Lions @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 6

[Purple bruise]

I shudder at the thought of Ponder playing in todays game. As bad as the offense looked today, it would've been worse with how bad Ponder deals with pressure.

So you do not think that the offense could have scored more than 3 points? Pretty moot point but TB played a really poor game IMO

[fiestavike]

So you do not think that the offense could have scored more than 3 points? Pretty moot point but TB played a really poor game IMO

frankly, I think thats absurd. I don't know what you wanted him to do in those circumstances.

[Mothman]

Amazing, I thought that all along it was Ponder losing all these games by himself

There was certainly a lot of that talk over the past week or so. The media joined right in too. For example, I read this in PP writer Brian Murphy's preview of today's game this morning:

http://www.twincities.com/vikings/ci_26 ... ndays-game

Re-integrate Teddy: Purge whatever memories linger from Christian Ponder flailing in the rain at Lambeau and recall Teddy Bridgewater passing for 317 yards in his first start against Atlanta at sun-splashed TCF Bank Stadium. Feel better? So do the Vikings, who are all in on their rookie quarterback and his healed ankle. His return should energize an offense neutered by an aggressive Packers defense and Ponder's usual ineffectiveness, not to mention the home crowd.

The problem is that Ponder's "usual ineffectiveness" hasn't occurred in a vacuum. More often than not, it's been a consequence of his own shortcomings and issues with the team around him. Passions run so high about the guy that those other issues often get drowned out or pushed aside while Ponder gets made into a scapegoat, held responsible for much more than his share of the blame. Lack of confidence in Ponder, and his own ineptitude, was supposed to explain an awful lot about what was wrong with the team in that last game against GB but we've seen the same low point totals and ineffective offense under 3 different vikings QBs this season, just as we saw it under 3 last season. The issues run much deeper than Christian Ponder.

This team has had OL problems for a while. It's had consistency issues in it's receiving corps for a while. Just changing coaches or QBs doesn't solve this stuff. A QB doesn't suddenly transform everything around him. The Vikes had a great game plan against Atlanta a few weeks ago and it worked, in no small part, because the Falcons seemed inexplicably unprepared for it and incapable of adjusting to stop it. That was fortunate, and fun to watch, but that success temporarily shifted focus away from a clear problem. The defense is making progress but the offense is seriously struggling. They've taken a big step back from last year and I don't think it's just because of injuries, although losing Peterson was clearly a blow to their plans.

As a team, the Vikes scored 34 points against the Rams and 41 against Atlanta. In their 4 losses, they've scored a total of 29, and some of that in garbage time.

Norv and Zimmer need to find some answers, fast.

[maembe]

I shudder at the thought of Ponder playing in todays game. As bad as the offense looked today, it would've been worse with how bad Ponder deals with pressure.

I don't think it's really possible to play worse than Teddy did today. We kind of already got to see what Ponder would like in a similar situation. The results were remarkably similar. I was really disappointed with the way Teddy dealt with pressure today. It reminded me of Ponder. Some of those sacks were at least partly his fault. He needs to be more decisive, especially when the line is struggling. That first interception was unbelievably bad. There's only one positive thing that will come out of this game offensively and that is the fact that we likely won't have to see much of Asiata anymore.

[Purple bruise]

There was certainly a lot of that talk over the past week or so. The media joined right in too. For example, I read this in PP writer Brian Murphy's preview of today's game this morning:

http://www.twincities.com/vikings/ci_26 ... ndays-game
The problem is that Ponder's "usual ineffectiveness" hasn't occurred in a vacuum. More often than not, it's been a consequence of his own shortcomings and issues with the team around him. Passions run so high about the guy that those other issues often get drowned out or pushed aside while Ponder gets made into a scapegoat, held responsible for much more than his share of the blame. Lack of confidence in Ponder, and his own ineptitude, was supposed to explain an awful lot about what was wrong with the team in that last game against GB but we've seen the same low point totals and ineffective offense under 3 different vikings QBs this season, just as we saw it under 3 last season. The issues run much deeper than Christian Ponder.

