Who should start at QB?

[Mothman]

I chose not to include this in one of the Bridgewater threads because this post has as much to do with Matt Cassel as it does with Bridgewater.

Ben Goessling wrote a blog entry today about Bridgewater's chances to start:

Vikings: On Bridgewater's starting chances

The Minnesota Vikings begin their rookie minicamp today, giving their coaching staff its first chance to work with rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. From now until September, the key question with Bridgewater figures to be, "How soon will he start?" It's always a tantalizing issue with quarterbacks drafted in the first round, but in this particular case, it revolves around a team that has the intent -- and the setup -- to have Bridgewater sit, and a quarterback who has little experience doing so.

Bridgewater was starting by the third game of his freshman season at Louisville, after graduating early so he could be on campus for spring football. "He came in in January, so we were able to get him at mid-semester," former Louisville coach Charlie Strong said last week. "He was able to come in, go through the winter conditioning, go through summer conditioning, and then he was ready to go play in the fall. We had a starter get injured in our rival game against Kentucky, and he kept the position and had a remarkable career."

He didn't turn 19 until the regular season of his freshman year was almost over, but Bridgewater had seized the job for the next three years, displaying a voracious appetite for film study and an aptitude for the Cardinals' offense that let offensive coordinator Shawn Watson give Bridgewater NFL-style control of his offense at the line of scrimmage (this MMQB piece from January is worth your time on that subject). But in Minnesota, there's no need to force the rookie into action -- not with Matt Cassel signed for two years, and not with an offensive coordinator who has never had a rookie start more than eight games at quarterback.

If he can refine that part of his game, and others, in time to start some games for the Vikings this season, he will. If he can't, there's no rush to get him on the field. It's a good situation for both the team and Bridgewater to have that kind of flexibility in the quarterback's first season.

I have read comments like those highlighted above so many times this offseason that I've lost count. To me, there's a weird sense of complacency and satisfaction regarding Matt Cassel that I find baffling. Perhaps there's an expectation that Norv Turner will coach him up and get the most out of him just as Mike Zimmer seems expected to do with... well, everybody. However, I have a hard time seeing how Cassel can be counted on to provide a level of security at the position that will relieve the coaching staff of pressure to play Bridgewater. he may be able to do that but he's only started all 16 games in a season once in his career so if he gets hurt, the staff will have to make a choice between Bridgewater and Ponder. Even assuming Cassel is healthy, what is the likelihood that he consistently plays well enough that the Vikings won't feel pressure to consider an alternative? Based on his track record, I think we can expect uneven performances and some real struggles at times. If we see enough of those games, calls for Bridgewater are likely to get pretty loud. The coaches obviously don't have to listen to them but if the team starts losing too many games and they aren't scoring enough points on offense, I think theres a good chance Bridgewater gets his shot in 2014.

I'm not trying to beat up on Cassel here. He is capable of playing well and if he plays like he did against the Eagles last year, or as he did against Chicago, the Vikes offense should be in good shape and Bridgewater will be able to sit and learn. However, with Teddy B waiting in the wings, Cassel doesn't just get to be the guy fans want to see starting because "anyone is better than Ponder" this year.

Sorry to be longwinded. We all play to our strengths. My point is, based on his history over the last several years, I have a hard time seeing Cassel as a rock solid insurance policy that gives the Vikings the luxury of just sitting back and taking their time with Bridgewater because they're getting all the quality QB play they need. They can choose to take their time anyway but the assumption that Cassel, who has not been a reliable, quality starter for years, provides the insurance a reliable starter would provide, is hard for me to accept.

Who knows how Ponder even figures into the equation...

[maembe]

I have read comments like those highlighted above so many times this offseason that I've lost count. To me, there's a weird sense of complacency and satisfaction regarding Matt Cassel that I find baffling.

Baffling indeed. For someone who was almost statistically identical to Ponder last year, you'd think fans would have him on the hot seat, especially considering how awful he has been for several years.

It will likely be an open competition and I'm guessing Teddy beat out Cassel and Ponder in a competition. I'd say there's a very good chance Teddy starts week 1.

[mansquatch]

Cassel statistically the same as Ponder? Did you watch the games last season? Cassel was no Peyton Manning, but compared to Ponder it was night and day. There were a few exceptions when he played teams that shut him down with their defenses, Carolina comes to mind here.

I do not think this is complacency, I think it is recognizing that the Vikings are in a good spot with Cassell. They have no reason to rush Bridgewater which is good. However, I think people are misconstruing that simple fact with the idea that they will not start TB at all. Time will tell, but I'm going to give Zimmer and co the benefit of the doubt and assume they'll start TB when they thing he gives them the best chance to win. Whenever that is, who knows.

