Ponder

We're stuck with Ponder. Fortunately he is playing with more poise and showing some improvement. Putting more weapons around him may be enough.
If not for all the injuries, I think a win in Lamblow is a good possibility.
The injuries in the secondary are going to make it difficult.
A ground and pound, ball control, clock eating offensive effort would be a big help for our defense by keeping Rodgers off the field.
Ponder needs to protect the ball and the Vikings chances are good.

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Originally Posted by NodakPaul

OK, I am officially on the fence with Ponder right now.

He is certainly playing better in the final few games than I expected him to. But I believe that much of the credit should go to Musgrave, who has found a way to utilize Ponder to the best of his abilities. Part of me would love to see what Musgrave would do with a top tier QB.

But unless Ponder craps the bed against GB in the playoffs, I think he has played well enough that the front office is not going to make a major push to bring in anyone else in the offseason. Not saying that I think Ponder is the answer - because I don't. But it is all about return on investment... would we be a better team keeping Ponder and focusing on other positions like WR, possibly picking up a QB in the second or third? Or would we be a better team if we pursued a QB like A. Smith, or traded up to get G. Smith in the draft? I don't think any of the QB options out there right now are worth the price they will take to get. If Ponder can continue to do what he is doing right now, I think we would be better addressing other positions.

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Ha!

I bitched enough about him to pull you off the bandwagon and then his play turned around. Don't fall into the trap of jumping back on it yet, the season is not over.:rofl: Stay off until we stop winning then make your decision. Superstition is a bitch lol.

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Originally Posted by NodakPaul

OK, I am officially on the fence with Ponder right now.

He is certainly playing better in the final few games than I expected him to. But I believe that much of the credit should go to Musgrave, who has found a way to utilize Ponder to the best of his abilities. Part of me would love to see what Musgrave would do with a top tier QB.

But unless Ponder craps the bed against GB in the playoffs, I think he has played well enough that the front office is not going to make a major push to bring in anyone else in the offseason. Not saying that I think Ponder is the answer - because I don't. But it is all about return on investment... would we be a better team keeping Ponder and focusing on other positions like WR, possibly picking up a QB in the second or third? Or would we be a better team if we pursued a QB like A. Smith, or traded up to get G. Smith in the draft? I don't think any of the QB options out there right now are worth the price they will take to get. If Ponder can continue to do what he is doing right now, I think we would be better addressing other positions.

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BTW- I know I had nothing to do with your assessment of Ponder, just trying to have a bit of post- Packer ass beating cheer.

Joseph "Joe" Webb, Jr!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's just my two cents, which will probably result in severe mockery. :) I'd rather the team at least tries to develop him if the Team decides to shelve Ponder, rather then bring in another cast-off/reject/retread/re-do/has-been/old-fart. Dang. Anyway, that is really for a later date. Ponder may do just enough to avoid losing, rather then doing enough to win. I was on the Ponder train big-time, until being rudely pushed off, by Ponder. He still reverts to the school-yard toss-up when in trouble. The 'Vikes got away with that lame, toss-up, Ponder-ball. Love it, but still.....

Ponder has played his way into being the uncontested starter for next season regardless of what happens in the playoffs. If we're lucky, they'll bring in an old vet to make us feel like there's a competition.

Spielman really wants and needs the Ponder thing to work and Ponder has been average enough (below average by NFL standards) to make it possible for at least another season.

Let's hope we get a lot more of week 17 Ponder.

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Originally Posted by NodakPaul

OK, I am officially on the fence with Ponder right now.

He is certainly playing better in the final few games than I expected him to. But I believe that much of the credit should go to Musgrave, who has found a way to utilize Ponder to the best of his abilities. Part of me would love to see what Musgrave would do with a top tier QB.

But unless Ponder craps the bed against GB in the playoffs, I think he has played well enough that the front office is not going to make a major push to bring in anyone else in the offseason. Not saying that I think Ponder is the answer - because I don't. But it is all about return on investment... would we be a better team keeping Ponder and focusing on other positions like WR, possibly picking up a QB in the second or third? Or would we be a better team if we pursued a QB like A. Smith, or traded up to get G. Smith in the draft? I don't think any of the QB options out there right now are worth the price they will take to get. If Ponder can continue to do what he is doing right now, I think we would be better addressing other positions.

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We're probably stuck with him regardless. I don't think any of the FA QB's out there would be a huge upgrade over Ponder. The only possibility might be Alex Smith, but that's taking a chance too. Also, I don;t believe there's a whole lot of options in the 2013 QB draft pool. At least none that I've heard of & none that might be there with the 28th to 32nd pick.

[QUOTE=singersp;1134095]We're probably stuck with him regardless. I don't think any of the FA QB's out there would be a huge upgrade over Ponder. The only possibility might be Alex Smith, but that's taking a chance too. Also, I don;t believe there's a whole lot of options in the 2013 QB draft pool. At least none that I've heard of & none that might be there with the 28th to 32nd pick.[/QUOTE]


I like it!

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Originally Posted by singersp

We're probably stuck with him regardless. I don't think any of the FA QB's out there would be a huge upgrade over Ponder. The only possibility might be Alex Smith, but that's taking a chance too. Also, I don;t believe there's a whole lot of options in the 2013 QB draft pool. At least none that I've heard of & none that might be there with the 28th to 32nd pick.

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I guess we wont need one if we have the 32nd pick, will we ?

Now that he is married, our woes are over until he isn't getting sleep every night (in eight or nine months, just guessing/speculating)

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Originally Posted by singersp

We're probably stuck with him regardless. I don't think any of the FA QB's out there would be a huge upgrade over Ponder. The only possibility might be Alex Smith, but that's taking a chance too. Also, I don;t believe there's a whole lot of options in the 2013 QB draft pool. At least none that I've heard of & none that might be there with the 28th to 32nd pick.

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I really hate when people say this.
No disrespect to Ponder but almost any QB would be an upgrade to him. He without a doubt, faces the easiest coverages in the NFL, other Qbs are shown more complex zone and man schemes to fool them. Defenses do not care and are fine with letting Ponder beat them in exchange to stopping Peterson for 150 yards :). Vick, Flacco, Smith and are light years the QB that Ponder is. Kyle Orton is a better QB than Ponder at this point but would be a better comparison when Ponder is playing lights out. He is not on the level of the others listed because defense play them honest and in the case of Vick and Flacco are trying specifically to stop them. Him being a Viking we tend to envision that he is better than we really thing but there is a reason we are DEAD LAST in passing. There is a reason his 3 passes of 15 yards in 1 game was a season high and lastly there is a reason that the 67 yarder to Wright made most of us spit out our beer. I don't think a 67 yard pass by any of the 3 I listed would be surprising.