August 10, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joe Webb (14) tries to escape San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deante

We’ve already briefly discussed Christian Ponder’s performance in Friday night’s preseason opener. Ponder played well, completing 4-of-9 passes including a 52-yard bomb to Stephen Burton. The percentage doesn’t look good but there were three drops and two throwaways, one forced by pressure from Matt Kalil’s side. All-in-all, it was a worthy opening performance for Ponder, who looked much more sure of himself than when last we saw him.

Suffice it to say, the level of quarterback play dropped off glaringly after Ponder. Joe Webb was next up in the rotation and he was flat-out brutal. Reports on Webb from training camp have not been positive and last night’s performance showed us why. Webb seemed completely lost in the offense, spraying throws all over the place and basically looking like a guy who doesn’t belong on a football field as a professional quarterback. Obviously, Webb needs a gimmick offense designed specifically for him if he is going to succeed (much like Tim Tebow). Trying to run the Vikings’ basic offense, even in its vanilla preseason form, he just looks helpless and confused.

Webb’s only highlights were the usual Webb highlights: he scrambles, you think he’s going to go down, he somehow gets away, he manages to get the ball off before losing yardage. If Webb occasionally completed a big play down the field after one of his crazy scrambles, he’d be the stuff of legend. But running all over the place just to throw it out of bounds will not make you Fran Tarkenton. It won’t even make you Christian Ponder. On the basis of last night, Webb isn’t even the #3 QB on this squad, much less the #2.

So who is the #2 QB if not Webb? Some would like to anoint McLeod Bethel-Thompson. I personally am not ready to go that far. I get the appeal of Bethel-Thompson for those who want to crown him – he has a big arm and the swagger to go with it – but we’re a long, long way from knowing if this guy has any real potential as a pro quarterback. He made a couple nice throws in his stint Friday evening, but also threw a pick and got sacked several times. The sacks weren’t entirely his fault of course – he was working behind a fourth-strong offensive line – but at times he did seem to lack pocket awareness.

MBT does appear to have confidence, but it’s that gunslinger “I can throw a ball into any window” confidence. That’s not really confidence built on experience, it’s more the cockiness of youth. Ponder, by contrast, seems to be developing a business-like aplomb. Based on last night’s performances, Ponder isn’t just the #1 QB, he’s the #1 QB by a wide margin.

Sage Rosenfels didn’t get to work but at this point I’d say he’s the obvious choice for #2. He’s got the veteran presence you like behind a young developing QB. Between MBT and Webb, at this point I’d take MBT only because he looks more like a real QB, though he still has a long way to go in his development. On the basis of the evidence put forth so far this preseason, Joe Webb is ready for the scrap heap. Unless you plan on putting in a whole read-option offense for him. But that’s not really worth the effort.

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Jun 19, 2012; Eden Prairie, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson (4) throws a pass at Vikings minicamp at Winter Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

“McLeod Bethel-Thompson” wasn’t a name I anticipated having to type many times this training camp. Fourth quarterback. Camp arm. No shot at pushing Sage Rosenfels or Joe Webb for a job. Sure to be cut during the preseason. Why bother even learning to spell the dude’s name right? McLeod? MacLeod? McCloud? Eh, who cares…

But it looks like I may have been too hasty in dismissing Mr. Bethel-Thompson. At least one Vikings observer has taken special note of the lad, and believes he may have a future with the team. True that observer isn’t the most objective, clear-minded, sane and rational person in the world, but he’s not someone we can entirely overlook either. Paul Allen may not have a ton of credibility but he’s no Charley Walters either.

Yes, the voice of the Vikings Paul Allen has noticed McLeod Bethel-Thompson. And Allen likes what he sees. Tuesday evening on Dan Barreiro’s KFAN program, Allen singled out Bethel-Thompson as an overlooked gem in camp. But Allen’s praise of Bethel-Thompson went beyond the old “hearty pat on the back for a job well done, son” sort of thing. He went so far as to suggest that Bethel-Thompson may end up pushing Sage Rosenfels and even Joe Webb. Stunningly, Allen even suggested Joe Webb’s days as a Viking may be numbered.

