As far as the defense goes, what is there to say? All of our linebackers suck. Yes, that includes Greenway. He finds himself out of position more often than a 'pro bowl' type player should.

Shariff Floyd was invisible and was rotated in. Hell, he was even lining up at the nose spot, which I felt was a complete waste of time playing him there since it is clear this coaching staff is not going to start him next to Kevin. Xavier was ok, but he was inconsistent. I hate the way Jamarca Sanford plays. He plays timid and over pursues all the time.

At the end of the day, it is only just one game, but I fear that this performance is not simply an anomaly. Our defense has been consistently bad at the same fundamental aspects for years, why is it suddenly going to improve after this game? Our offense lacks creativity and is pure vanilla. The only unit that played well was special teams - well, outside of our 'savior' punter Jeff Locke.

[Mothman]

And Ponder has to be able to put a 15-foot throw in the receiver's bread basket. He almost never puts that ball on the money, and Sunday was yet another example.

At some point, the excuses have to stop, or Ponder has to play better.

Give me a break. I'm not making excuses for Ponder. I said the pass was too high. I also said it was catchable.

Watch the play again. Simpson stumbles and comes out of his break low and slow and that's one of the reasons he has to reach up and outward for the pass. Again, the pass was higher than it should have been. It wasn't perfect and that's on Ponder but if Simpson had the run route correctly, it wouldn't have been a difficult catch. Ponder threw an imperfect pass that shouldn't have been intercepted. Simpson's poor route was the reason it turned into an interception.

The other two INTs were all Ponder. He threw WAY too high to Rudolph on the third one and he showed poor judgment on the second one. He had the right idea (throwing it away) but he wasn't in a good spot to do it. The wise course of action would have been to secure the ball and take the loss of yardage.

[allday1991]

Give me a break. I'm not making excuses for Ponder. I said the pass was too high. I also said it was catchable.

Watch the play again. Simpson stumbles and comes out of his break low and slow and that's one of the reasons he has to reach up and outward for the pass. Again, the pass was higher than it should have been. It wasn't perfect and that's on Ponder but if Simpson had the run route correctly, it wouldn't have been a difficult catch. Ponder threw an imperfect pass that shouldn't have been intercepted. Simpson's poor route was the reason it turned into an interception.

The other two INTs were all Ponder. He threw WAY too high to Rudolph on the third one and he showed poor judgment on the second one. He had the right idea (throwing it away) but he wasn't in a good spot to do it. The wise course of action would have been to secure the ball and take the loss of yardage.

True, however the slant Simpson ran in the pre-season that Ponder over threw was 100% on him, so I am leaning towards the assumption Ponder screws up more slant routes than Simpson does. Twice we have been picked on that play within 5 games (counting pre-season) the first one I explained was 100% on Ponder where the second was a combination of both, but however I feel this supports my original comment that when a 'slant' play goes wrong for the Viking the majority of the time it's 100% ponder fault or a combination of both, for that reason I believe it should fall more on Ponder shoulders. It's fine for Ponder to except Simpson to bail him out on a bad pass and make a good catch the odd time but it seems we except it a bit to much.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Give me a break. I'm not making excuses for Ponder. I said the pass was too high. I also said it was catchable.

Watch the play again. Simpson stumbles and comes out of his break low and slow and that's one of the reasons he has to reach up and outward for the pass. Again, the pass was higher than it should have been. It wasn't perfect and that's on Ponder but if Simpson had the run route correctly, it wouldn't have been a difficult catch. Ponder threw an imperfect pass that shouldn't have been intercepted. Simpson's poor route was the reason it turned into an interception.

The other two INTs were all Ponder. He threw WAY too high to Rudolph on the third one and he showed poor judgment on the second one. He had the right idea (throwing it away) but he wasn't in a good spot to do it. The wise course of action would have been to secure the ball and take the loss of yardage.

Place the ball where it should have been and its a catch. Its simple.

The real question is why is Simpson the quick slant WR? Why not Wright, Patterson or best of all Jennings?

[Raptorman]

Give me a break. I'm not making excuses for Ponder. I said the pass was too high. I also said it was catchable.

Watch the play again. Simpson stumbles and comes out of his break low and slow and that's one of the reasons he has to reach up and outward for the pass. Again, the pass was higher than it should have been. It wasn't perfect and that's on Ponder but if Simpson had the run route correctly, it wouldn't have been a difficult catch. Ponder threw an imperfect pass that shouldn't have been intercepted. Simpson's poor route was the reason it turned into an interception.

The other two INTs were all Ponder. He threw WAY too high to Rudolph on the third one and he showed poor judgment on the second one. He had the right idea (throwing it away) but he wasn't in a good spot to do it. The wise course of action would have been to secure the ball and take the loss of yardage.

On the second one, his arm is hit while he is throwing the ball which makes it sail. Probably would have been better taking the sack at that point. At least he was trying to get the ball downfield.