Josh Freeman Comes Down With Sudden Concussion, Christian Ponder Set to Start

Oct 21, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Josh Freeman (12) warms up prior to the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

If you thought the Vikings’ quarterback merry-go-round would finally grind to a halt with the acquisition and hurried promotion to #1 QB of Josh Freeman, well you thought wrong. That merry-go-round is spinning once again and evidently so is Josh Freeman’s head. Leslie Frazier revealed on Wednesday that Freeman is experiencing concussion-like symptoms and will not be able to practice for the time being. Christian Ponder will get work with the ones until Freeman is ready to return.

Concussions being what they are, this means Christian Ponder will most likely be the starter Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. “We’ll have to proceed as if he’s [Freeman] not going to make it,” Leslie Frazier told the media. “We need to get Christian ready to go.”

Ponder went 1-1 against the Packers last year, including that thrilling game on the final day of the season that put the Vikings into the postseason. Unfortunately Ponder was not able to start a third game against Green Bay due to a swollen arm, leaving only Joe Webb to play quarterback at Lambeau in the first round of the playoffs. No need to rehash the final result of that contest.

Not to go all conspiracy theory on this piece of news, but isn’t it kind of interesting that just two days out from a historically bad performance by Josh Freeman he suddenly has these “concussion-like symptoms?” I mean it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Freeman did suffer a concussion Monday night – he got hit enough – and didn’t start showing symptoms until the next day or maybe even two days later, but still, it just smells a tiny bit fishy.

It smells a little tiny bit like the Vikings regret throwing Freeman out there too soon and are trying to perform a graceful U-turn back in the direction of Christian Ponder, at least until Freeman has had some time to work on his mechanics. But wait a second, wouldn’t that be highly unethical not to mention against the rules? Making up an injury as an excuse not to start a guy you already announced as the starter?

]The Vikings do tend to be pretty PR conscious. Last thing they would want to do is admit they made a mistake with Freeman. So maybe having him mysteriously develop a concussion two days after a game would not be the worst thing in the world for them. But of course they would never outright concoct an injury to cover up a personnel mistake. Even Rick Spielman ain’t that slippery.

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