Maveric
Pro Bowler
- Messages
- 10,549
- Reaction score
- 6,276
ESPN.com news services
Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier informed Christian Ponder Tuesday afternoon that he will start against the Green Bay Packers, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
Frazier also informed Donovan McNabb that he was being demoted.
NFL Network first reported the news.
Frazier had said Monday he would talk with his staff and promised a decision Wednesday. He still is planning on explaining his decision Wednesday, not Tuesday.
Ponder relieved McNabb, 34, for the fourth quarter Sunday at Chicago with the Vikings on their way to a 1-5 record. The division standings suggest pride is all that can be salvaged from the 2011 season, though Frazier refused to turn his focus to the future.
Frazier had been steadfast in his defense of McNabb until after the 39-10 drubbing by the Bears. The coach hasn't come close to criticizing the six-time Pro Bowler he pushed the organization to acquire in a trade, after the lockout prevented Ponder from practicing all spring and summer with the team.
McNabb statistically is coming off his best game for Minnesota. He went 19 for 24, with a glaring drop by Bernard Berrian on a third-down slant pattern, where the ball hit the wide-open receiver squarely in the hands.
McNabb has turned the ball over only twice in six games; Brett Favre had lost four fumbles and been intercepted 10 times by this point last season.
But McNabb was sacked four times on his last six snaps and went down without resistance when he was tackled for the safety in the first quarter. He has four touchdown passes this year and three completions longer than 35 yards.
The Vikings could make a strong argument that, despite the lack of development time for Ponder, playing the rookie is not only good for the future but the right move to give the offense more life for the present. Frazier said he doesn't want to flip-flop from week to week, so if Ponder gets the nod, the job probably will be his for good -- and McNabb, conceivably, might have played his final NFL game.
The defending champion and undefeated Packers appear on the schedule for two of the next three games, but Frazier said the quality of the opponent won't factor into the evaluation.
"The only qualifier is what's best for our team, and that will be the criteria we use when we sit down and continue these discussions over the next couple days," Frazier said Monday.
Ponder was Minnesota's first-round draft pick this year, taken 12th overall out of Florida State. He has shown elusiveness and confidence in the pocket, though he was erratic against the Bears, and Frazier said he was impressed by the way Ponder moved the team up the field.
"For a guy who gets limited reps in practice, it seems he had a good grasp, like we thought he would, of our offense," Frazier said.
Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier informed Christian Ponder Tuesday afternoon that he will start against the Green Bay Packers, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
Frazier also informed Donovan McNabb that he was being demoted.
NFL Network first reported the news.
Frazier had said Monday he would talk with his staff and promised a decision Wednesday. He still is planning on explaining his decision Wednesday, not Tuesday.
Ponder relieved McNabb, 34, for the fourth quarter Sunday at Chicago with the Vikings on their way to a 1-5 record. The division standings suggest pride is all that can be salvaged from the 2011 season, though Frazier refused to turn his focus to the future.
Frazier had been steadfast in his defense of McNabb until after the 39-10 drubbing by the Bears. The coach hasn't come close to criticizing the six-time Pro Bowler he pushed the organization to acquire in a trade, after the lockout prevented Ponder from practicing all spring and summer with the team.
McNabb statistically is coming off his best game for Minnesota. He went 19 for 24, with a glaring drop by Bernard Berrian on a third-down slant pattern, where the ball hit the wide-open receiver squarely in the hands.
McNabb has turned the ball over only twice in six games; Brett Favre had lost four fumbles and been intercepted 10 times by this point last season.
But McNabb was sacked four times on his last six snaps and went down without resistance when he was tackled for the safety in the first quarter. He has four touchdown passes this year and three completions longer than 35 yards.
The Vikings could make a strong argument that, despite the lack of development time for Ponder, playing the rookie is not only good for the future but the right move to give the offense more life for the present. Frazier said he doesn't want to flip-flop from week to week, so if Ponder gets the nod, the job probably will be his for good -- and McNabb, conceivably, might have played his final NFL game.
The defending champion and undefeated Packers appear on the schedule for two of the next three games, but Frazier said the quality of the opponent won't factor into the evaluation.
"The only qualifier is what's best for our team, and that will be the criteria we use when we sit down and continue these discussions over the next couple days," Frazier said Monday.
Ponder was Minnesota's first-round draft pick this year, taken 12th overall out of Florida State. He has shown elusiveness and confidence in the pocket, though he was erratic against the Bears, and Frazier said he was impressed by the way Ponder moved the team up the field.
"For a guy who gets limited reps in practice, it seems he had a good grasp, like we thought he would, of our offense," Frazier said.
