So...uh....does this team actually have a uh....chance?

[DaveW]

Beat Green Bay at home today and outplayed em, we outplayed em in Green Bay as well bust lost to a couple stupid turnovers.

 

As the playoffs shape up now we play:

 

@ Green Bay

then

@ Atlanta

 

Am I crazy to think we actually have a shot to win both of those games?

[TheLeviathan]

I actually think we have a better chance to beat Atlanta. But I've been down on this team all year, maybe I'll just stay pessimistic.

[DaveW]

  TheLeviathan said:

I actually think we have a better chance to beat Atlanta. But I've been down on this team all year, maybe I'll just stay pessimistic.

 

Heh, yeah.

 

As much as we can talk **** on Ponder (for which there is many) the kid came up HUGGGGE in about 4 of 5 3rd and longs, and the one long pass he threw was right on the money. If we stay healthy and play like we did today...dare I say we can hang with anyone?

[TheLeviathan]

Ponder certainly made some huge throws today, have to tip my hat to his performance. He helped us win today, which is what we need him to do.

[kydoty]

Ponder the last couples of weeks likely cemented his status as the starting quarterback for 2013.

[Badsmerf]

  kydoty said:

Ponder the last couples of weeks likely cemented his status as the starting quarterback for 2013.

 

Regretfully. I was surprised he could throw the ball as far as he did, where the **** has that been all year? He still made some terrible throws and I believe the Vikings would do well to draft a project QB in the middle rounds or trade Percy for one.

 

This team might have shot. It is all going to depend on how well the defense can play. AP will put up 150 yards again because this defense can't hold him and Blair Walsh is money so they will put points on the board. Can't let them get big plays. Hopefully Winnfield plays next weekend, his absence was felt in the running game and passing game.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

they also missed Winfield's presence on special teams because Marcus Sherels was playing in the secondary and not returning / covering kicks. That meant a few players playing less comfortable positions (like Aromashodu on Special teams).

Does anyone happen to know if the Vikings will try to add another player for depth in the secondary? Could they if they want to?

I'm not sure they would place Winfield on IR at this point, he may be willing to give it another shot.

[Mike Sixel]

The last two super bowl champions were 6 seeds, at least I hears that yesterday...if you make the playoffs, you have a chance.

[Badsmerf]

The team I fear the most is Seattle. If the Vike GB and win there, they can win at SF or ATL (I saw they would play SF, not ATL... doesn't matter). They are winning games unlike any team in this era. They have an explosive running game and a passing attack that is starting to find some footing and a defense that can shut you down. I don't think they will win at GB, but it is fun to speculate. At least we can feel like they have a chance... I thought for sure they were destined for a last place finish in the NFC North after they started sliding. The Packers have to some doubts about this game, they got lucky the first time and played behind the whole second game.

[biggentleben]

freshinthehouse said they're not sniffing the playoffs. What is all this playoff talk about?!

[Willihammer]

They could win in Atlanta and in NO if they are playing their best. I'm not so optimistic about their chances at Lambeau, or SF or SEA, they haven't been able to win on the road, on grass, since 2009. You need a QB for that.

[mikecgrimes]

They have a great chance to make it to Super Bowl as a 14 point underdog, but one pick 6 and it's over.

[Kobs]

  Badsmerf said:

Regretfully. I was surprised he could throw the ball as far as he did

 

Why? He wouldn't have been drafted in the first round if he couldn't throw the ball 50 yards in the air.

[one_eyed_jack]

If we can get that first win, then a deep run is possile. But that first win will be tough. Really hard to win in Lambeau, really hard to beat the same team 2 weeks in a row.

 

The way Rodgers was carving up our secondary after Winfield went down did not leave me with a lot of happy feelings about Saturday night.

 

I think we need a monster day from AP and an effective, mistake-free day from Ponder, grind out some long, drives that end in 7, not 3, and keep Rodgers on the sideline.

 

We'll see. In any case, it's fun to have one of the local boys teams in the postseason again, it's only been a couple of years, but it sure feels like forever.

[DaveW]

Yeah Winfield needs to play, but if that isn't the case as least they will be able to defensively scheme with the knowledge that he won't be in the game. Rather then just running out Sherrils cold.

[Joe]

If they can get past Green Bay in Green Bay, sure. Winfield needs to play though.

 

The Vikings are 9 point underdogs currently.

[Badsmerf]

  Kobs said:

Why? He wouldn't have been drafted in the first round if he couldn't throw the ball 50 yards in the air.

Because he's proven to lack the arm strength of what most would consider an NFL QB. Maybe its a confidence thing, but I just don't see him ever being able to overcome it.

[gil4]

  TheLeviathan said:

Ponder certainly made some huge throws today, have to tip my hat to his performance. He helped us win today, which is what we need him to do.

 

Ponder was better, but more lucky than good. A lot of passes that need some touch he just floats too much, including all three of the TD passes he threw. The one to Peterson was horrible - he ran the bootleg and looked up about 2 steps too late and then lobbed it out there. I was afraid Peterson was going to go out of bounds because it took so long to get him the ball. The stat line looked better, but he didn't play as well as it indicated.

 

On long passes he's not accurate enough and on short passes he doesn't put the right pace on the ball. He could still improve, but I'm not sure he can be a QB that can win consistently.