[CodeRedCards]

I liked Cassel when he was a back up to Brady and he come in and looked really good, The Chiefs liked him too and went out and got him
and made him there franchise QB we all know how that turned out Alex Smith.
with that said you have to remember he needs to learn a new system and so do the other 2 guys I don't think Cassel is cut out to be THE GUY, hell I would say Ponder has a better chance to start than him so I just cross my fingers that Bridgewater picks up on the system fast
and also hands the ball off a lot, I really think it is the defense that will improve the most this year and help get them to the playoffs.
Even if Bridgewater does start I think he would really just have to be a good game manager for awhile. But I honestly think that all 3 of them will have a fairly good close competition .
But to answer your question I think Ponder should start and if that don't work within a few games bring in the rookie that's what you drafted him for

[Purple bruise]

Cassel statistically the same as Ponder? Did you watch the games last season? Cassel was no Peyton Manning, but compared to Ponder it was night and day. There were a few exceptions when he played teams that shut him down with their defenses, Carolina comes to mind here.

I do not think this is complacency, I think it is recognizing that the Vikings are in a good spot with Cassell. They have no reason to rush Bridgewater which is good. However, I think people are misconstruing that simple fact with the idea that they will not start TB at all. Time will tell, but I'm going to give Zimmer and co the benefit of the doubt and assume they'll start TB when they thing he gives them the best chance to win. Whenever that is, who knows.

Talking about getting shut down. Against the Bengals he was 13-27 for 114 yds. and 3 interceptions with a 32.6 rating. The Vikes beat the Redskins as Ponder got hurt on a run/scramble play near the goal line and the Vikes had the game pretty much in hand. The Steelers game, which Cassell was credited for, was won on a fluke play when Rothlessburger got a sack strip near the goal line at the end of the game.
I am not saying for a minute that Ponder played any better than Cassell last year but not much worse and Ponder was playing 2 games injured. Cassell was released at the end of the season and when no one wanted to sign him the Vikings did.
So I say that if they both go into this season with a "clean Slate" as promised, Ponder will be starting again and should be much improved, being healthy and with a decent coaching staff.

[Mothman]

Cassel statistically the same as Ponder? Did you watch the games last season? Cassel was no Peyton Manning, but compared to Ponder it was night and day.There were a few exceptions when he played teams that shut him down with their defenses, Carolina comes to mind here.

Carolina, Cincinnati, Detroit...

I thought the comparison was more like night and later that night. There was a huge psychological relief factor associated with Cassel. A LOT of people were dying to see anyone other than Ponder playing QB for the Vikings and consequently, there was a greater willingness to overlook or forgive Cassel's shortcomings simply because he wasn't Ponder. Yes, there was more to it than that. He's more comfortable in the pocket and he sees the field better but overall, he wasn't significantly more effective in terms of putting points on the board and he had the good fortune to be on the winning end of a few close games that could have gone either way instead of being on the losing end. That was another factor in how he was perceived.

I do not think this is complacency, I think it is recognizing that the Vikings are in a good spot with Cassell.

Are they? That's been repeated endlessly this offseason but why is the assumption that they're in a good spot with Cassel, who was dumped by his previous team because he played poorly? In the past 3 years, he's been responsible for more INTs than TDs and he wasn't exactly consistent last year. There's not much in his recent history to suggest the Vikings are in a good spot with him as their starter, at least not a spot so good that everybody can just sit back and relax because the offense is in the capable hands of Matt Cassel for the next year or two. Admittedly, he can look very good at times and if he can get back to his 2010 form (perhaps Turner can help him do that), he would be the quality stopgap starter he's continually implied to be but can he do that? That was 3 seasons ago. Why assume he's still capable of that level of reliability and consistency when he certainly didn't deliver it last year and he finished the season with two of his worst performances of the year.

They have no reason to rush Bridgewater which is good. However, I think people are misconstruing that simple fact with the idea that they will not start TB at all. Time will tell, but I'm going to give Zimmer and co the benefit of the doubt and assume they'll start TB when they thing he gives them the best chance to win. Whenever that is, who knows.

I think they will start him when they feel he gives them the best chance to win but that could come sooner than his sophomore season with the Vikes. That's my point. Goessling wrote: "there's no need to force the rookie into action -- not with Matt Cassel signed for two years" but I think it's quite possible that Cassel's performance could force a decision next season, just as McNabb's did in 2011. In a nutshell, we all know Cassel is capable of playing well but so was Ponder. That doesn't mean either one of them can be counted on to play well and, in fact, their history suggests otherwise. Enter: Teddy Bridgewater.

[mondry]

I think the chances of Bridgewater not starting at some point this season have to be under 15%. I like Cassel, heck I even still have a shred of hope for Ponder with Norv Turner around but I don't see anyway at all 17 weeks of football go by and we don't get TB in there. I'd be kind of surprised if he didn't start in week 1.

I guess the plus side is if TB doesn't start, the defense and AP must be having huge years and Cassel (or Ponder? lol) are doing just enough to keep winning. Let's not forget we went 10-6 with Ponder in that exact fashion so it's possible.

[indianation65]

Amazing how this comparison keeps coming up, but alas, we are all Vikings nuts and want the best for them. Ask the receivers...Cassel or Ponder? It's not contest, and I do not think Bridgewater will play unless the entire offense blows by game 4, and Cassel takes the fall. I doubt that will happen though. Vikes will improve, and Cassel will improve dramatically now that he won't have a coach playing head games with him. Momentum and confidence do wonders for players! Cassel going into training camp as the #1 guy will motivate the entire offense!

