Chargers v Vikings Preseason Game Thread

[singersp]

Cute. I'm simply suggesting we wait until a few REGULAR season games are in the books before we start writing the season off...

Me too. Plus, I'm simply suggesting we wait until a few REGULAR season games are in the books before fans start talking about how great certain players will be & how many more games we'll win based on 1 certain preseason game.

[singersp]

Longwell was 22 for 28 last year on FGs. I strongly suspect that Walsh will be just as good, if not better.

Wasn't Walsh only 21 of 35 last year? He's already missed on 2 of 4 40+ yarders this preseason. I think it's a wait & see until the seasons over to see if we got 2011 Walsh or 2010 Walsh.

Either way, Longwell wasn't going to be a long term answer and we need one. I'm just not sold yet that Walsh will be that guy.

[singersp]

Quote Originally Posted by marstc09 View Post
What!? You think Ponder looks better than Wilson. Take off the purple shades.

67.3%
464 yards.....8.9 per attempt
5 TDs
150 rushing and a TD

Can you honestly say that you think that Wilson is going to outplay Ponder this year? If so, I'll take that bet. Have you watched his games, or are you just looking at the stat sheet? It doesn't hurt to have Edwards and Owens to throw to. Our WR corp isn't doing Ponder any favors.

I actually like Wilson a lot, and I am not trying to downplay what he has done so far. He is playing well, but he is also making some rookie mistakes. To claim that he is outplaying Ponder is a stretch. I also have serious concerns about his height. At 5'11" his passing lanes are going to be limited and teams are going to gameplan to clog them up in a regular season game. That being said, I wouldn't be shocked to see him as the starter this year, if not at the beginning of the season, then by the halfway point.

So it comes down to the question of who I would rather have, Wilson or Ponder. Right now I would say Ponder. My purple shades probably ARE affecting that a bit, I'll admit it. My response was directed more at kevon, who is on a witch hunt for anything he can hang Spielman on.

Didn't Wilson just get the nod to start over the $10 million dollar man Matt Flynn, which many believed would be an elite QB? That's an expensive back up.

Schefter was talking about him on Mike & Mike & despite his size, Wilson had fewer batted down passes than most QB's a full head taller than him. He had 4 batted down, while 6-4 Tannehil had 17.

Granted it's preseason games were talking about, but I wouldn't rule him out as being able to beat Ponder in performance. He's looking better than Ponder did 1 year ago at this time.

This is a rookie QB we're talking about. Imagine how good he could be in his second year after having a full off-season to work with the first team starters.

[NodakPaul]

Touchbacks don't win games. We went to the NFC Championship with a guy that didn't get many touchbacks. We lost one with a guy that missed a FG. I am concerned and I have every right to be based on history and the last preseason game losing by 2 points and a missed FG.

Touchbacks don't win games, but bad field position can certainly lose them.

And I think that Favre had a little more to do with our NFC Championship run in 2009. And I am not so myopic to blame Andersen for the loss in 1998. If you remember correctly, we were still up by 7 when Andersen missed his only FG of the year, and there was less than 2 minutes left on the clock. It took a defensive breakdown followed by Green taking a knee to lose that game.

Sorry, but I just can't get worked up over a missed FG in preseason.

[NodakPaul]

TO?! You mean the same guy they just cut? Lol

Yes I can honestly say Wilson will outplay Ponder. They might even make the playoffs now.

Stats win games and yes I watched his games. I am a Wisconsin fan. The bet is on!

Wilson was just named the starter! Suck it Marrdro and TJOKE!

OK, the bet is on. What is the prize?

[kevoncox]

OK, the bet is on. What is the prize?

A season full of buyers remorse?
This isn't about Spielman. Its about a poor decision that was made.
Isn't it a bit silly to have to compare a guy drafted in the 3rd round this year with our QB drafted 12th overall last year. The fact that we are even able to compare them is laughable and a clear sign where this franchise is headed. It's TJack all over, they threw a ball, we swung when we shouldn't and we missed. The sad thing is, it's going to take years to fix. Nothing I saw out of Ponder has made me feel better. He has trouble throwing the ball and the majority of his picks are trying to get it to the outside.

