To say that it's been a tumultuous year for Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder is an understatement.
The fact that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is having a historical season at running back but Ponder still dominates any conversation about Minnesota is quite telling. Inside Vikings headquarters at Winter Park in Eden Prairie, they've never wavered on their insistence that Ponder is the quarterback of the present and the future for the Minnesota Vikings.
That organizational stance has befuddled and angered a fan base that has watched not only four quarterbacks from Ponder's 2011 draft class, but also four rookie quarterbacks from the most recent draft class, put up higher QBR ratings than Ponder. In what is now considered a quarterback's league, frustrated Vikings fans have watched Ponder average just 180 yards passing a game, while 26 quarterbacks around the NFL average over 200 yards.
More importantly, with 25 starts now under his belt, Ponder hasn't shown much improvement and he just hasn't looked the part of a starting NFL quarterback.
NFL fans aren't very fickle though. The Vikings have won three straight games, and if Ponder can help them beat the Packers on Sunday, much will be forgiven.
Ponder has to be licking his chops to have another crack at Green Bay, as the single play that wraps up all Vikings fans frustrations with him came against the Packers in Week 13.
The Vikings opened the second half with a 14-10 lead at Lambeau Field and had all of the momentum on their side. This was especially true after Adrian Peterson ripped off a 48-yard run to the Packers 12-yard line to start the half.
On 2nd-and-6 from the eight-yard line, Ponder rolled right and lofted a careless pass into the end zone that was easily picked off by Packers safety Morgan Burnett. The play turned the tide in the game, all the Vikings momentum was gone and Adrian Peterson's 210-yard day was ultimately wasted.
To his credit, Ponder has bounced back and has been a solid game manager during the Vikings three-game win streak. But he still hasn't passed for 200 yards since Week 10, and he's only averaging 140 yards a game in his last nine contests.
Winning solves a lot, and if he gets a win on Sunday against the Packers, Ponder will quiet many of his critics.
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