Vikings' Quarterback Situation, McNabb Benched

Maybe it was a sign; that first pass of the regular season. Remember, the tipped interception? I don't want to blame Donavan McNabb for the Vikings poor start. I will be the first to admit that perhaps Donavan McNabb was not the entire problem. Maybe he was only a small part of it. However, I believe he was the nucleus to the calamity that was surrounding the Vikings this season. It was not entirely his fault. The entire team is learning a new offense and he is an old dog. His success in Philly was largely because Ryan built an offense around his abilities. The Vikings needed someone they can teach and mold to their new offense.

Maybe it was a sign; that first pass as an NFL starting quarterback. It was a seventy-two yard reception to number 84, Micheal Jenkins, just one yard away from a touchdown. It was Ponder's second pass to number 81, Visanthe Shiancoe, that earned him his first touchdown pass. Shiancoe handed him the ball after the play for a souvenir. After the Packers game, the quarterback switch seemed like a stroke of genius.

It's true that McNabb's stats from the Bears game (his last) were not bad and he had only thrown two interceptions all season. However, the reality is the Vikings have lacked the energy and spirit they need to win. It appeared that the intensity and excitement from the win over the Cardinals, a win that was largely due to the Vikings' defense, did not make the trip to Chicago. We could talk all day (no pun intended) about the Bears stacking the line and starting second string safeties. We could talk about coaching decisions and all the technicalities and particulars, but the bottom line is, something needed to change and that something had to have a real and noticeable impact. In walked Christian Ponder.

The mental toughness Ponder displayed did not go unnoticed. He made some great plays. Yes, he made some mistakes, but he came right back. He started his last drive with 5:26 on the clock and 98 yards to victory. Could this be Two-Minute-Tommy all over again? He converted a third and seven, a third and nine, but couldn't pick up the third and ten. With 2:37 remaining, Coach Frazier made the right choice to punt the ball. The Vikings had all three timeouts, the two-minute warning and had just stopped the Packer on a three and out on their last possession. It seemed like a wise choice. The problem is, after the punt, the Vikings gave up some big plays to James Starks. The biggest being the third and seven with just over a minute left. The Pack converted and the game was over.

Nonetheless, the Vikings organization seems to have been given new life. Maybe they are born-again Christians, Christian Ponder that is.