Predict Ponder

[Kobs]

You don't think a passing game with the roar of a kitten had some impact there? Hell, I'd play ten man fronts and dare them.

 

the loss may have been more on the D, but Ponder was absolutely a huge part of it. He isn't a capable QB, that impacts your entire team as proven by teams like Indy, Wash, Seattle, and many other recent examples.

 

So you thought what, the Vikings were going to have a great passing attack this season? To be the team they expect to be, they have to run when the other team knows they will run. Again, this is silly. The loss is not on Ponder. If you expect Ponder to carry the offense, and get upset when he doesn't, your expectations make no sense.

 

To sum up. Yes, not having better players impacts the team. Not being able to count on your supposed strengths impacts it more. The Vikings are paying for a running team with a good defense. If they can't run the ball, and they can't stop anyone, they will lose many games this season.

[TheLeviathan]

If you expect Ponder to carry the offense, and get upset when he doesn't, your expectations make no sense.

 

I'd like him to not throw three interceptions - at least two of which were absolutely god-awful, unforgivable throws. One of which was at a pivotal point in the game in the first half when they were up with a chance to go up by 8.

 

I'd like that the team not be 2-10 in third downs. A competent QB, even working from a disadvantage, should manage better than that.

 

No one is expecting Peyton Manning. At this point he can't even manage to be Tannehill, Bradford, Alex Smith.

 

If he could manage competence, then you'd have a point. But he can't and the league knows he is an innaccurate, easily hurried, incompetent QB. Expect a lot of teams to make running the ball difficult for us for that very reason.

[Willihammer]

The shear number of bad throws continues to astound me. Underthrowing, overthrowing, at the knees, at the back shoulder. Its pretty rare that you see him throw the ball on a line and hit a guy in the numbers in stride, and I can't recall a single strong throw, much less an accurate one, with Ponder rolling to his left (that needs to end, IMO).

[Mike Sixel]

That 3rd an one roll to the left: that was called by the coach.

 

The team is built to run first, and ran on first down 13 times, and only gained more than 3 yards 1 time (I think, it might be 2). The team that is 100% built around running the ball, that team that was completely shut down but for 1 play running, that team scored 24 points Sunday.

 

If I had told you that Peterson would have 3 rushes for more than 3 yards, how many point would you have predicted the team to score?*

 

*that is an estimate, I haven't actually looked yet....

[TheLeviathan]

Mike, the running game will likely suffer all year long as teams completely ignore the passing game. I thought the most miraculous thing about Peterson last year was to have accomplished all that against 8 and 9 man fronts.

 

Ponder has an advantage the vast majority doesn't and still can't look competent. This is year three, the results speak for themselves.

[Badsmerf]

I'm right there with you Lev. The Vikings, and Peterson, wont succeed with Ponder at QB. Teams have no reason to not play run every single play. Ponder doesn't find open guys, doesn't audible into good plays, can't make throws into tight spots, gets hurried easily, can't beat the blitz... I think I could go on for a while. He is, and always has been, a terrible QB. I can probably only count a handful of times in 2 seasons where I said "Hey, that was a good play by Ponder."

 

Last year was an anomaly for Peterson. Teams wont let him beat them anymore, they are going to play single coverage and stack the box. There is absolutely no reason to fear the passing game. Ponder might get a few big completions, but that is better than Peterson busting an 80 yard run.

[TheLeviathan]

Agreed....and I was wrong above. We were up 14-6 by some miracle when he lobbed it to Detroit and they drove to make it 14-13.

 

He almost single handedly turned 17-6 (minimum) into 14-13 with a comically awful pick. Lets be done with excuses is my thing.

[Mike Sixel]

I agree, no way Peterson is that good again. No chance.

 

I don't agree that Ponder was the worst QB EVAR! last week, but I certainly understand the frustration (and I'm not a big fan of his, frankly, but I feel the criticism is a bit over board).

[TheLeviathan]

I agree, no way Peterson is that good again. No chance.

 

I don't agree that Ponder was the worst QB EVAR! last week, but I certainly understand the frustration (and I'm not a big fan of his, frankly, but I feel the criticism is a bit over board).

 

Thats fair. You're right the camps are pretty divided on him. Personally, I hope they absolutely suck this year with the QB class coming out - this team needs another high pick to fortify QB and a few defensive positions.

[Guest USAFChief]

So you thought what, the Vikings were going to have a great passing attack this season? To be the team they expect to be, they have to run when the other team knows they will run. Again, this is silly. The loss is not on Ponder. If you expect Ponder to carry the offense, and get upset when he doesn't, your expectations make no sense.

 

To sum up. Yes, not having better players impacts the team. Not being able to count on your supposed strengths impacts it more. The Vikings are paying for a running team with a good defense. If they can't run the ball, and they can't stop anyone, they will lose many games this season.

The point of all that is...you can't expect to be a winning team in the NFL based on a running game.

 

When the Vikings admit that, and find a QB who doesn't force them to try and do that, it'll go a long way towards fielding a winning team.

[Kobs]

The point of all that is...you can't expect to be a winning team in the NFL based on a running game.

 

When the Vikings admit that, and find a QB who doesn't force them to try and do that, it'll go a long way towards fielding a winning team.

 

If you believe that, then I assume you want the Vikings to cut Adrian Peterson as soon as possible.

[Guest USAFChief]

If you believe that, then I assume you want the Vikings to cut Adrian Peterson as soon as possible.

Yes, that was clearly my point.

[Kobs]

Adrian Peterson takes up 10% of the Vikings cap space.