Was it a mistake to start Freeman vs. the Giants?

[Mothman]

They did the right thing??

So the right thing was to lose is what you are saying??



They likely would have won or done much better with someone who knew our offense better.

Agreed and I don't buy the idea that they'd just lose if Ponder started either. I know he's the QB Vikes fans love to hate but the Vikes won more games at QB with Ponder last season than Cassel-led teams have since 2010 (his record as a starter over that span is 6-13. The Vikes are 10-9 over Ponder's last 19 starts. Freeman's record as a starter over that span (not counting last night's game) is 7-12.

Starting Ponder was arguably their best chance to win yesterday... and that's a sad state of affairs.

Edit: I should add that IF Freeman looked ready to start in practice, had grasped enough of the playbook, and they're determined to move on, I can certainly understand starting him. I think the real issue was keeping him in the game and essentially sacrificing a winnable game after it became appaarent that he really wasn't ready to play yet.

[mondry]

It was a mistake for sure as far as playing the QB who gives you the best chance to win goes but I think it's pretty clear the guys making the choices don't care about winning at all costs this year. If I'm Spielman I've already analyzed this team and can tell it's not a superbowl contender and I've determined Ponder a bust and determined Frazier's not my coach so at this point I'm playing for next year.

[Webbfann]

For the benefit of all the Cassel-bashers I kept track of another new statistic, only recorded since Matt Cassel started his first game for the Vikings. This is known as the "near interception". By my count, and I was only going by the radio broadcast, Freeman had 4 "near interceptions". Thats twice as many as Cassel had when this stat was invented by Ponder fans.

Everyone is saying the "Overthrow Pass" Stat, only kept since the '90s was 16 over by Freeman, the most ever recorded.

[maembe]

For the benefit of all the Cassel-bashers I kept track of another new statistic, only recorded since Matt Cassel started his first game for the Vikings. This is known as the "near interception". By my count, and I was only going by the radio broadcast, Freeman had 4 "near interceptions". Thats twice as many as Cassel had when this stat was invented by Ponder fans.

He only had one that I noticed. Are Cassel apologists still pretending that throwing it straight to the defender is okay as long as it is dropped?

[Webbfann]

I only counted ones where the announcers said "That was almost/nearly picked off" or words to that effect, and that was said at least 4 times. I was thankfuly spared having to watch
the debacle.

He only had one that I noticed. Are Cassel apologists still pretending that throwing it straight to the defender is okay as long as it is dropped?

[Just Me]

I was (as previously stated) "concerned" about starting Freeman. He might even be better than the other two QBs (although now I doubt it) and him not being in sync with his OL and receivers will only exacerbate his difficulties. Was it a mistake? If you are trying to see if he can be the future (rather than play for the win) then, "no" it wasn't a mistake. It was a mistake not pulling him, when it was obvious he wasn't ready...

[PacificNorseWest]

Yes, it was.

The fan in me gave-in to the childish giddiness of that hope that Freeman would come in and light it up and be the hero, so I rolled with the decision, but it was the wrong one.

[VikingHoard]

I'm in the minority here, thinking that starting Freeman was the right thing to do. The wrong thing to do however was forcing him to throw 50+ passes while only giving Peterson 13 carries. Also wrong was to make Ponder the second string, effectively forcing the team to keep Freeman out there no matter how bad he stunk it up. I've never been a believer in the idea that it's necessary to baby a quarterback's ego by keeping competition out of the position.

Yes, I think he should have started. I think it was necessary for both the fans and coaches to see him play a game with the Vikings offense. Additionally, a little game time can only help him get more quickly acclimated to the Vikings offense, (and vice versa). I also think he should have been benched before halftime for Cassel. And if Cassel played terribly I'd bench him for Ponder, unless his rib injury really is as life-threatening as Vikings FO has been telling us. And after all that I'd start Freeman again next week against the Packers and see if he can settle into the role a little better, because he's still the best hope for a decent QB on the roster. And if necessary I'd bench him again. And I'd keep doing this until either he demonstrates that he can be a capable QB for us or he can not.

[CbusVikesFan]

I heard the man, Cris Carter just speak on ESPN, Mike and Mike.

Freeman is not the only guy out there, you have a whole team trying to win the game so come the 3rd quarter or when you are 10 points down, pull Freeman because you know he's not going to win. Put Ponder in. Carter even went so far as to say the other guys are risking their health to try to win.

They also speculated that Freeman is being forced on Frazier, that he had to play.

Think Carter got it. I can't buy this that in a game that was winnable, if we had the slighted iota of a chance to save the season, you just walk into this losing game plan and don't give a dang about the outcome.

That's bad, Green Bay is playing in "our house" but we don't care if they beat us 50 to nothing as long as we're testing out Freeman.

And at that, last time, GB will play in the Dome,

I mean, the Vikings have had so many great names in NFL history, Central Division, Northern Division, NFC history to go down this way.

CC was spot on. I think Spiels and the Wilf's were having coffee the day Freeman was released and talking about it, someone just threw it out there, and the snowball rolls. lol

[Mothman]

I heard the man, Cris Carter just speak on ESPN, Mike and Mike.

Freeman is not the only guy out there, you have a whole team trying to win the game so come the 3rd quarter or when you are 10 points down, pull Freeman because you know he's not going to win. Put Ponder in. Carter even went so far as to say the other guys are risking their health to try to win.

I heard that too and I loved CC's perspective. What the Vikings did last night was disrespectful to every player on the team, including Freeman, who just ended up embarrassing himself on national TV.

They also speculated that Freeman is being forced on Frazier, that he had to play.

Think Carter got it. I can't buy this that in a game that was winnable, if we had the slighted iota of a chance to save the season, you just walk into this losing game plan and don't give a dang about the outcome.

That's bad, Green Bay is playing in "our house" but we don't care if they beat us 50 to nothing as long as we're testing out Freeman.

... and if that's the attitude coaching/management are taking, I won't be surprised if the team completely quits on them.

[PacificNorseWest]

The Vikings were embarrassed. On National TV, no less. And despite their prior losses, they were still competitive in those games. This is on the preparation and decision to start Freeman.

[Webbfann]

I heard that too and I loved CC's perspective. What the Vikings did last night was disrespectful to every player on the team

But that's what a couple of us have been saying all along. Its why the team fell apart last week too. People kept saying (including you, IIRC) there is no downside to this insane Freeman plan. Well now you see the downside that a few of us had been pointing out all along.

[PurpleKoolaid]

It would have been the right move, if all our receivers were 15 feet tall. And on the same page (no matter how small that page is) with Freeman.

[Eli]

The question now has to be: Who in the world do you start against Green Bay? Freeman isn't going to get much better in six days.

[dead_poet]

The question now has to be: Who in the world do you start against Green Bay? Freeman isn't going to get much better in six days.

By starting Freeman yesterday and Cassel the week before with a healthy Ponder, it's clear the Vikings have turned the page on Ponder. By rendering Cassel inactive, it speaks to their thoughts about him long-term. The season is essentially over. It's now all about evaluating Freeman, and was the minute he was announced as starter and confirmed by his continuing to play into the third and fourth quarter before the game was lost. There's no way Spielman goes back to Ponder. He can't afford to do that and it's not like Ponder represents a substantial upgrade and a chance to salvage the season. For better or worse, barring injury, this is Josh Freeman's team until the last, merciful second has ticked off the clock of this train wreck of a season.