Comments on: It’s time to play the rookie! http://thevikingage.com/2011/10/09/its-time-to-play-the-rookie/ A Minnesota Vikings Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more. Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:02:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: TomSimano http://thevikingage.com/2011/10/09/its-time-to-play-the-rookie/comment-page-1/#comment-10560 TomSimano Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:54:58 +0000 http://thevikingage.com/?p=7041#comment-10560 @tuckerbjt This is true, I'm also in the playing to win category, really not matter the record. I enjoy the Vikings, and regardless of record I am rooting for them to win. If we finished 7-9, and 2 of our victories were against the Packers, that would be damn cool. Ok, one victory and I'd be happy. If we are getting a little better week by week then cool, play to win, otherwise you are right, the veterans check out. All has been quiet on the Ponder front, we've not heard anything about his development, so we don' t know how where he's at, maybe he is overloaded at this point. I guess for me the best time for a change would be during the bye week, give the rookie extra time to prepare...if it's going to happen, that is when we will see a change. @tuckerbjt This is true, I’m also in the playing to win category, really not matter the record. I enjoy the Vikings, and regardless of record I am rooting for them to win. If we finished 7-9, and 2 of our victories were against the Packers, that would be damn cool. Ok, one victory and I’d be happy. If we are getting a little better week by week then cool, play to win, otherwise you are right, the veterans check out.

All has been quiet on the Ponder front, we’ve not heard anything about his development, so we don’ t know how where he’s at, maybe he is overloaded at this point.

I guess for me the best time for a change would be during the bye week, give the rookie extra time to prepare…if it’s going to happen, that is when we will see a change.

]]> By: tuckerbjt http://thevikingage.com/2011/10/09/its-time-to-play-the-rookie/comment-page-1/#comment-10559 tuckerbjt Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:59:34 +0000 http://thevikingage.com/?p=7041#comment-10559 My feelings on this topic have flipped and flopped every week. Right now, I don't see the utility in throwing Ponder in. I'm not much for the "let's see what we've got" mentality. There are veterans on this team that I would like to keep around and playing hard for a few years...and, honestly, in the modern NFL, who can say that Minnesota couldn't rip off a winning streak? I agree: that sounds ridiculous right now. But we've seen weird things happen. (I don't mean they would go 12-4 and win the super bowl, but would any of us be upset if they went 7-9 and this year? I would be pretty happy considering how we started.) The offensive line was very good against Arizona, but pretty bad the rest of the year, and I'm not ready to trust them just yet. Please don't let Ponder get beat up. I am a proponent of "playing to win," even when your team is 1-4 and realistically has no chance to catch the top two teams in your division. In this case, I feel comfortable trusting Frazier; Leslie is at practice every day, so he knows where Ponder's development is. Leslie knows the pulse of the locker room, so I trust that he is considering how it would affect the team. I think it is sort of tragic when young guys get thrust in before they are ready; granted I dont know if Ponder is ready....I just dont want to find out the hard way. I also worry that we will put him in and then make him run the Tarvaris Jackson offense: run run, play action short pass....run run, play action short pass... That's not how you "see what you've got," that's how you stunt a QBs growth and stunt your offense in the process. If I could somehow get a guarantee that Musgrave and Frazier would really let Ponder loose, I'd be OK.... My feelings on this topic have flipped and flopped every week. Right now, I don’t see the utility in throwing Ponder in. I’m not much for the “let’s see what we’ve got” mentality. There are veterans on this team that I would like to keep around and playing hard for a few years…and, honestly, in the modern NFL, who can say that Minnesota couldn’t rip off a winning streak? I agree: that sounds ridiculous right now. But we’ve seen weird things happen. (I don’t mean they would go 12-4 and win the super bowl, but would any of us be upset if they went 7-9 and this year? I would be pretty happy considering how we started.)

The offensive line was very good against Arizona, but pretty bad the rest of the year, and I’m not ready to trust them just yet. Please don’t let Ponder get beat up.

I am a proponent of “playing to win,” even when your team is 1-4 and realistically has no chance to catch the top two teams in your division. In this case, I feel comfortable trusting Frazier; Leslie is at practice every day, so he knows where Ponder’s development is. Leslie knows the pulse of the locker room, so I trust that he is considering how it would affect the team. I think it is sort of tragic when young guys get thrust in before they are ready; granted I dont know if Ponder is ready….I just dont want to find out the hard way. I also worry that we will put him in and then make him run the Tarvaris Jackson offense: run run, play action short pass….run run, play action short pass… That’s not how you “see what you’ve got,” that’s how you stunt a QBs growth and stunt your offense in the process. If I could somehow get a guarantee that Musgrave and Frazier would really let Ponder loose, I’d be OK….

]]> By: TomSimano http://thevikingage.com/2011/10/09/its-time-to-play-the-rookie/comment-page-1/#comment-10557 TomSimano Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:04:21 +0000 http://thevikingage.com/?p=7041#comment-10557 Scott, I'm with ya' man, I thought the same thing last week, give the ball to Ponder, give him 5 games, if he flops or is not showing anything, put in Webb. I do want to keep McNabb, as a veteran he should know that getting benched isn't the end of the world for him. However, yesterday Aromashodu and Jenkins have showed some things, and Percy is always a good WR. If there is a rhythm established, and Percy can be used in the slot and moved around, that would help any rookie QB. Also, Ponder has the benefit of a offensive line that has looked marginally OK and even average (which is IONS ahead of what we thought we'd have). We have Peterson running like a possessed man, and that's a good situation for a rookie. Also, 0 pressure to win because we're statistically out of it. Scott, I’m with ya’ man, I thought the same thing last week, give the ball to Ponder, give him 5 games, if he flops or is not showing anything, put in Webb. I do want to keep McNabb, as a veteran he should know that getting benched isn’t the end of the world for him.

However, yesterday Aromashodu and Jenkins have showed some things, and Percy is always a good WR. If there is a rhythm established, and Percy can be used in the slot and moved around, that would help any rookie QB.

Also, Ponder has the benefit of a offensive line that has looked marginally OK and even average (which is IONS ahead of what we thought we’d have). We have Peterson running like a possessed man, and that’s a good situation for a rookie.

Also, 0 pressure to win because we’re statistically out of it.

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