Ponder, and his big arm.

[Captain]

Are you trying to defend Ponder's attempt at a throw? Or Fraizer for not putting Cassel in to get the ball to the end zone? We all know the D sucks. I'm talking about this play.

I'm not trying to defend anybody. I'm saying I think the play selection on that last drive was poor. it was like 2 or 3 straight 2-3 yard passes, waste timeouts then try to bomb a pass downfield with a QB that we ALREADY knew didn't have that arm strength. You can't blame Ponder for the under thrown ball, everybody that has followed the NFL ever already knows he doesn't have that arm strength. At the same time, putting Cassel in isn't gonna up your chances of getting that TD much, if you have to throw up a prayer to try for a win you're pretty much f*@$@#d anyway

[vikeinmontana]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/7659 ... cks/page/2

[soflavike]

52 yards in the air.... some NFL arm that boy has.

Look at little Doug Flutie in college, from 10 yards further back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3ykWbu2Gl0

[Laserman]

Look on the bright side. Fraizer already announced Ponder will be the starter against Washington on Thursday night as well.

Great, 1-9 then coming up

[LVVikingsfan]

And like someone else mentioned ... the Vikings had seven men in blocking and only three WRs downfield for the Hail Mary. Against a prevent defense.

Yeah, they should have put in Joe Webb or Matt Cassel to chuck that ball into the end zone. One of the more pathetic Hail Marys that you'll ever see.

pretty much sums it all up if you ask me

[VikingHoard]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/7659 ... cks/page/2

Interesting that the article was written before the 2011 season. They pretty much nailed it on Ponder's arm strength ranking it 32nd of all starting QBs at the time, but I started to wonder if they were still talking about Ponder when I read "a quarterback with smarts, deadly accuracy and pro-style experience", (mostly the deadly accuracy part). Good news though, the author assured us that "Ponder will be successful", but it might be nice to know when that will happen.

Going down the list a little further, we find another familiar face at #27. Good ol' Matt Cassell. Now, I don't believe his arm strength is really all that bad, but in 2010 I wasn't paying any attention to the guy so maybe it was worse then. Still, this does beg the question, does the Vikings FO have something against QBs being able to throw the ball?

[Demi]

Never mind! I was trying to post a video of Johnny Manziel throwing this ball

And there are questions about Manziels arm strength, that Manziel fans are quick to refute.

Same as Ponder fans were quick to refute others pointing out Ponder's lack of arm strength.

And the result will be the same...a lack of arm strength showing time and again in the NFL.

[VikingLord]

The attempt is pathetic, but in terms of arm strength, I think if a QB is in the position Ponder found himself in, arm strength is the least of his worries.

And as far as Manziel goes, that questionable arm strength is really hurting him this year, huh? I mean, Bama shut his noodle arm down, didn't they?

[admvp]

I've never once heard anyone question JFF's arm strength, but hey, maybe I'm just not listening to the right people.

[PurpleHalo]

Has Ponder even attempted a pass that long in his career before?

Yes and completed it his rookie year, something has physically happened to him since than. Let me see if I can find the play.

Crap I can't find it, but I think it was in his first start vs GB, and was for a TD.

[majorm]

Man that play is even worse than I remember. He was trying to hit Wright in stride and missed that bad. This pass is worse than his bad miss to wide open AD at Lambeau last year. Give him a few more starts, I think he can get it fixed.

Yeah. That's a problem that's easily correctable.

[dead_poet]

Kinda looks like to me the defenders had great position in the end zone and he was trying to purposefully put it a bit short for his receiver would could have swung around and run it in. It really didn't look like a "Hail Mary" even for Ponder.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-high ... yard-catch (52-yard throw)

It was a lot more like Favre's incredible throw (though, yes, less "zip" on it); meaning it wasn't a deep, "up-for-grabs" rainbow that all QBs heave when they're trying to toss a Hail Mary.

Meh. It wasn't a great throw no matter what, especially if the receiver didn't know this was the plan. Maybe he thought he'd come back for it?

[Thaumaturgist]

Does anyone think that the "rib injury" contributed to his short throw?

Just curious.

[dead_poet]

Does anyone think that the "rib injury" contributed to his short throw?

Just curious.

That's also possible.

I also wish people would stop questioning the rib thing. Last night Ben Tate played a week after cracking four ribs. Why can't this be a legit injury?

[chicagopurple]

that was SOOO predictable. I warned my wife just before the play and sure enough, Ponder made me look like genius...Webb would have had a better chance, let alone Cassel. Frazier is just an ex-player with 100 too many head traumas...slow and smiles alot....the Forest Gump of the NFL. Everyone likes him BUT you dont want him driving the bus.