Well, we're here. The Christian Ponder Era begins. The Minnesota Vikings have started 1-5, and they're going to turn QB duties over to rookie Christian Ponder in Week 7. That means veteran Donovan McNabb is headed to the bench, and while the move seems reasonable, I don't necessarily agree with the decision.
I've been a McNabb apologist this season. I honestly don't believe it's McNabb's fault they're 1-5 right now. The offensive line looks terrible, and it appears releasing Bryant McKinnie before the season was a huge mistake. It's also not McNabb's fault that Bernard Berrian can't get open and that Percy Harvin was put on a low snap count (for some unexplained reason) early in the season. Those woes can not be blamed on McNabb. He's just working with what they gave him, which other than Adrian Peterson, is not much.
McNabb has not played poorly this year, and he hasn't played great, either. His numbers (4 TD, 2 INT, 60% Completion Rate, 1,026 Passing Yards) are not spectacular, but they're not terrible. To give him only six games seems a little unfair.
I thought the natural Let's-Take-A-Look-At-This-QB-Situation point in the Vikings schedule was their Week 9 bye, which falls exactly halfway through their season. If they're 1-7 at that point, maybe make the switch. I just don't see why they'd bring McNabb in if they thought Ponder might play by Week 7.
Alas, the Christian Ponder Era was inevitable, and now it's here. Whether I think McNabb deserved a longer leash or not, the Vikings as a franchise need to find out if their #1 draft pick is any good. It seems obvious that they planned to play Ponder this year and they decided to choose now to make the switch. It will be interesting to watch the rest of the year unfold and we'll find out if Ponder has what it takes. If he doesn't, the Vikings are back to square one at quarterback.
I've been a McNabb apologist this season. I honestly don't believe it's McNabb's fault they're 1-5 right now. The offensive line looks terrible, and it appears releasing Bryant McKinnie before the season was a huge mistake. It's also not McNabb's fault that Bernard Berrian can't get open and that Percy Harvin was put on a low snap count (for some unexplained reason) early in the season. Those woes can not be blamed on McNabb. He's just working with what they gave him, which other than Adrian Peterson, is not much.
McNabb has not played poorly this year, and he hasn't played great, either. His numbers (4 TD, 2 INT, 60% Completion Rate, 1,026 Passing Yards) are not spectacular, but they're not terrible. To give him only six games seems a little unfair.
I thought the natural Let's-Take-A-Look-At-This-QB-Situation point in the Vikings schedule was their Week 9 bye, which falls exactly halfway through their season. If they're 1-7 at that point, maybe make the switch. I just don't see why they'd bring McNabb in if they thought Ponder might play by Week 7.
Alas, the Christian Ponder Era was inevitable, and now it's here. Whether I think McNabb deserved a longer leash or not, the Vikings as a franchise need to find out if their #1 draft pick is any good. It seems obvious that they planned to play Ponder this year and they decided to choose now to make the switch. It will be interesting to watch the rest of the year unfold and we'll find out if Ponder has what it takes. If he doesn't, the Vikings are back to square one at quarterback.
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