Strike his name from the Vikings record books!

[DK Sweets]

I can respect the hesitation, and I'm mostly in your boat. I don't think Teddy is ready yet. But I think he at least showed that with the proper tutelage, he could develop into a very good starter, and I think he proved definitively that he has more athletic ability than Ponder. I'm not anointing him, but I am very pleased with what he's shown.

[Purple Reign]

I agree that week one was rough, and I was crucified for saying that he looked no better than the P-word. I truly cannot remember Ponder ever being as composed in the pocket as Teddy looked against Arizona, though, and his passes clearly have more zip. That is where I think he's already shown more ability, even if it is very early on.

I thought it would be fun to go back and repost some of the comments from Ponder's first game that he started against the Packers in 2011:

"Look at that f'n accuracy!!!!! OMGZ SCREW YOU LESLIE FOR HIDING THIS GEM FOR SO LONG!!!!"

"PONDER!!! NICE!!! We have a QB!"

"How 'bout the kid? Nice!"

"a qb with legs and accuracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"We may have a QB of the future folks."

"ponder looks accurate. "

"its nice having an accurate qb"

"I think Ponder is the real deal folks. Pretty fricken impressive right now for a rookie."

"Amazing how a real QB makes every other unit look serviceable."

"I am IMPRESS by Ponder's accuracy. "

"Ponder looks like the real deal, folks. He's making all kinds of throws and making them well."

[Webbfann]

I thought it would be fun to go back and repost some of the comments from Ponder's first game that he started against the Packers in 2011:

Thank you, if only to deter people from chanting "Teddy" next weekend when Matt is driving down the field.

[Just Me]

To be perfectly fair: Some of those comments about Ponder were also made after he has replaced Donovan "Pants..erm..football's on the ground" McNabb. Teddy's performance have been with Matt Cassel's performance as a backdrop (which would normally be faint praise, but Matt has been having outstanding games so far.)

None of which takes away from your main point: which was that some were every bit as excited for Ponder (early on) as some are for Bridgewater now. It's just too early to definitively say that Bridgewater will be that guy, but you still have to like where things might be going with him...

[Funkytown]

ESPN - Study shows Packers have best fans in the NFL, followed by Broncos, Saints, Patriots and Ravens



I can deal with the Packers, but the Saints too?

[DK Sweets]

I thought it would be fun to go back and repost some of the comments from Ponder's first game that he started against the Packers in 2011:

I did not want to see that.

Still, my point isn't that Teddy is the future savior, and if you look at those comments they don't disagree with the point I was trying to make. Teddy has the same mobility and accuracy that Ponder displayed; the difference is I feel like he has more composure in the pocket and zip on his passes.

To be perfectly fair: Some of those comments about Ponder were also made after he has replaced Donovan "Pants..erm..football's on the ground" McNabb. Teddy's performance have been with Matt Cassel's performance as a backdrop (which would normally be faint praise, but Matt has been having outstanding games so far.)

None of which takes away from your main point: which was that some were every bit as excited for Ponder (early on) as some are for Bridgewater now. It's just too early to definitively say that Bridgewater will be that guy, but you still have to like where things might be going with him...

It's true, anybody could have made our team look better after Donovan McNabb.

ESPN - Study shows Packers have best fans in the NFL, followed by Broncos, Saints, Patriots and Ravens



I can deal with the Packers, but the Saints too?

I hate this with every fiber of my diet.

[Webbfann]

To be perfectly fair: Some of those comments about Ponder were also made after he has replaced Donovan "Pants..erm..football's on the ground" McNabb. Teddy's performance have been with Matt Cassel's performance as a backdrop (which would normally be faint praise, but Matt has been having outstanding games so far.)

None of which takes away from your main point: which was that some were every bit as excited for Ponder (early on) as some are for Bridgewater now. It's just too early to definitively say that Bridgewater will be that guy, but you still have to like where things might be going with him...

Also to be even more fair, those Ponder quotes were for real games not preseason games.

[Just Me]

Also to be even more fair, those Ponder quotes were for real games not preseason games.

And to be even more fair: Here are Ponder's pre-season stats in 2011 (Rookie Season):

Christian Ponder ATT-49, COMP-27, YDS-290, COMP%-55.1, YDS per ATT- 5.9, TDs-1, INT-0, Passer Rating- 79.5 (in a full pre-season) to compare with:

Teddy Bridgewater ATT-33, COMP-22, YDS-226, COMP%-66.7, YDS per ATT- 6.9, TDs-2, INT-0, Passer Rating- 106.3 (in half a pre-season).