I know what you’re thinking right now. Paul Allen must be drinking on the job again. Joe Webb is the #2 quarterback and ain’t no way some McLeod Bethel-Thompson is squeezing him out. I’d agree with you, except…well, I’ve been watching the camp reports and frankly, Joe Webb hasn’t seemed all that impressive. As PA pointed out to Barreiro, Webb has actually had a pretty bad camp on the whole. Furthermore, reminded PA, when you look at Webb’s overall performance as an NFL QB, he hasn’t really done anything to earn lock status as a #2.

True Webb has had a couple memorable games as a relief pitcher, and he did have that one nice start against the Eagles, but he’s also had other games where he’s been dismal. When Webb plays well, it’s mostly coming in during the game when teams aren’t ready for his speed and strength. Give a team – the Bears for example – a chance to prepare for him? Joe Webb has mostly been a lousy QB.

So if you take Webb’s spotty record as a player into account, and add in the fact that he’s not been overly impressive in camp? Maybe we shouldn’t be so sure about Webb’s status on the roster. What if Bethel-Thompson continues having good practices and mixes in a couple solid preseason performances? And Webb keeps stinking it up? It’s not out of the question that Webb could be bumped down the depth chart.

And if Webb gets bumped down from #2, really, what would be the reason for keeping him on the roster at all? Rosenfels at least has the “calming influence and mentor” thing going for him. Yes, I know some people love the idea of Webb as a multi-position weapon a la Antwaan Randle El, but honestly, does anyone think that’s ever going to come to fruition? The Blazer package is dead and buried. Webb is either a QB or he’s nothing. The way things are going, it looks like Webb’s career is leaning toward nothing. At least according to Paul Allen.

(note: Ponder started the Bears game as pointed out by the commenter below)

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Jul 27, 2012; Mankato, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) passes in drills at training camp at Blakeslee Stadium at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

Early August means two things to football fans: training camp and new Madden ratings. The first promises new hope and the second, lots of anger and frustration for fans who think their favorite players were short-changed.

On that subject, we have in our hot little hands the Madden 13 ratings for the quarterbacks. No surprise that Aaron Rodgers tops the list with a 99 overall. After Rodgers come Tom Brady and Drew Brees at 98. And Eli “Elite” Manning at 97. And Vikings starter Christian Ponder…

Looking…looking…down the list…

Ah, here he is. #36 overall. Yup, seriously. Ponder is tied for 36th-rated QB in Madden 13. Keep telling yourself it’s just a video game, it’s just a video game. Geek opinions on football aren’t worth crap.

So how does Ponder break down in the eyes of the Madden programmers? He gets a 75 overall rating, the same as Vince Young, Charlie Batch and Rex Grossman. Is this fair? Jake Locker also gets a 75, so I guess it’s just based on experience level. Both played some in 2011 but didn’t exactly wow anyone. Maybe they’ll get better this year but maybe they won’t. 75 feels like sort of a “wait-and-see” rating.

In specific skills, Ponder’s best attribute is stamina where he rates a 95. In toughness he gets a 91. He gets a 90 for short passing accuracy but only a 65 for deep passing (contrasted against Rodgers’ 94). His throwing power is 84, which isn’t half-bad, but for awareness he only gets a 66. Guess that’s the standard non-star second-year QB awareness?

So I guess the verdict here is, Ponder has a long way to go to impress the people who make video games. Have a feeling Christian isn’t too worried about this. Leslie Frazier and Rick Spielman, those are the guys he wants to impress.

As for the other Viking quarterbacks. Joe Webb got an overall 67 with predictable high marks in running speed and that kind of stuff, while Sage Rosenfels for some reason got a 70 (no rating for Rosencoptering, which of course would be 100). I haven’t played Madden in years but I’m assuming you can still alter these ratings at your leisure? I’d make Joe Webb a Super-QB and go out there and kick some ass.

Oh and one more tidbit: on the big name rookie QBs entering the league this year. Andrew Luck is an 84 out of the gate, and Robert Griffin III is an 83. Not sure what that’s based on outside of hype. Tim Tebow rates a 77 which is garbage. He’s NOT better than Christian Ponder.

(Via Operation Sports)

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