Christian Ponder will be the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings this weekend as they face the Green Bay Packers. Head coach Leslie Frazier told Ponder of his promotion, and former starter Donovan McNabb of his demotion, on Tuesday afternoon.
The Vikings have been having a bad year so far, going 1-5 and getting blown out by Chicago last week, so the move was not a surprise. The team wants to get Ponder in game situations to give him the experience that they think will allow him to carry the franchise in the future.
McNabb has not helped his case to remain a starter by under-performing since he arrived from the Washington Redskins. The veteran ranks near the bottom of the league in touchdowns, yards passing and completion percentage. Ponder was the 12th overall pick in the NFL draft and is the choice for the franchise moving forward.
The situation in Minnesota now turns to whether or not Ponder will be plagued by the same problems that McNabb had to face. A shaky offensive line, odd play selection and a thin receiving corps are not going away because of a new name under center. For the sake of the franchise McNabb should gracefully handle the demotion and help Ponder learn his way about an NFL game.
