Is it Ponder or the O line

[radar55]

Obviously an argument can be made for each but for me I really don't believe that ANY Q/B can function without SOME kind of protection and this porous group on the O line is so pathetic that while Ponders ability to function as a NFL caliber Q/B is certainly in doubt, he cant continue to be the sole fall guy considering the fact that he is out on an island all most every play and his O line is nothing more than a group of overpaid observers.

[yezzir]

Both X 30.

[The Breeze]

I've been one to harp on the line....but Ponder just makes bad descions IMO as well as poorly thrown deep balls. Too much air under them.

Both are lacking week to week to such a degree that it points to coaching as well. There is not a blame all, fix all solution for the problems this team is having at the player level.

I think Ponder played better than his o-line today.

[tmscr]

the sometimes overlooked weak part of ponder's game is that he rarely puts his receivers in a position to run after the catch. his completions are just...off. it's hard to tell by watching on tv, but going on what the announcers usually say, he quite often misses the correct read. those parts of his game should have been figured out by now.

that being said, the offensive line is brutal. there's a defender in his face/on his back far too often for him to have a chance of being consistently successful. i agree that peterson seems to be lacking something, but it's easy to forget just how often in his career he's covered up for a sub par offensive line by making something out of nothing. ponder and musgrave are getting all the heat and boos, but the line is the culprit. what plays can you really call when the most crucial part of an offense is not performing?

[tmscr]

Forget the fake FG, fake punt, Hester's 248yds, Loadholts whiffs, Petersons fumbles, If Ponder throws a better pass to Rudolph on 2nd and goal (who was open) last week, and throws a better pass to Jennings on 3rd and 4 today (who was also open), the Vikings would be 2-1 right now.

you can just as easily say "if the defense made one play on the final possession two weeks in a row, the vikings would be 2-1 right now". bottom line is that twice the offense gave the defense the lead with under 4 minutes to go and twice the vikings lose.

[Demi]

7 separate plays the announcers point out open receivers he missed or inaccurate passes. And we're still asking this question? After that Webb throw? The Jennings throw? Heck even the completions are underthrown. He had 1 on 1 deep a few times and his horrible accuracy never gave the receiver a chance.

He gets time...and has open receivers, and can't make the throws. So, which do you think it is?

[Reignman]

It's both, but come on, Ponder holds on to the ball way too long. In the WCO you're suppose to throw quick passes to moving targets. Not hold the ball and dither with happy feet. Did you see how fast Hoyer was getting rid of the ball? How many times do you hear the phrase "Ponder was late on the throw" during a game? He's holding the ball too long. And we've all seen Ponder not see the wide open target. If he saw them more often he'd be getting rid of the ball much faster and they'd all look better.

[The Breeze]

Forget the fake FG, fake punt, Hester's 248yds, Loadholts whiffs, Petersons fumbles, If Ponder throws a better pass to Rudolph on 2nd and goal (who was open) last week, and throws a better pass to Jennings on 3rd and 4 today (who was also open), the Vikings would be 2-1 right now.

Eliminate the ints at detroit also.

It's crazy how close the difference is between winning and losing.

The Vikings players are just coming up short in critical situations....plain and simple.

[yezzir]

Bottom line: Ponder doesn't have it. He could be playing with a cement wall as a d-line and he would barely be average. He is not an NFL QB. Adam Weber could be doing a better job. Sign him.

[yezzir]

Ponder is not NFL QB intelligent. That's all there is to it.

[soflavike]

7 separate plays the announcers point out open receivers he missed or inaccurate passes. And we're still asking this question? After that Webb throw? The Jennings throw? Heck even the completions are underthrown. He had 1 on 1 deep a few times and his horrible accuracy never gave the receiver a chance.

He gets time...and has open receivers, and can't make the throws. So, which do you think it is?

EXACTLY ^^^

[indianation65]

No person will argue that the offensive line should be a lot better, but with 70 to go and under 1 minute the qb throws pass after pass under 10 yards, throws in the middle of the field with 1 timeout, runs into the lineman being blocked to get sacked on the last play, and if he'd throw an accurate ball on the Vikings previous series 4 fresh downs would have happened. Instead, Cleveland gets the ball and moves down the field like a team that wants to win!!!! With all the constant negativity for Ponder, he obviously mutes all of it, included the harsh home crowd booing. He obviously gets this straight face determination (?) and strength from the sideline after each terrible series. The coaches and a player here or there must still offer the "we'll get'em next time" pats on the tail.

...wisdom

[tmscr]

Ponder had time, receivers got open. Everyone did their part except for Ponder on both plays. Did one specific player on the defense blow both TDs? When you say "if the defense..", that's 11 guys so you really can't just as easily say that.

i'm not absolving ponder of any blame. he's never going to be the guy, but not one of (or all of) those 11 stepped up and stopped the opponent 4 consecutive times the last 2 weeks.

[yezzir]

I hear fans comments here and on the 1500espn.com vent line saying, "we need to play to Ponder's strengths."

PLEASE, tell me one strength he has other than a play action, roll to the right, pass to the TE.
(And don't say running the ball, because if you aren't RG3 or Vick, that won't do sh** for you in the long run).

But, what does it say if we have to play to strengths THAT ANY 2nd/3rd STRING QB HAS IN THE NFL. Ponder doesn't have it. Either open up the playbook and let him bury himself, or take him off the field and play Cassel.

Progress can't be made while depending on incompetence.

[Reignman]

I have trouble seeing any strengths. He wasn't any good rolling to the left, and now we see he isn't much better rolling to the right. He certainly doesn't look very good or comfortable standing in the pocket, and he's lousy at play action. He's good at spiking the ball after scoring a TD though. Oh that's why all his passes are soft, he's saving the arm strength for the spikes xD.