Check Down Charlie

[Delaqure]

I agree. Smith would at least encourage the defenses to play a little more honest. He has proven himself to be better than Ponder at this point. However he is not taking this team anywhere near a championship with our wideouts. Smith appears to be the best option right now to bring in. That's if San Fran is willing to let him go. They may just ask too much for him.

I'm not quite ready to completely give up on Ponder yet. I really would like to see what he could do if he had a legit wideout. Harvin Wright and a legit #1 could be a good enough combo to get Ponder his confidence back.

[Mothman]

I agree. Smith would at least encourage the defenses to play a little more honest. He has proven himself to be better than Ponder at this point. However he is not taking this team anywhere near a championship with our wideouts. Smith appears to be the best option right now to bring in. That's if San Fran is willing to let him go. They may just ask too much for him.

I'm not quite ready to completely give up on Ponder yet. I really would like to see what he could do if he had a legit wideout. Harvin Wright and a legit #1 could be a good enough combo to get Ponder his confidence back.

It would certainly help him. Right now, despite everyone talking about the opportunities he should be able to exploit downfield, there aren't many of them there.

[CalVike]

From Peter King's MMQB. Also lots on AD at the link.

"Maybe his wife can teach him how to throw."
-- FOX NFL analyst Jimmy Johnson, on Minnesota quarterback Christian Ponder, who was recently engaged to ESPN college sideline reporter Samantha Steele. Johnson also said Ponder is the worst quarterback in the NFL.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/w ... z2EfAJoaIY

[smoothoperator]

Love that smith is getting noticed.

"Safety Harrison Smith of Minnesota is already one of the most instinctive safeties in the league"

[petev_sj]

It's a little early to talk about next year, but I'll go ahead anyway.

I think our running game and improved secondary will allow us to use a QB rotation. Some games, Joe Webb's legs will be the winner, some games Bethel-Thompson's arm and quick release will help the team win, and some game will need a game manager.

I think this team would be able to survive and even thrive in a QB rotation system.

[PurpleKoolaid]

No. This isn't college. You can't just play musical QBs in the NFL.

You are right. Lets just keep playing Ponder.

[Reignman]

I don't quite get what the obsession is with making Ponder throw deep balls. He's always been more efficient when he HASN'T tried to throw deep and just took what the defense gave him. Maybe a lot of Viking fans have nostalgia for the early 00's or something. Ponder has never been that type of quarterback, nor did any scout that evaluated him think he was that type of quarterback. People seem to think that because he can buy time with his feet that he should be able to chuck the deep ball. Just because you can move around doesn't mean you automatically have an arm cannon.

The problem is he's not even capable of taking what the defenses give him and the defenses are giving him plenty by always having 9 in the box. And maybe he wasn't meant to come in here and be a gunslinger type guy, but what are we going to do when we're down by 2 scores or trailing late? We've already seen what happens, we lose. Are we supposed to pound AP to catch up? To me it sounds pretty hopeless if you don't have a guy that can throw when you need him to. That puts a lot of pressure on the team to get an early lead and hang onto it.

[BGM]

You are right. Lets just keep playing Ponder.

Well, he has "led" the team to 7 wins during a rebuilding season. I mean, if we're going to #### about him losing games, then he should also get credit when he leads them to a win.

[Dark]

Well, he has "led" the team to 7 wins during a rebuilding season. I mean, if we're going to #### about him losing games, then he should also get credit when he leads them to a win.

No, im not going to give him credit. He hasn't really ever "led" the team to victory. Its been AD and the defense almost every time. With just a decent qb, we could be leading the division right now! Instead, we have this high school-like qb that acts like he's playing for the other team half the time! If you want to give credit to somebody, give it to AD and the defense.

[BGM]

No, im not going to give him credit. He hasn't really ever "led" the team to victory. Its been AD and the defense almost every time. With just a decent qb, we could be leading the division right now! Instead, we have this high school-like qb that acts like he's playing for the other team half the time! If you want to give credit to somebody, give it to AD and the defense.

And yet, Tim Tebow "led" Denver to those wins last season even though he is a complete bust as a QB. Listen, if the current trend is to anoint the QB as the indispensible leader of the team, then he is as worthy of those wins as he is to blame for the losses. But then, this isn't really about being fair minded, is it? It's about perpetuating and regurgitating whatever supports one's own view.

[Demi]

Listen, if the current trend is to anoint the QB as the indispensible leader of the team, then he is as worthy of those wins as he is to blame for the losses.

Just like that? Let's not even consider HOW the team is winning? Or what the QB is actually doing on the field? Yeah ok got it.

Tebow? Who was giving him credit for those wins? Skip Bayless? He was traded for a couple late picks and hasn't sniffed the job since.

[Dark]

Just like that? Let's not even consider HOW the team is winning? Or what the QB is actually doing on the field? Yeah ok got it.

Tebow? Who was giving him credit for those wins? Skip Bayless? He was traded for a couple late picks and hasn't sniffed the job since.

Took the words right out of my mouth demi

[PurpleKoolaid]

Again 80Purple why? Whats special about Ponder? Cant AD handle handoffs from MBT as well? Or even the converted WR now QB (or visea/versa?) Webb?

My point is, without Ponder we would be better off then with. Wether this means playing one of the horrible backup QBs we have (thanks Spielman/Fraizer!) or picking up someone like Sage, we should have made a move. We still have a slim shot. Very slim with Ponder behind the wheel.

[Reignman]

And maybe this is more of an argument for how great Peterson is rather than how bad Ponder is, but out of the 7 longest plays from scrimmage this year, 6 are Peterson runs, including the 4 longest.

1. 82 - Peterson run
2. 74 - Peterson run
3. 64 - Peterson run
4. 61 - Peterson run
5. 54 - Ponder pass to Wright
6. 51 - Peterson run
7. 48 - Peterson run

And here's AD's 10 longest runs as compared to Ponder's 10 longest completions. When's the last time a teams best vertical threat was it's run game? Our 2 min drill should be Ponder handing off to AD.

1. AD-82 ... CP-54
2. AD-74 ... CP-45
3. AD-64 ... CP-33
4. AD-61 ... CP-32
5. AD-51 ... CP-31
6. AD-48 ... CP-29
7. AD-34 ... CP-29
8. AD-32 ... CP-28
9. AD-28 ... CP-27
10. AD-27 ... CP-26

[Crax]

Agree with 80 and it has nothing to do with Ponder. If you want to replace a guy, then do so, but don't bounce back and forth between guys.