Is Christian Ponder the New Brett Farve?

Has the casual sports fan lost it? Is he serious? Can he truly believe that Christian Ponder after just ONE big win can be compared to Brett Farve?

The answer is a very resounding YES to all three questions.

I lost it years ago, so that should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me.

As to the other two questions, let's face it, what we saw yesterday was so Brett Favreish that even Brett would be proud. The problem is I'm not comparing him to Brett the Gunslinger, I'm comparing him to the Brett that "throw the ball in the air guy" that HOPES something great happens. Ponder was having so much luck yesterday that he was thinking he could do anything. On that second TD throw, Adrian Peterson was WIDE OPEN and an easy target, just yards from the defended Rudolf but Ponder was so focused he didn't notice and he threw the ill-advised pass instead. Yes, it was an amazing catch, but we can't depend on catches like that and expect to win. BRETT can do that, but Ponder shouldn't be doing that. At least not yet.

Late in the game Ponder, under pressure, threw another pass up for grabs deep in his own territory that went right to a 49er defender who, thankfully, dropped it instead of intercepting it and running it back for an easy touchdown. 

The Vikings did win BIG yesterday, but we can't depend on those types of plays to carry us to victory every week.

But there were obviously some great things that we all saw yesterday as well. Christian Ponder, for the first time ever, was allowed to call AUDIBLES. Up until now he HAD to run the plays the coordinator gave him when he came to the line. Yesterday, he was clearly seen changing the play up to alternatives based on the defensive schemes he saw. That's why he was yelling "Kill, Kill, Kill" on so many of his plays yesterday. He was killing the play call to go with their backup call. MAN, that was great to see. On one of those change-ups he called his own number and got a 23 yard TD run. Ponder sees what defenses are planning and is smart enough to do something else. That he was allowed to do so yesterday let's me know that the Viking's offense has now dramatically changed. That was the ONE thing I demanded in the diatribes leading up to this week's game.

We NEEDED to change things up.

Other great things?

The 49ers didn't give up ANY rushing TDs until the 16th game last season. They hadn't given up ANY rushing TDs this year until Ponder's run. Just scoring a TD on a running play is a big deal.

Alex Smith had thrown a franchise record 249 straight passes without an INT. (Remember this is a team that Joe Montana and Steve Young at QB.) The Vikings ended that streak yesterday. I think it goes to show what I've been preaching all along. A QB playing from behind LATE is forced to do things he otherwise may not want to do no matter HOW good he is. That's why I never say it's a QB's fault in playoff games when they throw INTs late. The game changes dramatically when you need to score quickly at the end. And every single QB is susceptible to that pressure. And most QBs most games succumb to that pressure.

Speaking of pressure: Wasn't it great to see a Vikings defense put pressure on a QB ALL GAME LONG? That's why INTs occur. That's why fumbles occur.

It was also great to see the Vikings offense on the field so long yesterday. It gave the Vikings defense time to rest during the game. Most teams take that for granted. The Vikings "one, two, three, punt" offense from the last season and a half was killing our defense. Yesterday they were allowed to perform. And they came through shining brightly.

Enough.

The game was great on every level yesterday except for kick-off return coverage. My GUESS is that special teams will be spending a lot of time on that in practice this week.

The Lions are next. Yes, Matthew Stafford's leg injury MAY keep him out of next week's game, but it was backup Shaun Hill that led the offensive assault on the Titans yesterday. He's a great QB, too, so it's not going to be easy beating THAT offense. AND it's at Detroit. The schedule does not get easier. This IS the NFL and we have to deal with it.

For at least one more week I can say the Vikes are tied for first place in the division. I never thought I'd be saying that after the third week of the season.

Go Vikings!!!