Benching Cassel After Loss To Panthers

[Hunter Morrow]

So, people were saying that the Panthers were going to be good this year and that it wasn't right to bench Cassel after that loss.

So, now the Panthers are 7-3 with 6 straight wins, one of them over the Patriots.

They have won several games by these margins and haven't had an opponent score more than 22 points on them since September.

38-0
35-10
30-15
31-13
34-10

So should we have pulled the plug on Cassel against a team with a great defense in only his second start for the team?

This is a team that pretty easily could end the season 12-4. Sure, they play weak opponents, but they can't help their schedule
and they beat 'em by 20.

[losperros]

I'll have to admit that I'm not upset with the Vikings for benching Cassel and giving Ponder one last shot. Ponder has the most experience with the team among the three QBs currently on the roster.

However, things have changed. I'll be shocked and disappointed if the Vikings don't start Freeman or Cassel at this point.

[maembe]

I agree with the decision. There's no reason to play Cassel, he's terrible. They should be playing Freeman.

[indianation65]

It is amazing how two people can look at the same painting and see completely different paintings. Cassel is not terrible. He is a very good quarterback, and if he had started the record could/would be much different. After the Pittsburgh game you could hear it in the "players on the field," they wanted him to stay. Carolina is a real contender, and the entire Vikes team/coaches were terrible in that game. It was a lopsided fluke that happens to all/any teams in any given season. I'd surmise the "1" painting we all see the same might be the Ponder portrait.

Addendum: Regarding the title to this topic--Is this the biggest mistake of the season, benching Cassel? I'd say so...again, there are only a couple of really good defenses. If Minnesota had better qb accuracy from Ponder, the Vikes would have rolled up more points, and the defense wouldn't have suffered so much. Good qb play doesn't solve defensive problems, but you cats know what I mean. Okay, the horse has had enough from the INation!

...wisdom ? Who knows?

[Laserman]

If cassel would have stayed the Starting Qb we wouldn't have only 2 wins. He puts zip on passes Ponder can only dream of doing. Frasier must have something against him. He is BY FAR the best QB on the team.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

Lol Cassel is a bum too. The fact that people think we would be in the hunt or substantially better with Cassel is comical.

Freeman needs to start the last six. If by some miracle he looks like he did in 2010, we may just end up benefiting. Regardless, this team HAS to look for a QB this offseason no matter what happens.

[Funkytown]

I was all for starting Cassel from week 1. IMO, he's still the best QB that gives the receivers a chance to make plays and succeed. My guess is the Vikings would still be in the hunt if Cassel was the QB. Contrary to popular belief, Pittsburgh is not a terrible defense.

I don't think I was all for starting Cassel week 1, because I understood what was going on, but I certainly agree with the rest of this. We lost a few very winnable games, and I think, as do others, that we would have won those games with better QB play, despite what the defense was or wasn't doing.

coulda, shoulda, woulda... *sigh*

[HardcoreVikesFan]

Don't you think Cassel:

is more comfortable in the pocket
is more accurate
has better downfield vision
throws a better ball
does PA better
has more experience
gets more respect from the opposing defense


than Ponder?

How can you say it wouldn't have made a difference? 2 more wins would've put the Vikings right back in the mix in the North.

FWIW, I never once said Ponder was better than Cassel. Cassel is a better QB, but that isn't saying much. I still don't see us any better than 3-7 if Cassel had started every game with the way this team operates.

Coaching, defense, and offensive line play would still be destroying us even if Cassel had started/was starting every game. People just have to face reality: this team is trash. It needs to be rebuilt from both a personnel stand point and a management stand point.

[The Breeze]

I think the main reason for not starting Cassel is that he is, correctly, not viewed as the QB of the future for this team.

For whatever reason they still had enough doubt about Ponder to give him more starts after healing from his rib injury and the display Freeman put on against NY.

IMO Cassel is a better QB...but he is not the answer for this team for more than one reason. Like it or not, exhausting all their options with Ponder and, unfortunately, Freeman is the safest more prudent move going forward.

To me it's not about squeaking out an 8-8 record or a one and done playoff spot as much as it is honestly assessing what they have at QB so they can draft accordingly.

There should be no doubt about Ponder now. I would have much rather seen what MBT might have done rather than suffer through the up and down possibility that Freeman could pose.

The worst thing would be not having a clear notion by seasons end.

Cassel is the backup....hopefully he is here next year schooling the draft pick and possibly starting week 1.

Best case scenario for me, because I don't believe in Freeman, would be Cassel starting the last couple of games because Freeman just doesn't play lights out...which is what he needs to do IMO.

I can't imagine Freeman won't get a chance now.

[tmscr]

I agree that Cassel probably wouldn't have won more than one, and MAYBE two more games than either of the other two have. BUT, there was absolutely no way he shouldn't have started the MNF game against the Giants. What Freeman did (or didn't do) may go down as one of the most wretched QB performances I will ever see in all my years of watching this sport. He was so clearly not ready in any fashion to start, especially not a primetime tv road game, that someone should have lost their job over the decision to play him. I'm not saying that was the downfall of the season by any means, but to essentially end any chance Cassel had as QB of this team to throw in a guy who hasn't even dressed the majority of the time he's been here was lunacy. The vikings almost certainly would have won that game with even average QB play.

[chicagopurple]

The debate is pointless. NONE OF THESE aNd would start on ANY contending teams. NONE OF OUR COACHES are top notch. NONE of our secondary guys can cover a premier Wide Outs. There is a lo
t to do

[TremorVike13]

Yes Sir and I could watch your avatar all day, great stuff.
I do believe this is the year we get our QB.

[majorm]

I truly believe Ponder will start the rest of the season. As awful as that is I think I finally get it. I'm convinced that the Vikings believe Freeman has just gone off the cliff and brings absolutely nothing. OR maybe he's been looking good in practice and they don't want to showcase him to other potential FA bidders. The latter scenario is unlikely but either way, no reason to start hiim.

Cassel is a backup. Nothing more, nothing less. There is NO chance he will be the starter here barring injury to the #1. Although I feel he is probably the best bet to be back with the team next season. He is a solid guy to have as a backup, but there is really nothing to be gained by playing him any more this year.

So, wins mean nothing. Evaluating Freeman is apparently no longer a concern. Might as well ride the Ponder horse until it dies a slow, painful death. And we get to suffer basically the same fate watching him do what he does best.