Throwing for 39 yards in your debut with a new team is no way to win friends and influence people. So it doesn't surprise me that writers like CBS Sportsline's Pete Prisco and veteran Vikings blogger Vikes Geek are already calling on Minnesota's coaching staff to bench Donovan McNabb and play either rookie Christian Ponder or second-year man Joe Webb.
But as sucktastic as McNabb looked in the second half of Sunday's 24-17 loss to the San Diego Chargers, shouldn't we cut a 13-year veteran with six Pro Bowls on his resume a bit more slack?
While other Vikings fans had their doubts, I've always been on board with the team's decision to acquire McNabb. Every team has a different philosophy, but if I've got a team with some talent, but also a lot of holes (and the 2011 Vikings qualify), I think a talented veteran is more likely to keep that team competitive than a talented rookie. And no matter what the preseason predictions might be or how much a poor season could improve the Vikings draft position in 2012, I want to watch a team that at least tries to be competitive. Rebuilding seasons are only to be used as a last resort.
I also like the McNabb move because if we are going to have a quarterback running for his life and taking a lot of hits this year, I'd rather that guy be McNabb – who is only going to be around for one year – instead of your quarterback of the future, who, I assume, is going to be Ponder.
With the Vikings offensive line looking like it's going to be a disaster of Fukushima proportions this season, Ponder is better served watching from the sidelines. By the 2012 training camp, the Vikes will have (hopefully) drafted a left tackle and signed or drafted a number one wide receiver. By then, Ponder will have a much better foundation under him, one that will give him a better chance to succeed.
Football writers and fans like to point to guys like Joe Flacco and Sam Bradford as examples of rookie quarterbacks who succeeded right off the bat. But when I think of first-year QBs who started right away, I always remember Joey Harrington.
The third overall pick in the 2002 draft, got to start immediately for the Detroit Lions, but he played behind a bad offensive line and had no weapons to throw or hand off to. Predictably, he sucked, lost his mojo and now he's out of the league. I don't want to see the same thing happen to Christian Ponder.
Other Links
* ESPN 1500 has been doing some nice coverage on the Vikings so far. Here are a couple of articles well worth reading – Tom Pelissero's weekly grades of the Vikings positional units and a scouting report on Minnesota's next opponent – Tampa Bay.
* Here's a surprise: former Viking wide receiver Sidney Rice didn't play for his new team, the Seattle Seahawks, last Sunday because he was hurt.
* Here's another surprise, former Viking quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, had a better game on Sunday than Donovan McNabb.
* Our old friend, Benny Sapp, was released by the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday. The Vikings have concerns about their depth at cornerback. Should they welcome Sapp back? (The answer is "no".)
* And feel free to leave a comment on this blog sometime, dear readers. My previous six posts haven't gotten any, and I'm not feeling the love out there. I know my blogging has been non-existent for long stretches in 2011, but I'm posting a bit more regularly now and hope to continue this output. It's a lot more fun when there's some feedback rolling in.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Hey, glad to see you back DC.
I'm right with you on McNabb. I was a bit disappointed when I first heard of the trade rumors, but by the time the trade actually went through I had come to realize a) the Vikes really did need to pick up a veteran QB, b) McNabb was probably one of the best available, and c) he really hadn't been given a fair shot in Washington.
That said, I'm giving him 2 more weeks... if he can't muster at least triple digit yardage by then, I'm all for seeing what Ponder can do.
Unless AP goes off and the passing game is not needed.
I'm still reading you. I know the not writing in a while thing too.
My question about the game is how much fault, or was it combinations of elements that led to the 39 yards? The offense line, the receivers, the game calling by Musgrave or just McNabb throwing to worms all had to combine for that horrible start.
It was just one game. Let's hope everyone learns from it and not make those mistakes again.
As a Vikings fan living in Maryland, I don't have a lot of faith in Donovan anymore. I've seen too many horrible throws in the last year. How did he not get a fair shake in DC? To be honest, he just wasn't that good. Rex frigging Grossman and journeyman John Beck both look better than Donovan ever did for the Redskins. I really hope he has something left, and gets more help from the line. Please prove me wrong, but there's going to be a lot more throws to the worms.
Hey folks:
Thanks for the input. Maybe I should make a plea for comments after every post.
Bismuth: Just two more weeks? I don't think it will come to that, McNabb will be better – starting with Sunday against Tampa.
Luft: Sunday's second half collapse was a combination of things. McNabb wasn't completely at fault, but he certainly had a hand in it. The key is the offensive line giving him more time to throw, which I'm not sure they can do consistently this year.
ErictheRed: I can't disagree that McNabb was bad in D.C. last year. But the year before he had a great season. Can a guy really lose it that fast? I say no, although he will have to succeed in spite of some of the Vikings offensive personnel.
As for the throwing to worms, McNabb has always had stretches in games where he can't hit the broad side of a barn. I didn't realize it until I looked up his career stats, but he's only had four seasons out of 13 where he's completed 60 per cent of his passes. So it's not like he's Ken Anderson or Joe Montana in the throwing accuracy department. But if he can alternate bouts of inaccuracy with stretches of brilliance, the Vikes offence will be okay.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/McNaDo00.htm
Post a Comment