5 Ways the Vikings Can Help Ponder Take the Next Step

Wow. Not a fan of BR, but that might be the Best BR article I've seen. Pretty much agree with everything he's saying...to sum it up:

1. Give him a legit downfield weapon
2. Throw the ball downfield At least once a half...AT LEAST
3. Force Turnovers and give him a short field (Duh. TO battle is long documented, we're -5! Ouch!)
4. Give Joe Webb some shots. His run & shoot skills would likely earn film time from opposing coaches, and Ponder might benefit from some sideline studying.
5. Let Ponder Ponder...he seems better rolling out, why not get him moving more often by design...?

Our passing game is failing on all levels. The OL, tho better, still miss too many blocks, the WRs can't get open and drop too many passes when Ponder does hit them, the coaches still call bonehead plays at times, AND Ponder misses his mark, his read, and his mommy way too much. Kind of a chicken or the egg kinda thing...regardless of which was first, you need both to keep things rolling.

I'm willing to give Ponder his third year to see if things don't come together for him, but we really, really, really Have to add some sort of deep-threat reciever this off-season, or regardless of improvement, we'll see the same zone blitz still beating our short passing game and clogging run lanes at the same time.

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Originally Posted by singersp

Have him take another step closer from the shotgun position so he doesn't have as far to throw to the LOS.

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I still like CP, but that was damn funny Singer

Agree to all of those things. As he does need help. Even though he has AP!

He's a bonafide back up... nothing more... I dont' think he is a franchise QB.. but we're stuck with him for the immediate future... might as well get him some more weapons... and I don't mean Jerome Simpson, John Carlson, Aromashadu, and Mike Jenkins.. YUCK!!!

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Originally Posted by mountainviking

Wow. Not a fan of BR, but that might be the Best BR article I've seen. Pretty much agree with everything he's saying...to sum it up:

1. Give him a legit downfield weapon
2. Throw the ball downfield At least once a half...AT LEAST
3. Force Turnovers and give him a short field (Duh. TO battle is long documented, we're -5! Ouch!)
4. Give Joe Webb some shots. His run & shoot skills would likely earn film time from opposing coaches, and Ponder might benefit from some sideline studying.
5. Let Ponder Ponder...he seems better rolling out, why not get him moving more often by design...?

Our passing game is failing on all levels. The OL, tho better, still miss too many blocks, the WRs can't get open and drop too many passes when Ponder does hit them, the coaches still call bonehead plays at times, AND Ponder misses his mark, his read, and his mommy way too much. Kind of a chicken or the egg kinda thing...regardless of which was first, you need both to keep things rolling.

I'm willing to give Ponder his third year to see if things don't come together for him, but we really, really, really Have to add some sort of deep-threat reciever this off-season, or regardless of improvement, we'll see the same zone blitz still beating our short passing game and clogging run lanes at the same time.

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What is the point of 1 and 2 if he is not accurate downfield? Singer stated that Percy said other WRs are getting open from game film. Ponder just doesn't see the whole field. No vision. I have noticed as well.

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Originally Posted by marstc09

What is the point of 1 and 2 if he is not accurate downfield? Singer stated that Percy said other WRs are getting open from game film. Ponder just doesn't see the whole field. No vision. I have noticed as well.

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He hit Wright for 50 yards just a week ago. Simpson's first game we got 3 first downs on PI calls cuz he put it in a catchable place. Last week we had 6 recorded drops (if not more.)

I'm not totally sold on him either, but he is young, having only played about 20 games, with potential to improve and surrounded by a questionable supporting cast other than our two P-Stars, Percy & Peterson (one of which has missed multiple games.) And, I can also see that it would be extremely frustrating looking downfield and seeing nobody open play after play, week after week...eventually, it's going to eat away your confidence on the deep ball and FORCE you to check down short of the first down. Thus, the Chicken-or-the-Egg comparison...I'm not sure how much is Ponder's fault, and how much is the result of poor coaching, poor playcalling, and sub-par recievers.

Regardless of who our QB is, we need a deep threat who can blow the lid off the defense, so that the rest of our team can find a lil more room to work underneath. Want proof? Just look at how much Peterson and Percy's (and our TE's) averages per game went up during the short time we had the faux threat of Old Moss.

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Originally Posted by mountainviking

I can also see that it would be extremely frustrating looking downfield and seeing nobody open play after play, week after week...eventually, it's going to eat away your confidence on the deep ball and FORCE you to check down short of the first down.

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It could be, but we don't know that's true. They don't show full downfield views on TV that often, especially on bubble passes & 5 yard dumps, so we are only seeing what the cameras are showing us. It's presumptuous for any of us to claim receivers aren't getting open unless we can see the entire field on every play. That can be seen only if you're at the game and looking for it.

Percy says game film shows receivers are open & not being targeted, which is why I believe he's so frustrated. He doesn't go into detail to say whether they are open deep, short or mid-range, but I'll take his word for it over any of us watching it on TV.

If it doesn't change & change quickly, the chances of us resigning Harvin are slim. I believe he's more frustrated now, than what he was at the beginning of TC when many thought he was going to demand being traded.

We definitely need better receivers in some of our positions, but I'm happy with what I see out of Harvin, Wright & Rudolph. How many more are you going to stick on the field the majority of the time?