Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers: Ponder Delivers Best Loss of the Season

Don't get me wrong—I'm not thrilled that the Vikings are 1-6 headed into Week 8 of the NFL season. After all, I'm badly losing my overoptimistic bet that Minnesota would go 10-6 this year.

However, Sunday granted one very important thing to fans: hope. When head coach Leslie Frazier finally decided to bench veteran Donovan McNabb after his embarrassing performance in Chicago, 2010 draft pick Christian Ponder got his chance.

It was an opportunity he grabbed by the horns...pun intended. Despite throwing two interceptions, the quarterback out of Florida threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Ponder didn't seem to be shaken by the mistakes, and he took the field with confidence for what is sure to be one of the hardest games of the season. In the game recap, ESPN referred to Ponder as "the fearless rookie."

Ponder seemed to read the field very effectively, and demonstrated levels of excitement, determination and pure passion 10 times above those of McNabb.

I'll admit something right now: I was expecting the Vikings to lose to Green Bay by at least 20 points. To watch the game expire with a final score of 33-27, I felt content and hopeful about the remainder of the season with Ponder at the helm.

Fresh legs, fresh blood...and a new outlook.