[Willihammer]

Yeah don't forget that 20 yard floating jump ball that Wright somehow caught, in a sea of Packers. Or the falling down non-intentional grounding which on review was a sack (knee down) that never got credited to the Packers. Its plays like those that make the Vikings, and Ponder's successes look like smoke and mirrors. Then there are the third and 4 shotgun plays which I've been bitching about all year long. Why this team would ever take AP out of that situation still baffles me. They are averaging better yardage on running attempts than passing attempts.

 

I think two things will need to happen for the Vikings to have a prayer: no turnovers, and the D-line will have to hit Rodgers more, or he will carve up that secondary all day. They had a lot of near-sacks that Rodgers managed to slip out of last week and turn into 20 yard gains.

[Mike Sixel]

Does not matter what Ponder does, people will rip him. The team won 7 more games than last year, the QB deserves some credit, lucky or not.

[Willihammer]

This team is dead 1st in yards per rushing attempt and dead last in yards per passing attempt. And a substantial portion of its passing yards have come after the catch (see Harvin, Percy). It does not take a genius football mind to spot the weakness in this team.

[FrodaddyG]

  mike wants wins said:

Does not matter what Ponder does, people will rip him. The team won 7 more games than last year, the QB deserves some credit, lucky or not.

Should he get credit for his remarkable ability to inspire Peterson to have an all-time season for a RB against consistent 8-man fronts? (The 8-man fronts being due to Ponder's own inability to throw the ball.) Or maybe his ability to throw for the 25th most yards in the league and less than any QB who started the whole season? (And still behind some who missed games.) Which of these turds should we be polishing to the "credit" of the QB?

 

The team has won in spite of him, and solely to the credit of Peterson being superhuman. Congratulations, Christian Ponder! You weren't terrible enough to offset AP's monster performances!

[luke829]

Love him or hate him, it's a bit late to do anything at this point in the season (unless Joe Webb fits your fancy)

[Kobs]

  Badsmerf said:

Because he's proven to lack the arm strength of what most would consider an NFL QB. Maybe its a confidence thing, but I just don't see him ever being able to overcome it.

 

That doesn't make any sense. His arm would be stronger if he had more confidence? The underthrown balls I have seen this year have been the result of poor decisions where he couldn't or didn't set his feet. You will not see a quarterback drafted in the first six rounds of the NFL draft who could not physically throw the ball that distance.

 

Ponder doesn't have Jay Cutler's arm...he also doesn't have Ken Dorsey's. If he is accurate and can conquer the mental part of the game, by miles to two most important aspects of playing quarterback, his arm strength is not an issue. He's certainly far from achieving those two goals, however.

[Hornhead]

History shows this to be a favorable matchup for AD. The running game should hold up in the elements so offense shouldn't be a problem as long as turnovers are avoided. This style can also chew up the clock and shorten the game which is key against a top offense. The defense needs to come up big with a D-line that is capable of putting pressure on Rodgers to give the secondary a chance. Oh, and please tackle on special teams!

 

The Pack losing at home with a big-game QB seems unlikely against a merely above average team that has peaked at the right time. The Vikes have beaten their share of odds this year, so just maybe they keep on rolling.

[Badsmerf]

  Kobs said:

That doesn't make any sense. His arm would be stronger if he had more confidence? The underthrown balls I have seen this year have been the result of poor decisions where he couldn't or didn't set his feet. You will not see a quarterback drafted in the first six rounds of the NFL draft who could not physically throw the ball that distance.

 

Ponder doesn't have Jay Cutler's arm...he also doesn't have Ken Dorsey's. If he is accurate and can conquer the mental part of the game, by miles to two most important aspects of playing quarterback, his arm strength is not an issue. He's certainly far from achieving those two goals, however.

 

Confidence in throwing the ball => better velocity, arc. I'm saying maybe it isn't physical, but mental; which is what you are suggesting. However, you are making an assumption that based on his draft position he has a good arm. I wouldn't make the same assumption. I look at how poorly he's thrown the ball over his entire career. It can't be simply mental, I don't think he has the physical tools for the position. Maybe he will prove me wrong someday, but the dude is a ****ty QB.

[Kobs]

  Badsmerf said:

Confidence in throwing the ball => better velocity, arc. I'm saying maybe it isn't physical, but mental; which is what you are suggesting. However, you are making an assumption that based on his draft position he has a good arm. I wouldn't make the same assumption. I look at how poorly he's thrown the ball over his entire career. It can't be simply mental, I don't think he has the physical tools for the position. Maybe he will prove me wrong someday, but the dude is a ****ty QB.

 

I never said he has a "good" arm. I said he has enough arm to play in the NFL.

 

MLB teams don't draft pitchers that can't touch 85 MPH on their fastball high in the draft, and NFL teams don't draft quarterbacks who can't throw a ball 50 yards in the air at all.

[DaveW]

  Hornhead said:

The Pack losing at home with a big-game QB seems unlikely against a merely above average team that has peaked at the right time. The Vikes have beaten their share of odds this year, so just maybe they keep on rolling.

See: 2004 playoffs.

 

The thing is: If the Vikings play close to mistake free football and get a little bit of luck on their side they can def win this game.