Leslie Frazier Opens the Door to a Ponder Start Next Week

During a press conference Monday afternoon, Head Coach Leslie Frazier was asked about what will happen with the quarterback situation after another week of lackluster on-field performance from Donovan McNabb. In a Sunday Night loss against the Chicago Bears, McNabb connected on 79% of his passes and threw for 177 yards; and was pulled in the 4th quarter to be replaced by rookie Christian Ponder.

Frazier's response to the quarterback question at the Monday presser was not definite, but certainly suggested McNabb isn't guaranteed a start against the Packers this coming weekend. Up to this point, Frazier has stood firmly by McNabb as his quarterback choice. The 4th quarter benching of McNabb and today's announcement, or lack thereof, suggests the coaching staff is seriously considering benching McNabb in favor of Ponder.

Ponder's performance received mixed reviews, connecting on 9 of 17 passes for 99 yards and running for 8 more. Although he definitely looked like a rookie, commentary surrounding his first outing heralded his good decision making with a couple of good connections and throwing away a couple passes rather than forcing them into coverage. Ponder also showed off his mobility, escaping a handful of Bears defenders and making a few plays happen.

Scrutiny over Vikings quarterbacks isn't something new. Mike Tice faced calls for replacement of Daunte Culpepper, Brad Childress saw similar fan demands regarding replacement of Tarvaris Jackson and the 2010 version of Brett Favre. Both coaches were later fired for problems tied to performance and locker room issues including questionable quarterback play.

Coach Frazier is the latest in that mix, firmly standing by Donovan McNabb through the first six weeks of the season. This week, however, Frazier is showing some signs of breaking from the status quo of going down with his quarterback. A decision is expected to be made and announced by Wednesday, which will certainly define not only the remainder of this season, but also the next.

There are people arguing it may not be a good idea giving Ponder his first start against the undefeated Super Bowl Champions, but the Vikings will be at home, fans would be excited to see Ponder's first start, and the Packers pass defense has been rather weak for the most part this season. Simply put, it could be a great confidence-builder for Ponder, or it could make for a disastrous start for his career. We'll have to wait and see what happens Sunday afternoon.