This team has had OL problems for a while. It's had consistency issues in it's receiving corps for a while. Just changing coaches or QBs doesn't solve this stuff. A QB doesn't suddenly transform everything around him. The Vikes had a great game plan against Atlanta a few weeks ago and it worked, in no small part, because the Falcons seemed inexplicably unprepared for it and incapable of adjusting to stop it. That was fortunate, and fun to watch, but that success temporarily shifted focus away from a clear problem. The defense is making progress but the offense is seriously struggling. They've taken a big step back from last year and I don't think it's just because of injuries, although losing Peterson was clearly a blow to their plans.

As a team, the Vikes scored 34 points against the Rams and 41 against Atlanta. In their 4 losses, they've scored a total of 29, and some of that in garbage time.

Norv and Zimmer need to find some answers, fast.

I agree and I would bet that in the rain and cold at Lamblow TB would have played about the same or worse than he did today 'cause the lined sucked as bad or worse last week than they did today.

[maembe]

frankly, I think thats absurd. I don't know what you wanted him to do in those circumstances.

There's no dodging the fact that Teddy was flat-out terrible today. The pick on that first drive was incredibly bad and had nothing to do with the o line.

[fiestavike]

There's no dodging the fact that Teddy was flat-out terrible today. The pick on that first drive was incredibly bad and had nothing to do with the o line.

That was a bad play…Beyond that I don't think he left a lot of yards and points out there on the field today. there weren't a lot of opportunities.

[Mothman]

I agree and I would bet that in the rain and cold at Lamblow TB would have played about the same or worse than he did today 'cause the lined sucked as bad or worse last week than they did today.

Well, I have no idea how Bridgewater would have fared in that game but I agree about the line.

There were a lot of plays against GB where receivers weren't open either, which makes it a lot harder for the Qb to get rid of the ball. I'm betting the coaches film of this game will show the same thing.

However, I think the single biggest issue on the team is the OL. I view the OL as the "engine" of an offense and when an o-line isn't performing well, it's next to impossible to do anything consistently well on that side of the ball.

[Raptorman]

Well, I have no idea how Bridgewater would have fared in that game but I agree about the line.

There were a lot of plays against GB where receivers weren't open either, which makes it a lot harder for the Qb to get rid of the ball. I'm betting the coaches film of this game will show the same thing.

However, I think the single biggest issue on the team is the OL. I view the OL as the "engine" of an offense and when an o-line isn't performing well, it's next to impossible to do anything consistently well on that side of the ball.

You don't even need to see the coaches film. Just look at the replays online. The Lions defense was constantly in Bridgewater's face. Teams that have QB doing well at least give the QB 4-5 seconds to set up and throw. I don't think TB had that but maybe twice the whole game. He can't step up into the pocket, because there is no pocket.

[yezzir]

I don't cause it's not Zimmer's roster to clean - that is Spielman's job.

The Lions are a very good team this year and honestly the outcome of this game was not surprising to me. Vikes couldn't sustain drives, Lions were well-prepared to counter what Bridgewater put on tape in that win over the Falcons, and the team overall was always playing with it's back against the wall today with generally awful field position.

On the bright side, the defense played pretty well, and while Bridgewater wasn't great, he is a rookie making his second start against the league's #1 defense. I'll give him a pass and assume he will take this experience and learn a lot from it.

Spielman really has to find some more playmakers for the offense as well. They banked everything on having AD as the focus and it shows.

I think Zimmer is gonna have more pull on the roster than we might think.

[yezzir]

You gotta come to play, he doesn't have the brains to play this game , he is stupid.

Please, tell us more why you believe he doesn't have the brains to be a good QB. Can you "just tell"?

[Demi]

And now this thread turns into a Ponderapologist fest.

[PurpleKoolaid]

The guy has a few games under his belt, and is being compared to, or even worse then, #7? Really?

[PurpleMustReign]

The guy has a few games under his belt, and is being compared to, or even worse then, #7? Really?

Sad, isn't it? Mostly trolls I think... who else would have any kind of opinion on BW, really...

[Purple Reign]

Please, tell us more why you believe he doesn't have the brains to be a good QB. Can you "just tell"?

Won't be hearing anymore from him - he's been banned.