[tastywaves]

A season full of buyers remorse?
This isn't about Spielman. Its about a poor decision that was made.
Isn't it a bit silly to have to compare a guy drafted in the 3rd round this year with our QB drafted 12th overall last year. The fact that we are even able to compare them is laughable and a clear sign where this franchise is headed. It's TJack all over, they threw a ball, we swung when we shouldn't and we missed. The sad thing is, it's going to take years to fix. Nothing I saw out of Ponder has made me feel better. He has trouble throwing the ball and the majority of his picks are trying to get it to the outside.

Kevon, you've made up your mind on Ponder and that's fine. You may be right, I think your selling him a bit short and are basing it more on your disapproval of the pick then you are in what you see. I don't think he's near as bad as your portrayal. He won't light the league on fire this year, doesn't have the all star WR corps that you so desire for this to happen and we are not that type of team. IMO, he needs to be judged more by how much he helps this team win and not merely his fantasy stats.

Russell might work out in Seattle, more power to him if he does. But crowning him a better NFL player than anyone else is very premature. Preseason games always cloud people's judgement. They see the results and can't help but translate it into what it will be like in the regular season. But time and time again we see how meaningless the preseason games really are and how very little translates into the real thing.

I haven't commented a whole lot on the preseason games or OTA's because the significance of what is being taught during these sessions is mostly lost on a casual outside observer such as myself that only gets to see a handful of plays in a preseason game. Come regular season, when the starters get real playing time and the winning the game has a lot more meaning it will be a lot easier to judge if this team is on the road to improving.

[kevoncox]

Kevon, you've made up your mind on Ponder and that's fine. You may be right, I think your selling him a bit short and are basing it more on your disapproval of the pick then you are in what you see. I don't think he's near as bad as your portrayal. He won't light the league on fire this year, doesn't have the all star WR corps that you so desire for this to happen and we are not that type of team. IMO, he needs to be judged more by how much he helps this team win and not merely his fantasy stats.

Russell might work out in Seattle, more power to him if he does. But crowning him a better NFL player than anyone else is very premature. Preseason games always cloud people's judgement. They see the results and can't help but translate it into what it will be like in the regular season. But time and time again we see how meaningless the preseason games really are and how very little translates into the real thing.

I haven't commented a whole lot on the preseason games or OTA's because the significance of what is being taught during these sessions is mostly lost on a casual outside observer such as myself that only gets to see a handful of plays in a preseason game. Come regular season, when the starters get real playing time and the winning the game has a lot more meaning it will be a lot easier to judge if this team is on the road to improving.

You are right on some many points.
It is premature to judge but I believe I have seen everything I need to see.
I see a guy that has a low ceiling. He is going to get better but not much better.
While I think Russell will be a tad bit better than Ponder over thier careers, I think my issues is with the fact that he was taking 12th overall. We completely blew that pick. The more I see, we simply blew it. We panicked and grabbed the next QB we had available and that is a poor way to draft.

[Minniman]

I think my issues is with the fact that he was taking 12th overall. We completely blew that pick. The more I see, we simply blew it. We panicked and grabbed the next QB we had available and that is a poor way to draft.

I agree. The first and second round should always be BPA. It is likely Ponder would have been available later.

It has been reported that the Vikings were high on Jake Locker, but they did not move up to draft him. The Vikings had Ponder and Dalton about equal on their chart, but they believed Ponder to be more NFL ready. Dalton went in the second round, and was ready enough to make the Pro Bowl. Ryan Mallett went to New England in the third round, ironically, with the pick the Vikings gave to the Patriots for the Randy Moss debacle.

[jmcdon00]

Way too early to call Ponder a bust, but I haven't seen much evidence that he will be a great QB. And make no mistake, greatness is what's required of him if the Vikings are to compete in this division.