Vikings @ Bears Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 12

[CalVike]

Brian Murphy of Pioneer Press quotes Ponder on Twitter @murphPPress: QB Christian Ponder: "Our expectations are so much higher than how we played or what we showed."

[John_Viveiros]

On the surface it looks like Ponder has played a poor game, but really he has put the ball where it needs to be save for that INT and 2 balls overthrown to Rudy. This one is on the rest of the team and defense.

Those were the only passes thrown down field.

[soflavike]

Brian Murphy of Pioneer Press quotes Ponder on Twitter @murphPPress: QB Christian Ponder: "Our expectations are so much higher than how we played or what we showed."

At least we know they didn't expect to suck that bad.

[Lash Man]

Twitter from punter Chris Kluwe @ChrisWarcraft: I'll agree that in a dome you should never have one like that (i.e. Tampa game). In Chicago? It's called the Windy City for a reason.

@ChrisWarcraft: Also, for those curious, we caught a wind gust on that second one. It was either punt it 22 yards out of bounds or miss the ball entirely.

Kluwe needs to focus on football he's had a terrible year .

[CalVike]

More Brian Murphy of Pioneer Press on Twitter @murphPPress: WR Jerome Simpson falling on sword: "I played terrible. Didn’t make the plays I was supposed to. Those are catches I’m supposed to make."

And from Tom Pelissero of 1500espn on twitter @TomPelissero: Jerome Simpson said he doesn't think he's ever had that many drops in a game before. "I will be back full-force."

[yezzir]

Twitter from punter Chris Kluwe @ChrisWarcraft: I'll agree that in a dome you should never have one like that (i.e. Tampa game). In Chicago? It's called the Windy City for a reason.

@ChrisWarcraft: Also, for those curious, we caught a wind gust on that second one. It was either punt it 22 yards out of bounds or miss the ball entirely.

Shut up Kluwe. Don't ruin your like-ability.

[Just Me]

Twitter from punter Chris Kluwe @ChrisWarcraft: I'll agree that in a dome you should never have one like that (i.e. Tampa game). In Chicago? It's called the Windy City for a reason.

@ChrisWarcraft: Also, for those curious, we caught a wind gust on that second one. It was either punt it 22 yards out of bounds or miss the ball entirely.

Uhh Chris - Check out Wikipedia once in a while, that's all I'm saying. Wikipedia is not always accurate, but in this case I think it is close to the mark. Another source says Chicago got the name from the "Windy" politicians from there, but it seems 'disputed' at the very least that Chicago is any more windy than any other town. (Granted it's more windy than a Dome, but cry me a river)

While Chicago is widely known as the "Windy City", it is not the windiest city in the United States; Brockton, Massachusetts is. Chicago is not significantly windier than any other U.S. city. For example, the average annual wind speed of Chicago is: 10.3 mph (16.6 km/h); Boston: 12.4 mph (20.0 km/h); New York City, Central Park: 9.3 mph (15.0 km/h); and Los Angeles: 7.5 mph (12.1 km/h).[2]

The following "windy city" explanation is from the Freeborn County Standard of Albert Lea, Minnesota, on November 20, 1892.
“Chicago has been called the “windy” city, the term being used metaphorically to make out that Chicagoans were braggarts...

[Purple bruise]

OK everyone get a grip. This team is in a rebuilding year and most people are/were aware of that fact. This team is a long way away from competing for a title and again most people recognized that fact. Suddenly this team doubles it's win total from the year before and in all likely hood will end up winning about 50% of their games. Not many expectated that but it caused a whole lot of people to "forget" about the rebuilding year.
It is so easy for armchair qb's to look back later and say wow we should have drafted him or traded him or traded for him blah blah. The truth is that this team has improved it's roster and has played above expectations a lot of the time. Regarding Ponder, I still feel that with improved receivers and more protection he will develop into a very good player. If anyone would objectively look at this team and realize that NO team has any poorer wideouts than this team. No team gives less protection to the qb than this one. I swear Ponder drops back and seldom if ever gets a chance to step up into the pocket, make his reads and deliver a good pass. This is due to two main reasons. One, the line sucks horribly and two the receivers are really bad and they NEVER seem to get open. The whole thing is exacerbated by them not catching balls very often because as I mentioned they really suck. Take their best all-around player (Harvin) out of the equation and what are you left with besides AD?
Todays game was a great example. 6 or 7 dropped passes that were right on the mark, 2 costly fumbles at KEY times, a missed fg (blocked), very little pressure on Cutler (again Allen's play has gone beyond average to very very poor). And add to that some really bad calls by the refs. Little wonder why they lost this game.
You put Drew Brees on this team and with all of the Vike's problems, he would be lucky to win 50% of his games. Without Ponder's ability to scramble an immobile qb like Stafford, Bradford, Flacco, Rothleburger, Rivers Manning etc. would be on injured reserve playing with this unit.
Any how I did not lose sight of the "big picture" and I still think that in one or two more years this team will be very good with the addition of another good draft and a couple of key players added and subtracted.

