As expected, there is now an official quarterback controversy for the Minnesota Vikings. After Christian Ponder came on in relief of Donovan McNabb in Sunday night’s blowout loss to the Chicago Bears there is now speculation that he will replace McNabb as the starter:
We’ve said it here before, but Donovan McNabb is not going to be this team’s quarterback in 2012. He won’t even be on the roster next season. Frankly, after you’ve benched the old stalwart for the new guy, it’s really hard to go back. And, at 1-5 and staring a top 5 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft squarely in the face, every snap that would go to Donovan McNabb at this point is one less snap that goes toward developing Christian Ponder. Nothing positive could come out of that.
McNabb has been ineffective at best so far on the season, and Ponder did seem to outplay him in limited work on Sunday evening. It does not help matters that McNabb took an ugly early safety where he seemed to slip to the ground in the end zone while trying to avoid a sack.
Coach Leslie Frazier said that he will not name a starter until Wednesday for Minnesota’s next game. If Ponder is named the starter his first career start will come against the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, who are the lone remaining undefeated team in the NFL.