Re: The bottom line on Christian Ponder as our QB
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 12:34 pm
What is the over/under on number of Ponder threads? Couple hundred?GBFavreFan wrote:We can break down individual games and plays till the cows come home, but it all boils down to a bottom line.
1st thing we need to remember. The QB position is the most important and has the most control over the entire team and the outcome of the games, than any other position.
2nd thing we need to remember. This team went 10-6 last season. In that span, the offensive line and defense played generally well, and Adrian and Percy were off the charts. I hope everyone can generally agree with that assessment.
However Christian Ponder was not good. We can point out all the stats to break that down, but generally speaking, 2012 was another "learning year" for Ponder, and no one would say he is the one most responsible for us being in the playoffs. Even though we won 10 games, I don't think anyone would claim that Ponder had 10 good games. If he did, Adrian might not have won the MVP. We have to remember that.
So the bottom line on 2012, is the team played well enough all-around, that despite a "learning" QB, we went 10-6 and a wild card team. So where do you go from there? Considering the biggest weakness was the passing game for 2012, logically for the Vikings to take that next step, the QB play has to take the next step as well.
FF to 2013. We're 0-3, and in all 3 games they were close (10, 1, 4) Now let's pretend the Vikings D held off these last minute drives and we're 2-1. Would you really be that confident in this team with Ponder? Would those two defensive stops suddenly make our passing attack lethal? Would Cutler missing the endzone last week suddenly put Christian Ponder on a clear path to the Super Bowl? Heck no. 3-0 or 2-1, would make us the 2012 Vikings all over again. Winning games DESPITE, not because of our QB, and that's a formula that does not last, and it would be a matter of time before Ponder's play cost us games, just like last year, and we would be the weakest team in the playoffs once again. If your bar is two inches from the ground, then you would be very happy. But if you actually want to be a top team, capable of winning the SB, this is not good enough.
Focusing on the o-line and defense, (while legitimate as for determining the elements of these first three games), is ignoring the real problem. The absolute bottom line is, whether we are 3-0 or 0-3, the Vikings cannot take that next step until the QB play improves. All of these temporary issues with the o-line and defense (and let me remind you how many points scored and turnovers forced by this D too), would be minor issues if the QB was simply playing better. If we got better production out of the QB, THE most important position on the field, then the Vikings would be 3-0. A tightened defense or o-line would be a Band-Aid to the real problem, and that's the bottom line.