[Mothman]

More Brian Murphy of Pioneer Press on Twitter @murphPPress: WR Jerome Simpson falling on sword: "I played terrible. Didn’t make the plays I was supposed to. Those are catches I’m supposed to make."

And from Tom Pelissero of 1500espn on twitter @TomPelissero: Jerome Simpson said he doesn't think he's ever had that many drops in a game before. "I will be back full-force."

LOL! So he'll be back to making 2 or 3 catches a game for a total of about 15-30 yards? Defenses must be quaking in fear.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Kluwe needs to focus on football he's had a terrible year .

Yes he has. He used to be so good. Then they messed with him cause he was out kicking the coverage. And now look at him.

[CalVike]

... Regarding Ponder, I still feel that with improved receivers and more protection he will develop into a very good player. If anyone would objectively look at this team and realize ... No team gives less protection to the qb than this one. I swear Ponder drops back and seldom if ever gets a chance to step up into the pocket, make his reads and deliver a good pass. This is due to two main reasons. One, the line sucks horribly...

The line play is not so bad as you claim.There has been some poor play but also good play.

Here's my comment on what I don't see enough from Ponder. Stepping up in the pocket. Going through a progression of WRs. Reading the defense and checking into winning plays. Consistent improvement in ANY area over the course of two seasons. The WRs are bad but it's not ALL on them and the criticism of the OL is way overstated IMHO. I recognize improvement in going from 3 to 6 wins but it's really tough to explain or excuse lousy games like today, including far below par QB play. Dave Go Vikes!

[Demi]

You put Drew Brees on this team and with all of the Vike's problems, he would be lucky to win 50% of his games.

You put Brees on this team we're leading the division. He doesn't stare down one receiver and ignore other getting open. He doesn't take off running from phantom pressure. He steps up so the pressure doesn't get to him.

And I can't wrap my head around the 50% statement, are you seriously implying he'd win fewer games then Ponder?

[CalVike]

More Ponder per Tom Pelissero from 1500espn

http://bit.ly/S5UTda

Ponder threw high on several other plays on a relatively mild afternoon at normally blustery Soldier Field. After the game, he spoke alternately about doing what it takes to avoid sacks -- he took two -- and standing in long enough to go through his reads.

"I have to stay in the pocket. That's the bottom line," Ponder said. "Obviously, we're going to see that on the film. There were plays that I could have made and I didn't make them. I have to get back to where I was two weeks ago."

[Demi]

Playing a jekyll and hyde Lions defense, at home? When everything is going your way on defense and the running game? Yeah that'll work. Just go back there.

[mmvikes]

Uhh Chris - Check out Wikipedia once in a while, that's all I'm saying. Wikipedia is not always accurate, but in this case I think it is close to the mark. Another source says Chicago got the name from the "Windy" politicians from there, but it seems 'disputed' at the very least that Chicago is any more windy than any other town. (Granted it's more windy than a Dome, but cry me a river)

Haven't been to too many games at Soldier field have you. The field is right on Lake Michigan and the wind can really swirl through the stadium. There was a game against San Fran a few years back that Robbie Gould kicked a field goal heading for the uprights and ended up 20 yds wide. San Fran tried one later and the field goal attempt made a right turn on the way to the posts. It didn't hook right. It wasn't a slice. It made a right turn. Funniest thing I ever saw. There was also a playoff game back when the Bears were good in 85 that punter Sean Landetta dropped the ball to punt and in that 2' drop the ball blew a foot to the right of his foot and he whiffed the punt. These are just a couple of examples that stick out in my head, but it is a terrible place to kick. You are right about the reason for the name windy city though. The name was given because of the windbag politicians.