The bye week can be a good thing. It can be a great thing when it comes later in the season. It can be a great thing when a team is tying to get players healthy. The Minnesota Vikings have now entered their bye week. It's a little early but it's nice to have a break following their trip to London. Entering the bye week after a win makes everything better. The players get away on a high note. Unfortunately, it's not all good. Vikings fans are going to make the next two weeks seem more like a month. The talk of Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder has already grown old. It was already old in less than an hour after the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There is a quarterback controversy in Minnesota. A team with no wins finally getting a win with the backup quarterback will create a controversy. Sad, but true. I hate these controversies. Mainly because all those talking about it are not involved in the decision process. Cassel played well against the Steelers. Receivers Greg Jennings and Jerome Simpson made plays for him. Adrian Peterson was back to his dynamite running. The offensive line played their best game of the season. The thing that so many of the talking heads and fans seem to miss, probably because of the win, is that this game was so similar to the previous two losses. This was the third straight game that the Vikings controlled late. The third straight game that they could have put away but the offense failed to score a touchdown or failed to get a first down. The third straight game that the defense allowed a team to move down the field in the final minute. Really, the only thing truly different about his game was that the defense made a play at the end to seal the win. Defensive end Everson Griffen sacked Ben Roethlisberger, forced a fumble, Kevin Williams recovered. Game over. The Steelers were six yards from doing serious damage to the Vikings chance for their first win. In that sense, there isn't much difference in the quarterback play of Ponder and Cassel.
Cassel played well. He actually looked more confident and comfortable in the pocket than Ponder did in the first three games. Some of that could be Cassel's greater experience. He's seen more so he can react more quickly. It could also be because the offensive line gave him a better pocket so he could be more comfortable. Personally, I think that the Vikings can win games with either quarterback. The entire team has had breakdowns that have resulted in a rough start to the season. Too many have placed the blame for three losses on Ponder. There is too much blame to heap it all on one person. If Leslie Frazier starts Ponder coming out of the bye, there could a mutiny of the supposed Vikings faithful. If the decision was mine, I'd probably lean towards Cassel simply because he looks more comfortable on the field. No matter the reason, comfort in the pocket goes a long way. But, I'm not around the team. I can't see or feel how the team reacts to one quarterback or the other. Many players raved about Cassel's poise and leadership in the huddle and on the field. I imagine that winning makes everything feel better. If the team feels better with Cassel, so be it. Frazier will be the one to make the decision but I really think that team might make it for him. Most fans have already made up their minds. It's Cassel or bust. If Ponder trots out on the field against the Carolina Panthers, the fans will probably want Frazier's head. Fans are passionate about this but it's Frazier's job, and the jobs of his coaches, that could hinge on this decision. I doubt that he makes it carelessly. I wish that fans would try to understand that.
All I know for sure is that this bye week is going to be way, way too long. This quarterback controversy has already gotten old.
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