Texans @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Preseason #1

[PurpleKoolaid]

First. Cassel is terrible. But the backup is always the most popular guy in time.

Second. There is waaayy too much overreaction to 2 passes in the 1st pre-season game. In order to play Ponder longer that means you have to play the rest of the first teamers. Do you want Kalil or someone getting hurt? Or do you want Ponder out there with Seth Olsen and DeMarcus Love and have him look like MBT and Vandenberg did? Then everyone would really complain.

Is there an option of not wanting him to play at all?

[losperros]

Actively looking? We don't have to actively look, friend. And I for 1 don't dislike him. I just don't want him as our QB, or on this team. I still like Tjoke, but I don't want to see him here. I will admit, I never liked McNabb.

I figure we should at least wait until the Vikings play Buffalo. Ponder will play the entire 1st quarter then. And he'll probably play more during the 3rd game. I don't know. I just can't tell much from two passes and I'm still not convinced that Cassel is a step above Ponder, regardless what Ponder does.

OTOH, there are some bright spots to focus on already. Personally, I'm really impressed by Cordarrelle Patterson's first game efforts. Tall, fast, and (from what I can tell on TV) he seems to be running his routes decently. And he's running a variety of routes, which means he must be catching on to the Vikings offensive attack. I don't see anything "clunky" about him.

As much as I can't believe I'm saying this, I was also pleasantly surprised by Stephen Burton. The guy not only made a great catch but he followed it with a nice run. He looks trimmer to me this season, though I could be wrong about that. But it's as if he shed some extra weight and got quicker. If he keeps it up, Burton may make the team, which is something I never thought would happen this year.

I sure hope Sharif Floyd will bounce back and his injury won't be a big deal. He looked quick to me. Could be a great replacement for K-Will in time.

[Mothman]

I know Cassel is not the answer, Ponder is still the man for the reason you stated he is coming off a 10-6 season. However I am is interested if he can do it again if a.p doesn't rush for 2000 yards.

I'm interested too. Hopefully, he'll have more help this season. I really want to see if Jennings and Patterson make a big difference for the team.

[Mothman]

As much as I can't believe I'm saying this, I was also pleasantly surprised by Stephen Burton.

LOL! I was going to say the same thing. I've seen quite a bit of the game now and he looked good. He ran a nice route on that long first quarter catch and then did a terrific job of running after the catch. He also showed the kind of effort that helped him make the team last year by blocking for Line on the long TD play. He looks like a guy who is determined not to lose his roster spot.

[Funkytown]

This thread is looking like something you'd see on an espn board. It always amazes.... me these game threads where people lose their friggin minds over things that happen in the first qtr. Thank god some of you will have no way possible to ever actually influence the outcome of a game. You'd just collapse under the first sign of adversity.

Personally, I think there are several of you who just need to be held gently and have your feelings validated.....maybe a little kiss on the check or forehead.
'smoooch smooch' There ya go sweet pea~

Agreed.

As far as the second little paragraph here...that's just too funny.

[Funkytown]

I see a lot of hating going on in this thread....lol. This was one pre-season game. Yes Ponder needs a lot of reps but week 1 of the pre-season is really about evaluating our 2nd-4th stringers. Look at it from the coaches perspective. Why give Ponder more reps this early? So the fans can be happy? Apparently Frazier wasn't looking to see anything from Ponder this game so him playing wasn't really much of a necessity.

Now game 2 and 3 might be different. Especially, game 3. Even then, how Ponder plays during the pre-season won't affect his position. I think the only way Ponder can truly lose his spot is if he performs poorly during the regular season. Im going to cut Ponder a little slack and say he probably needs more time to gel with the WRs. This isn't a game of Madden where you can just stick good players on the team and expect immediate results. I think in due time, Ponder can get better. But this is just the first game, a pre-season game at that, wayyyyyyyyyyyy too early to panic.

We've talked privately about all of the positives about this board compared to our previous two...but this one is finally showing its true colors, huh? It is starting to resemble our other ones. I feel at home. Don't you? lol.

Anyways--good, solid post. I couldn't agree more.

And, yes, in case you're wondering...it is ALWAYS about making the fans happy when it comes to personal stats, especially concerning the quarterback position...never about what is best for the team, winning, staying healthy, evaluating players, etc. It's always about pleasing the fans with the individual stats they are looking for, especially in the preseason. It's a huge, huge deal then!

