Ponder's first start the only intrigue in Sunday's Packers-Vikings tilt

Vikings vs. Packers

Only a fan drinking purple Kool-Aid laced with hallucinogens could dream up a scenario where the 1-5 Minnesota Vikings beat the 6-0 Green Bay Packers this Sunday. In just about every category, the Vikings are worse than their divisional rivals, so let’s skip to the real intrigue in this game for Vikings fans.

That is how Christian Ponder will play. You may have heard the 2011 first round draft pick has been named the Vikings starting quarterback for the rest of the year.

Switching quarterbacks during the season always causes some excitement for a fan base. But in this case there’s even more reason to be excited. In Ponder, we will be watching the guy we hope will be this team’s starter for the next decade. His every throw – in fact, his every move – on the field Sunday will be dissected for indications that he either is the future of the franchise or that he has no future. This speculation will continue for the rest of the season.

The rookie gets a tough first assignment facing Clay Matthews, B.J. Raji and Charles Woodson. The Vikings probably aren’t winning this game, so Ponder’s play is the focus here.

So what should we consider a successful outing? I figure if the rookie completes 60 per cent of his passes, leads the Vikings on two touchdown drives and two other scoring drives and throws one interception or less, he will have had a good day.

Is there any possible way the Vikings could win this one? Perhaps – if Adrian Peterson goes nuts, runs for 200-plus yards and scores three or more touchdowns. But I don’t even know if that would be enough. The Packers are too good. The Vikings are too bad.

Green Bay 31 Vikings 17

Other Stuff

* The National Football Post’s Matt Bowen writes about what the Vikings should do with Ponder in this game to set him up for success.

* Ponder figures the Packers will blitz him a lot.

I don’t know about that. Ponder is a rookie making his first NFL start and most teams would probably blitz the hell out of other rookie quarterbacks. But do the Packers need to do this?

I’m sure Dom Capers and his players have watched the film. They can see Ponder is fast, athletic and can make plays on the run. I’m sure they’ve also noticed the Vikings offensive line isn’t very good. They can probably rush only four and still get enough pressure on Ponder.

I expect the Packers will be content to keep Ponder in the pocket, have as many defenders in coverage as possible and force him to make decisions into that coverage rather than give him a reason to scramble, which is the one thing we know he does well right now.

* According to ESPN 1500’s Tom Pelissero’s weekly tape breakdown of the Vikes 39-10 drubbing to Chicago, wide receiver Percy Harvin only played 29 snaps in that game.

Other defensive coordinators around the league must laugh at us. Who else in the NFL plays one of its top offensive weapons half the time? The Vikings and offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave make it so much easier for their opponents to stop them by keeping a lethal threat like Harvin off the field.

When people say the Vikings offence needs to run through Adrian Peterson, they’re only half right. The offence need to run through Peterson and Harvin. If the coaching staff would like Peterson to touch the ball 20-25 times a game, they should also be looking at getting Harvin 15-20 touches. Get the ball into the hands of your best players – is that such a tough concept to grasp?