The Christian Ponder Thread #2 (News, Stories, Articles, Opinions)

[montybeasty]

Why do people compare second year players to first year players. Compare apples to apples not apples to oranges.. Compare Ponder to the likes of Dalton, Newton, Gabbert, Locker. Don't just pick and choose what makes your argument better. Almost every nfl qb has a worse second year then first. Josh Freeman for example. I am sorry if this is to complex for all of you to understand, but take awhile to ponder it and get back to me. Also I would love to keep Musgrave as a qb coach. That is where he belongs in the nfl. Look at his past as an OC it has been abysmal.

I have to disagree with you for three different reasons. This years rookie qb class is 2x better then last years class. There were two cant miss qb prospects in this years class compared to what one in last years and even then Cam Newton wasn't a sure thing.

I cant compare Ponder to Freeman simply because they are two totally diffrent qbs. Freeman has a big arm and he stands about 6'5 or 6'6 so he can see the field a little better then Ponder at 6'2 and throw it with more zip. That class also included Matt Stafford so It was also stronger IMO. Although that's irrelevant I just thought I'd add that.

There are things that Ponder does that just doesn't show me that he can be a good qb. I want him to do so well because I want our team to be successful but even as a rookie qb you have to look at what Luck does under duress, just look at the highlights from yesterday's game and how he moves around in the pocket to elude defenders then steps up to make the throw under a lot of pressure that's what I wanna see from Ponder.

Good qbs make throws under pressure. It's not fair of me to compare Ponder to luck though because Ponder isn't as Good as Luck and will probly never be, but all I want is for our second year qb to show us that he can play in this league and not look like a lost kitten out there.

We can't make excuses for Ponder anymore he has to man up and take some of the blame for this and he needs to show us that he belongs. Musgrave sucks as a play caller I'll give you that but as a qb there are some throws that he should be making with ease and throwing for over 100 yards should come easy also when you have AD in the backfield. It's the little things that makes me skeptical about Ponder, I want him to succeed I do bros. I don't hate ponder at all, I just wanna see him play much better. All A fan can ask for is progression.

[iowavike]

OK cheese and sota, lets say you guys are right. If the OC.,OL.,receivers, are the main problem and as bad as you suggest. The head coach,the whole front office etc. should be fired not next week,not tomorrow today!!! for assembling this mess. And then get the right people in here to let Ponder display all of his great talents. Lets not waste Ponder's great potential anymore.

[Sota4Ever]

I think everyone wants to see progression. I for one will put blame on Ponder not 100% like some people, but he definitely deserves some of the blame. My comparison with Freeman was the fact that 2nd year qbs struggle. I don't think Ponder is like freeman at all. I was just pointing out that after your rookie year qbs almost always take a step back. No idea why but it happens.

I don't want to continue to make excuses but Ponder in the beginning of the year ponder was making the throws under pressure. Putting zip on the ball and throwing the ball where it needed to be. I want to say his knee is a lot more serious compared to what they want us to believe. It seems to me he can't put all he has into throws because he doesn't have the strength anymore.

[Sota4Ever]

OK cheese and sota, lets say you guys are right. If the OC.,OL.,receivers, are the main problem and as bad as you suggest. The head coach,the whole front office etc. should be fired not next week,not tomorrow today!!! for assembling this mess. And then get the right people in here to let Ponder display all of his great talents. Lets not waste Ponder's great potential anymore.

Would you take Alex Smith right now??

