Reasons To Support Christian Ponder
By scottwollan
Let me start this off by saying that like most Viking fans, I am extremely disappointed with the QB play of Christian Ponder. What makes it worse is that in my opinion if we had only average QB play from him yesterday against the Packers, chances are we would have won that game. That being said I am an optimist so rather than hoping for him to get benched and then see the Vikings go through the whole process of finding a new QB either through free agency or a high draft pick, I am hoping for Christian Ponder to turn it around. Something I believe he is capable of doing.
December 2, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) walks off the field after game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers beat the Vikings 23-14. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE
My first and main reason to support Christian Ponder is that he is Rick Spielman’s Quarterback, and he is going to get every chance possible to play so we may as well support him to see if he can turn it around. We have heard all season that despite Ponders troubles everyone in the organization is firmly behind the incumbent QB. We have also heard all through this season that Spielman favors a 3 year plan when it comes to assessing quarterbacks. Which means Ponder is going to have the rest of the season as the starting QB and he is almost certainly going to start the 2013 NFL season as the Vikings starting QB. The only other possibility to contradict that would be for the Vikings to fire Leslie Frazier this off-season, and for his replacement to push for his own guy.
My second reason to support Christian Ponder is that apart from Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin, Ponder has a weak cast around him. Kyle Rudolph has played well the last few games but still has problems getting separation. Apart from those three players the rest of the Vikings options are as follows:
-Jerome Simpson
-Michael Jenkins
-Stephen Burton
-Devin Aromashodu
-John Carlson
-Jarius Wright (who has shown some promise)
Those options don’t read well do they?
This season was never supposed to amount to much for the Vikings after going 3-13 in 2011, which is why the Vikings never really invested in its receivers. I like many Vikings fans find that particularly infuriating considering they are trying to give Ponder every chance to succeed. In 2013 the Vikings are going to have to make some moves in this area, or they are setting up Ponder to fail.
Many of Christian Ponders criticisms are justifiable, he has shown poor accuracy, he has shown poor judgement, and he certainly has shown he does have a lack of awareness at times but he still has a lot of upside as shown earlier in the season. Christian Ponder for the foreseeable future is going to get every chance to become the Vikings franchise quarterback, whether he can grasp that opportunity or not is down to him and the players the Vikings surround him with. I am of the mind-set that Vikings fans should be behind Ponder as no matter what happens, he is not going to be benched for Joe Webb. But I am aware many will disagree with me, what are your thoughts? Let me know.