[allday1991]

I'm interested too. Hopefully, he'll have more help this season. I really want to see if Jennings and Patterson make a big difference for the team.

I hope so too! don't forget about Wright it will be good to see what they can do in a full season together. I am quite excited at the overall potential of the offense.

[mosscarter]

its not the fact he threw only 2 passes that is upsetting most people, its the fact that one of them was a poorly thrown ball for a pic. downright pathetic.

[Funkytown]

its not the fact he threw only 2 passes that is upsetting most people, its the fact that one of them was a poorly thrown ball for a pic. downright pathetic.

What if one was for a TD and the other was a pick?

Would that mean "Super Bowl, homeboy" or 6-10?

All this fuss over a preseason opener...wow.

[Funkytown]

It's an overreaction because it's two passes in the first pre-season game. Those two passes mean absolutely nothing in regards to whether Ponder sucks or not. And the reason he didn't get more reps is because in order to give him more reps every other start (the ones who dressed at least) have to be out there with him, risking injury.

Ponder's future and past is irrelevant to the 2 passes in a meaningless pre-season game and will have no positive or negative effect.

If his first and only pass was a 50 yard TD and then he came out no one would be #### about how much he played and anyone who raved about it would get shot down with "it's just pre-season" comments.

Very insightful and true.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Again, why play Ponder in the preseason at all with that attitude? The score is meaningless. Ponder's sucking isn't. If he bounces back next week, with the best quarter of his life, is that meaningless as well? 2 throws, one of them an INT on a ball he shouldn't have thrown, isn't good no matter how you cut it.

If you don't like the amount of posts about it, perhaps stop posting?

[Purple bruise]

I am very pleased with the way this team is shaping up. This is after all the second year of the proclaimed rebuild.
It looks as if Cassell might be the backup the Vikes could have used after Ponder went down. Patterson looks like a Moss/Harvin hybred with limitless potential.
Rhodes was a huge pickup and so was Floyd.
Looks like blue sky for this team improving on their record from last year and with Ponder developing into the franchize QB that he was drafted to be.

[Funkytown]

Again, why play Ponder in the preseason at all with that attitude? The score is meaningless. Ponder's sucking isn't. If he bounces back next week, with the best quarter of his life, is that meaningless as well? 2 throws, one of them an INT on a ball he shouldn't have thrown, isn't good no matter how you cut it.

Meaningless? No. Meaningful? No. Somewhere in the middle? Maybe.

It's about keeping things in perspective. A lot of fans are all or nothing, rather than sensible and logical.

And from my perspective, it was 2 passes in the first preseason game...no matter what the results were, it is still just 2 passes in the first preseason game. I'm not convinced that means anything for the season moving forward. It's simply too early to form a logical argument either way. I'll be saying the same thing throughout the preseason, too. PREseason. Others might soak up a good showing by Ponder next week, though. Wouldn't put too much stock in it, though.

[The Breeze]

If Ponder had a season similar to what Wilson had last year, no one on this board would be talking about Cassel right now.

Better?

I suppose.....but it is what it is. Wilson could stumble this season and Ponder could play a key role in winning the division this year.....then what? We could do that all day...and some do. But I don't buy it....I don't buy that Ponder is to blame for people having spastic colons on public forums. That's on them and their own issues.

The point most fans don't get is that the preseason is not for the fans. It's for the coaches and their staffs to evaluate players. All this ranting over a preseason decision by the coach is bizzarre. It's like Ponder has become the anti-Bieber for a horde of angst ridden teenagers.

Sure, if Ponder had won the Superbowl MVP those people wouldn't be whining about him....but they'd be whining about something somewhere for sure.

[mondry]

I am very pleased with the way this team is shaping up. This is after all the second year of the proclaimed rebuild.
It looks as if Cassell might be the backup the Vikes could have used after Ponder went down. Patterson looks like a Moss/Harvin hybred with limitless potential.
Rhodes was a huge pickup and so was Floyd.
Looks like blue sky for this team improving on their record from last year and with Ponder developing into the franchize QB that he was drafted to be.

I feel the same way! Of course they've got to put it all together but looking good so far.