CUTLET STILL WINLESS AT THE ROLLERDOME! (7-6)

LOSER!

"Game over. Thanks for playing. Better luck next time, Mr. Cutler" said a hoarse Ragnar.

Well that was a walk in the park.  Maybe not a perfect one, more like the kind where it starts raining towards the end and you have to hurry home but still... we won semi comfortably!  All thanks to Rudy the soft handed giant. 

And then, finally,  every Viking fan in the world could relax.

During and after the game all the chatter was the same as before, two main topics, Purple Jesus & Christian Ponder.  AP obviously continues to be ridiculous and is universally regarded as the best back in the league.  Talk maybe even of MVP, player of the year, comeback player of the year etc.  He even won a charity award today, all much deserved.  He can do no wrong.

Ponder however, to a LOT of fans at least, can do no right.  Let's jump right into the plays that had Ponder Haters on blast within seconds.  The first one was when we were up 14-0, on our 20...

  Christian ponders taking a sack or throwing it away at someone's feet?

I personally was only worried about this play if the REFs gave CHI the ball & a TD.  It was never a fumble, the ball went forward, I don't know if there was a VIKING in the area to avoid an intentional grounding but, I get his thought pattern.  PONDER haters were all calling him an idiot for not just taking the sack.  I get that too!  Totally.  I'm on the fence here.  Ultimately, no harm, no foul.  No one bitches about the line though?  Moving on. 

The biggest play that pissed off the PONDER haters was the interception at the end of the half. 

Major Wright got 200 points for catching it before letting it bounce!

Now I don't have any problem with the play call, the read or the decision to throw.  (You can watch it here.)  Jarius Wright WAS wide open, by two or 3 steps.  Some people seemed to think it was a dumb idea to throw it per the result, not me.  These are the same people who usually bitch why "we never take a shot," to which the answer is "because no one is ever open."

I do agree with the criticism that the throw was late, behind and of poor mechanics.  It was... but come on!   Look at the play a few times, he didn't have time.  He HAD to step back, just to get room to throw because KALIL got bull rushed NINE YARDS behind the line of scrimmage.  That's not Ponders fault.  Ponder was flushed to his left because the center got pushed back 5 yards.  WTF?  How are you gonna "step into" any throw with the line doing that?  I'd like to add that there was only 32 seconds left, we weren't in scoring position and he lobbed it 50 yards off his back foot.  He doesn't have an arm?  I was fine with this unfortunate play, again, no harm no foul. 

This next play was more so just people taking a dig at PONDER, because it gave us all bad T Jack flash backs.

Ponder does his T Jack impression. I give him a B- because he actually completed it

I'm sure you guys on twitter and the blogs since Sunday have seen the eerie stat comparisons btwn Ponder and T Jack, but here is a nice graphic I saw for those of you unfamiliar. 

 (Via @Mattglions - twitter )

Whoa! So what do we think?  How do you compare the two?  Please fill out my new poll to the top right!  My take is pretty simple.  The stats are pretty identical, plus they both have played with out very good or even productive #1 WRs.  T Jack had Chester Taylor and Shanks, Ponder has Rudy and Harvin. Oh Boy! In the first 4 games with a healthy Harvin Ponder had 800 yards and 4 TDs, no INTs.  He CAN play.  He's just regressed.  IDK why.  The bad news for T Jack is he went on to Seattle, had a great core of WRs and still lost his job.  What will be of PONDER?  I don't know if he will be a bench player, starter or star yet...  but I don't think he'll be a "bust."   I am withholding judgement on him a little longer.  Again, please fill out my poll and let me know what YOU think! (top right)

How about our young fellas?  I know I always yap about our rookies this year but seriously, they were ballin' yesterday!  Kalil did a solid job. Walsh did too. Then there were these two HUGE plays that directly led to 14 of our 21 points!

And, at this moment, all the Chicago fans sighed "here we go again"

To which Harry Smith replied, "Oh we're not even done yet!"

Big ups to Robinson and Smith!  Here is the video of Harrison Smith's PICK SIX.  Mind you it was on a 3rd and ONE.  Hmmm?  You think VIKE fans go crazy about bad calls and throws, imagine the BEARs fans yesterday.  SKOL!

After the game Coach Frazier praised all his players and they heard from Wilf too.  I always laugh when I hear Ziggy talk.  Click here to see the post game locker room speech and who got the game ball.  My game ball definitely goes to the 12th man.  The VIKING fans gave CUTLET hell yesterday!  I'd like to also give FRAZIER props for finally beating the BEARS and give Jenkins a shout out too, he made some key 3rd down catches!  

(And retweeted me =)  Team Player!

"What?! Throw it to Darshull? To Landon? Who? Sampson Farshell? Oh fuck it. TIME OUT!"

You all should peep Paul Allen's Derby video for this game, always entertaining!  That's all I have right now.  We're seven and six and in the mix and that's all you can ask!  

Still reading?  Well here is a bonus for you, an old article from the Chicago Tribune about the good natured feud between Mike Lynn (former GM) and Mike Ditka in 1987.  Hence the title "roller dome."

OH, Sad Viking wanted to share this with you after the Pat's game tonight. They destroyed the Texans.  Looks like we won't get their B squad in 2 weeks after all.  Oh well.  Bring it!

SKOL !!