...wisdom

[Mothman]

I don't know because I won't be there to see the Ponder, Cassel, and Bridgewater practice but I can say and agree that if it isn't Bridgewater, every mistake that the other two makes will have fans screaming for Teddy.

As for Cassel, yeah he had one or two bad games, but when he looked good, he looked damn good. When Ponder looks good, he looks damn mediocre. So if I had to guess, they will roll with Cassel to start the season, and try to be patience. But if Cassel has a string of 3-4 games where he is bad, then they will try giving the 'ol Ponder train one last ride (perhaps if he looks decent, we can Alex Smith him to a team).

I love that you just used Alex Smith's name as a verb.

[Demi]

Bridgewater.
Luck. RGIII, Kaep, Wilson, on and on. If he can play he can play. What's he going to learn sitting on the sideline? Start the man!

[King James]

Bridgewater.
Luck. RGIII, Kaep, Wilson, on and on. If he can play he can play. What's he going to learn sitting on the sideline? Start the man!

Exactly. And plus there's NOTHING he can learn from Ponder or Cassel. His game will be much better than theirs.

[KSViking]

Talking about getting shut down. Against the Bengals he was 13-27 for 114 yds. and 3 interceptions with a 32.6 rating. The Vikes beat the Redskins as Ponder got hurt on a run/scramble play near the goal line and the Vikes had the game pretty much in hand. The Steelers game, which Cassell was credited for, was won on a fluke play when Rothlessburger got a sack strip near the goal line at the end of the game.
I am not saying for a minute that Ponder played any better than Cassell last year but not much worse and Ponder was playing 2 games injured. Cassell was released at the end of the season and when no one wanted to sign him the Vikings did.
So I say that if they both go into this season with a "clean Slate" as promised, Ponder will be starting again and should be much improved, being healthy and with a decent coaching staff.

They went out and got Cassel this offseason, he was not some Leper that nobody was interested in. If that were the case, he would not have exercised his option to leave the team in the first place, and we would not have signed him back at a higher price.

I'm not a Cassel fan, but being a Chiefs hater, and living down here. I watched many games in disgust as he helped them pull out wins. His KC Story was this. First year, he got hurt early in the season, MCL, but played the rest of the year. The New coach was out of his element, trying to be OC and HC at same time. Whole team was in disarray. They finished 4-10, next season Charlie Weis was hired to be the OC, Cassel was starter from the first day, and he made the playoffs, probowl, good stats. Then came 2011 and chiefs lost a bunch of their starters. Jamal Charles, the Starting TE, and most importantly, Charlie Weis got tired of Todd Haley, and left. Haley called the plays again that year, just like 2010. And basically same results as in 2010. Losing season.. (Although I was about 20 ft from the field as I watch them beat the Vikings, with McNabb throwing the ball to the gophers huddled somewhere underneither the turf.) 2012 Romeo Crennel took over the team, the whole team sucked. Cassel was put on IR half way through the season with a broken hand, which saved him the misery of playing on that horrid squad for the rest of the year. 2013 came around, new GM, New head coach Andy Reid, new philosophy, and I think they wanted a new start, clean slate. So they traded for Alex Smith. They didn't want to get stuck with Cassel's large salary, so they cut him. Vikings picked him up the next day. Anyway.. Long story short. Cassel, unlike Ponder has at least had a couple successful seasons. One coming in as Brady was injured, and one in KC. Both times he had good coaching, and a stable environment. I think he could have another good year or 2 under Norv and a organization that wants him to be the starter for a year or 2, not a bunch of controversy. Last year, he was never treated like a starter. He didn't get the opportunities to be the guy in practice for the first half of the year, as Ponder was in there. When Ponder came out, the Org tried to throw Josh Freeman in as the guy, and when everything else failed, Cassel was finally given the nod, but by then it seemed like the whole team was sort of defeated. He played some good games, he played some bad games but I think this year, he is at least being setup to succeed more than he was last year. We drafted a QB in first round for a reason, Cassel isn't the long term solution to get to the Superbowl. However with some help, I think he could help us get to the playoffs.

[mmvikes]

Bridgewater.
Luck. RGIII, Kaep, Wilson, on and on. If he can play he can play. What's he going to learn sitting on the sideline? Start the man!

You can name at least 50 QBs to the 4 you mentioned who started as rookies and turned to crap.

[Eli]

You can name at least 50 QBs to the 4 you mentioned who started as rookies and turned to crap.

Unfortunately, there's nobody who can say they turned to crap _because_ they started as rookies. rather than being given time to develop and learn the game. Different players need different approaches.

[Webbfann]

Unfortunately, there's nobody who can say they turned to crap _because_ they started as rookies. rather than being given time to develop and learn the game. Different players need different approaches.

yeah, Ponder plays now just like his scouting report reads so I don't think starting him as a rookie turned him to crap. Even I will alow though that he had to work for pretty questionable coaches and that certainly couldn't have helped. Didn't see a lot of hope that he can be helped much though. Lets just say it definitely would not have hurt him to sit.