Josh Freeman

[Valuist]

That was absolutely brutal to watch last night. I can give him some slack, due to the fact he'd only been with the Vikings for a little over a week. But the throws were so bad, and off by so much. What was really telling was Gruden said that in the pregame warmups, the Viking receivers were having trouble catching Freeman's throws. Christian Ponder isn't good, but from what I saw, he's a definite upgrade.

[Robert Goren]

Classic case of great tools and no talent.

[Robert Fischer]

There is only a select group of QBs that can lead a top passing offense.

Poor front office and scouting/coaching lead to Freeman being severely overpaid. He was never franchise QB material.

[Bettowin]

You can't expect a QB in the NFL to step in with about a week of practice into a new system and look good. Give him at least 4 games and then judge his performance. The Vikings aren't going anywhere except maybe the 2nd overall pick so I would expect him to start the rest of the season so they can decide whether to sign him beyond this year.

[Valuist]

You can't expect a QB in the NFL to step in with about a week of practice into a new system and look good. Give him at least 4 games and then judge his performance. The Vikings aren't going anywhere except maybe the 2nd overall pick so I would expect him to start the rest of the season so they can decide whether to sign him beyond this year.

Yes, but while I wasn't expecting a lot, I wasn't expecting him to repeatedly overthrow receivers by 10 yards. It was as much of a display of inaccuracy as anything I've ever seen. It was painful to watch. Actually felt sorry for him out there.

[Bettowin]

Yes, but while I wasn't expecting a lot, I wasn't expecting him to repeatedly overthrow receivers by 10 yards. It was as much of a display of inaccuracy as anything I've ever seen. It was painful to watch. Actually felt sorry for him out there.

I don't disagree it was brutal. He wasn't exactly able to sit in the pocket very long and step into many throws. The Giants were putting all kinds of pressure on him but NFL QB's should expect it. With that said, I remember Favre's first game with the Vikings and he was missing receivers in every direction. On the bright side, it can only get better for Freeman from here on. The Vikings are going to see 8 or 9 in the box until he proves he can hit receivers. AP won't run for 100 yards until that happens.

[Clocker]

Give him at least 4 games and then judge his performance.

The talking heads on the sports shows were saying it took Payton Manning that long to get the timing established with his receivers when he came to the Broncos. I was kind of half watching the game at the end, but it seemed like he was doing a little better in the 4th quarter. I have no idea how good he is, but I think it is going to take the whole season for the team to make a decision if he is their QB of the future. But the Vikings have a special knack for not being able to make that decision correctly.

[Robert Fischer]

If Minn coaches/scouts/front office are worth their nice job and generous salary, they should already know who he is, from game film on Freeman.

[Bettowin]

If Minn coaches/scouts/front office are worth their nice job and generous salary, they should already know who he is, from game film on Freeman.

I would say that's the reason they signed him. They wanted to sign him for at least two years and he said no because he wanted to see how they were going to use him and if he would get a fair shake at the starting job. He's going to get every chance in the world to become the starter for next year. Time will tell if he is good enough:)

[Valuist]

Its a flyer. They are taking a gamble that he could re find his form from 2010. He just didn't look ready to play, and from what we've heard about his work habits, the Vikes are probably better off with Ponder.

[Clocker]

Breaking news:

The quarterback carousel hasn't stopped turning for the Vikings and it seems to spin more wildly out of control each week.After an awful debut on Monday night, Josh Freeman reported to team headquarters this week with concussion-like symptoms. The short week will make it difficult for him to gain clearance to play Sunday night against Green Bay.

Step right up, Christian Ponder. It's your turn to hop on for another ride when the Vikings (1-5) host the Packers (4-2).

''It's an opportunity to get back in the saddle and be more vocal and take ahold of this position,'' Ponder said on Wednesday after practice, ''because I don't want to give it back.''



Source (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/freeman-banged-ponder-likely-start-181630731--nfl.html)

[JimG]

Been watching Freeman for years as I am an avid Buc fan (yes, this is a brutal year to say that :lol: ) Anyhow, I always suspected he was an avg. qb at best and would not be a starter on most NFL teams. Under Raheem Morris, the team had no discipline and it was hard to tell who was the coach. Under Schiano, they have a dictator who cracks the whip with little knowledge of the NFL game and how to properly motivate today's NFL prima donna.

I am hoping they hire somebody that is between those 2 extremes.

Jim

[Clocker]

In an interview today, Ponder says that while sitting on the bench, he figured out how to get his job back and lead the team to victory. The secret, he says, is to just relax out there and have fun.

I'll bet no one has ever heard a ball player say that before. Geez, do they teach that in Intro to Jock Interviews 101?

[burnsy]

He is not that good. No one is talking about Thad Lewis for Buffalo.......first start, overtime loss to Cinn. He threw a 60 yard bomb on his first pass play. I had not seen a pass like that in Buffalo for years. Last week he goes 21-32 on the road against a decent Miami defense for the comeback victory. These guys for Minn. have been playing for years.......they stink. The guy from the "practice" squad is lighting up the NFL, how good can Freeman be? I don't care how "new" you are, that guy sucks. No wonder no one wants him but Minn.

[Valuist]

In an interview today, Ponder says that while sitting on the bench, he figured out how to get his job back and lead the team to victory. The secret, he says, is to just relax out there and have fun.

I'll bet no one has ever heard a ball player say that before. Geez, do they teach that in Intro to Jock Interviews 101?

That and watching his replacement throw 33 incompletions and allegedly sustaining a concussion.

I think Les Frazier is on shaky ground. He and former teammate Ron Rivera are on the hot seat this season.

[Robert Goren]

Freeman playing last week had "owner's decision" written all over it. This concussion business should be investigated. If he had a concussion, then he suppose to be taken out of the game. It has the sound of something the coaches came up with to keep him from playing this week. Ponder ain't much, but if he is healthy, he is better than Freeman at least until Freeman gets up to speed and maybe after.

[Valuist]

He is not that good. No one is talking about Thad Lewis for Buffalo.......first start, overtime loss to Cinn. He threw a 60 yard bomb on his first pass play. I had not seen a pass like that in Buffalo for years. Last week he goes 21-32 on the road against a decent Miami defense for the comeback victory. These guys for Minn. have been playing for years.......they stink. The guy from the "practice" squad is lighting up the NFL, how good can Freeman be? I don't care how "new" you are, that guy sucks. No wonder no one wants him but Minn.

I agree. This guy (Lewis) came off the scrap heap and looked good first two weeks. Freeman had taken many more game reps this season yet it looked like he had never played the game before.