[pacofunk64]

We just need to take a couple deep breaths boys. We have to keep Ponder in there. Just take a moment to look at this link of Eli Manning. It took Eli 5 years to record a season of over an 80 rating. I'd be open to a new OC but I think as we build we have to keep Ponder as our starter. Get some more weapons around him and then crucify if need be.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/...26/eli-manning

[iowavike]

Sorry to burst your bubble but there's all sorts of things wrong with your perception here. Our interior offensive line is really coming up short both of our guards have faded down the stretch, Fusco is twitchy and Johnson is a liability in pass protection. Simpson wasn't even close to one of the top FAs available last year, thanks to his dope charges and suspension (just look at when we signed him and how much we paid him). Percy Harvin is one RECEIVER, as amazing as he's playing he doesn't make up for Jenkins and Aromashodu. One of our two very good TEs has been an MIA so far this year thanks to repeated injuries causing him to miss camp and take on a very marginalized role. As far as Musgrave goes, just because he was a good QB coach doesn't mean that he's going to be a good OC, Musgrave is living proof of that.

All that said, none of these things account for Ponder's regression, its on him to get better, however every one of these things is a contributing factor towards why he went from being one of the top performing QBs in the NFL into someone we want to run off and bench.

Ponder's are man for the foreseeable future. I now agree with you on that.I don't want to bench him. It's way to early for that. We're commited to him now.
But when are we going to take the diapers and training wheels off? Year 3,4 5????

[Sota4Ever]

Take the diapers and training wheels off now. This is the season we should be letting Ponder run free and see what he can do. Let him try adjusting at the line.

[dimgim]

I've seen Simpson make some ridiculus catches while being blanketed by a DB, I just wish Ponder would give them a CHANCE to make a play. He just doesnt give the passing attack opportunities because he bails the pocket or isnt confident enough in his throws to make a play.

Bootmline we'll be having this convo all year because Webb isnt any better and Ponder is the only option for the rest of the year. Cant give up on a 12th pick a season and half in but for must of us the writings on the wall its just not much to look forward to besides Peterson and his comeback of the ages.

[montybeasty]

Take the diapers and training wheels off now. This is the season we should be letting Ponder run free and see what he can do. Let him try adjusting at the line.

I said this same thing in week 4 or 5 I think I don't really remember exactly when but I was saying that they don't let him run the offense they way he wants to. He's basically a puppet right now and I think there holding him back.

[iowavike]

We just need to take a couple deep breaths boys. We have to keep Ponder in there. Just take a moment to look at this link of Eli Manning. It took Eli 5 years to record a season of over an 80 rating. I'd be open to a new OC but I think as we build we have to keep Ponder as our starter. Get some more weapons around him and then crucify if need be.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/...26/eli-manning

I understand and can appreciate what you're saying. But AP, Allen, and maybe Harvin will be on the downside in 3-5 years. I don't think we can wait that long. We may never have talent like that again in their positions, Especially all on the team in their prime at the same time.
That said I'll agree with you that Ponder is our QB. Because it's almost impossible to get a really good QB. Unless you're really bad and finish 2-14. And then hope there's a stud QB like Luck in the draft. And Ponder is a better than 2-14 QB. Or we can count on real luck and find a Tom Brady at #199. The odds of that are 1 in a thousand.

[100%CHEESE FREE]

I said this same thing in week 4 or 5 I think I don't really remeber exactly when but I was saying that they don't let him run the offense they way he wants to. He's basically a puppet right now and I think there holding him back.

Think Brad Johnson 2006.

[Sota4Ever]

What do we really have to lose in letting Ponder do other things then he is told to do?? It can't be much worse then what it is now.

[P Harvy]

What do we really have to lose in letting Ponder do other things then he is told to do?? It can't be much worse then what it is now.

What do we really have to lose in literally calling up Musgrave right this second and tell him to start packing his bags? Nothing.

But we all know there's too many questions that don't have answers.

[100%CHEESE FREE]

OK cheese and sota, lets say you guys are right. If the OC.,OL.,receivers, are the main problem and as bad as you suggest. The head coach,the whole front office etc. should be fired not next week,not tomorrow today!!! for assembling this mess. And then get the right people in here to let Ponder display all of his great talents. Lets not waste Ponder's great potential anymore.

Just fire everybody when we get into trouble, that's the sure path to success.

[Sota4Ever]

Raiders are still trying to succeed with that path.