Bridgewater is playing better (at this point in their respective careers) than Ponder. The only thing 'bad' about this comparison is that it is a small sample size for Bridgewater. Teddy could have two more games like the Raiders game (he'd still surpass Ponder's yardage, though) and he'd have a pre-season more in-line with Ponder's rookie pre-season.

[Webbfann]

[
Bridgewater is playing better (at this point in their respective careers) than Ponder. The only thing 'bad' about this comparison is that it is a small sample size for Bridgewater. Teddy could have two more games like the Raiders game (he'd still surpass Ponder's yardage, though) and he'd have a pre-season more in-line with Ponder's rookie pre-season.

Small sample size is a pretty big problem here. I just don't think we can make any meaningful comparisons yet.

[akvikingsfan]

And to be even more fair: Here are Ponder's pre-season stats in 2011 (Rookie Season):

Christian Ponder ATT-49, COMP-27, YDS-290, COMP%-55.1, YDS per ATT- 5.9, TDs-1, INT-0, Passer Rating- 79.5 (in a full pre-season) to compare with:

Teddy Bridgewater ATT-33, COMP-22, YDS-226, COMP%-66.7, YDS per ATT- 6.9, TDs-2, INT-0, Passer Rating- 106.3 (in half a pre-season).

Bridgewater is playing better (at this point in their respective careers) than Ponder. The only thing 'bad' about this comparison is that it is a small sample size for Bridgewater. Teddy could have two more games like the Raiders game (he'd still surpass Ponder's yardage, though) and he'd have a pre-season more in-line with Ponder's rookie pre-season.

And if we want to go back to 2006...

Tarvaris Jackson ATT-34 COMP-22 YDS-249 COMP%-64.7% YDS per ATT-7.3 TDs-2 INT-0 Passer Rating-106.1

It's preseason. As much as I am excited about Bridgewater, we have to remember it is preseason and no real indicator of anything.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Favre always was a Packer, even while wearing a Vikings uniform. You could still smell the Packer in him.

[mosscarter]

all of you are forgetting one thing: favre is the closest thing to a super bowl the vikngs have ever seen, even closer than cunningham. favre was so beat up from illegal hits he threw that dumb pass across his body and that was it. but, we were the best team that year anyway it didn't matter. in my lifetime, the 98 vikes and the 09 vikes were my favorites, but the 09 team was way more complete.

[Purpnation]

I was wondering how you guys would react to Favre's words recently. To explain it best, the GB Packer fans are the most insecure lot in sports, so the only way they will take Brett back is if he burns his purple jersey so to speak. However what he said is likely as harsh as its going to get as he will never outright lie about how he feels about the Vikings, but there are certain things he has to say and do to make peace with those people.

After that is done in 2015, I would look for more accurate statements to come out of Brett's mouth closer to his NFL hall of fame induction. Brett's been pretty clear how special his time in Minnesota was, so take comments he makes to Packer fans with a grain of salt. Even if he won a SB ring for us, he would still have to tell the Packer fans that his MN Super Bowl ring means as much to him as a ring from a Cracker Jack box. Of course he wouldn't mean that, but, well you know. We're dealing with Packer fans here ...

You actually think Favre doesn't revere his one SB win over his NFCCG loss with the Vikes?

I know you like Favre, but face it, he signed with us for revenge, not for us. And unfortunately for him and us, he failed.

[Mothman]

You actually think Favre doesn't revere his one SB win over his NFCCG loss with the Vikes?

I know you like Favre, but face it, he signed with us for revenge, not for us. And unfortunately for him and us, he failed.

Revenge? I think he still wanted to play and the $20 million + contract had a lot to with it as well (I think they paid him about $25 million for two seasons).

He's even said that when he came back in 2010 it was for the money.

[Mothman]

Favre came back in 2010 because he Childress and others got on their hands and knees begging him. I'm sure the $20 million or whatever it was didn't hurt either.

As it says at the link above:

We now have the definitive answer to why Brett Favre decided to forgo retirement in 2010 and return to the Minnesota Vikings for what proved to be a second disastrous season.

"The money was too good," Favre said in an interview with Deion Sanders that aired on the NFL Network's "No Huddle: Favre and Sanders" show Thursday, July 19. "I hate to say it's about money, but I felt the money was a lot."