"The way we've tried to structure our team, the philosophy lends itself to winning games like this when you are not completing a lot of balls down the field in a league where so many say that's the way you have to win," coach Leslie Frazier said, adding: "That's a formula for success."
I didn't see yesterday's game at all. But I have read about it, watched many different highlight reels and checked the stats. NOTHING scares me more about the Vikings and their future more than THAT idiotic statement made by head coach Leslie Frazier yesterday after the game.
The Vikings defense was great YESTERDAY. They made incredible plays at JUST THE RIGHT TIME to keep a pretty decent Cardinals offense in check just enough to win, and Adrian Peterson had his best game of the season, BUT their QUARTERBACK probably had the worst showing of offense of any winning QB in the HISTORY of football yesterday. This is not a "formula for success." It's actually a recipe for disaster. No team can depend on that much GREAT play to offset a horrible quarterback week after week. Ponder threw two more really, really stupid interceptions yesterday. The same type of passes that get kids pulled from junior high games. I don't care so much that he only had 58 yards passing. I care that he almost handed Arizona the win on a day when EVERYTHING else was going about as good as you could possibly hope or imagine. The 58 yards passing was just a symptom of a really broken offense led by a horribly unqualified QB. Can anyone argue at this point that Joe Webb would be a worse choice to start Thursday's game against Tampa Bay? Ponder's INTs and fumbles are becoming the stuff of legends. DON'T force your defense to make up for that type of incompetent play week after week. He's actually making Viking's fans long for the days of Tarvaris Jackson.
I KNOW the Vikings are 5-2. I LOVE the fact that they are actually appearing to be in the playoff hunt. But I also know we have lots of tough football ahead and I can't believe that Frazier thinks this kind of horrible QB play is a "formula for success." The schedule is getting tougher, not easier. This unacceptable QB situation has to be addressed. NOW. The Vikes aren't winning because of their quarterback. They are winning despite their QB play. If Frazier doesn't actually see this, the whole team is doomed. It took him 5 weeks last year to ditch McNabb and his incompetence. Frazier cannot continue to be this loyal to his current inadequate decision-making.
The Cardinals offense had the ball for TEN more minutes of clock time yesterday. The Vikings offense only had ONE first down the ENTIRE second half yesterday until Adrian Peterson finally got one last first down just before time expired in yesterday's game. Again, these are symptoms of something that is broken. You do not celebrate broken by saying you have the right formula in place. You FIX broken.
IF the Vikings win two of their next three games, I'll take it all back. If Ponder starts looking like a competent NFL quarterback over that time, I'll change my opinion. But does any Vikings fan really think that will happen? If Ponder continues to play like this, the Vikes will be lucky to finish 8-8 for the year. I've been saying for weeks that the Vikings have been more lucky than good. Eventually all that luck runs out. And it shows up in the standings and in long losing streaks. I don't want a long losing streak to prove me right. I want a QB that makes it possible to keep winning.
Ponder is not it. He's not even close.
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