NFL Week 4: Why the Minnesota Vikings Should Bench Donovan McNabb, Play Ponder

Donovan McNabb was a great athlete and a top quarterback in the game of football... emphasis on was. I honestly mean no disrespect to McNabb, and I will admit to being just as optimistic as other Vikings fans when I heard that the veteran had signed a contract with the Purple and Gold.

However, we are now four weeks into the season and have yet to win a game. I'm not a fair weather fan, and I will continue to cheer for the Vikings, week after week, whether they come out on top or not. That being said, though, I do consider myself a realistic fan—and I realize that going 0-4 in a division as strong as ours (both Detroit and Green Bay hold 4-0 records) pretty much eliminates Minnesota from the playoffs.

So then, what is the next step for Leslie Frazier and his squad? Facebook statuses and Twitter updates alike have reflected Option No. 1: "Suck for Luck." This statement has definitely gained momentum since yesterday afternoon's loss. With Minnesota's tragic loss to Kansas City, the Vikings surpassed the Chiefs in the quest for Stanford QB Andrew Luck, the projected No. 1 draft pick for 2012.

I don't think there's any football team out there that would actually give up on remaining games in order to win a draft pick. However, the fact remains that the Vikings have missed out on postseason hopes and might as well start thinking about next season.

That means playing Christian Ponder. Minnesota drafted the starter out of Florida State at No. 12 overall in the 2011 NFL draft. I am really a firm believer that Ponder could find his groove as a Minnesota Viking.

When the Vikings drafted Ponder, the Star Tribune posted an article covering the QB's positive aspects:

"Another intelligent player—he earned his undergraduate degree in 2.5 years—with good intangibles. Showed his toughness last season by playing despite a bruised triceps, a ruptured right bursa sac and a concussion."

Ponder's intelligence level suggests that he would be a quick learner of Frazier's offensive style and would also be capable of reading the field in tense situations. I'm not ignoring the potential risks, either. Ponder has been accused of making irresponsible play decisions from time to time.

When one weighs the pros and cons, though, quarterbacks coach Craig Johnson thinks the young QB has what it takes. "He can make all the throws," Johnson said. "He still has those days where the consistency's not there, but that's to be expected. He also has those days where you say, 'Wow.' When his time comes, I'm thinking he'll be able to do very good things out there."

All this being said, and taking all things into consideration, I continually arrive at the same question: What can it hurt?

Seriously, what's the worst that will happen if you put Ponder in against the Cardinals? We go 0-5? I don't mean to be sarcastic, but at this point I don't know that it would change the season's outlook at all. McNabb has proven himself incapable of throwing any long balls, and even most of his short passes scream inaccuracy.

I attended the Detroit game last week, and there were three plays in a series that stood out to me: 1) TE Kyle Rudolph was forced to vertically jump a good distance to make the catch; 2) On the immediate next play, Bernard Berrian reaches down between his knees to catch McNabb's pass; and 3) McNabb overshoots Berrian in the end zone, leading to a Minnesota field goal.

McNabb's arm is shot, it's as simple as that. I really can't imagine how putting Ponder into the huddle would be any more of a risk than throwing McNabb in for another game. In the end, it should come down to a plan for next season.

One guarantee—I think I can safely assume—is that McNabb will not be here next year. This is the time to throw in the new guy and see what he's capable of. Wouldn't you rather know now whether Ponder can be the go-to guy for Game 1 next season? After all, he could be the next Aaron Rodgers...

I understand that the Vikings spent $5 million on his contract, and maybe at this point they're kicking themselves, thinking that they have to "get their money's worth" or something along those lines. A legitimate thought, but after losing four games are you getting your money's worth? I think it's time to face it, Mr. Zygi Wilf—you're watching a lot of money go down the drain.

Admit it, accept it, and let's get off to a fresh start... his name is Christian Ponder.