Christian Ponder and 6 Second-Half Storylines for the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings haven't had the season they were hoping for.

In a perfect world, the Vikings would be about 5-3 right now after holding late leads in their first three games. Donovan McNabb would be leading the Vikings toward a playoff push, and Christian Ponder would be right there with his trusty clipboard taking notes along the way.

Well, things don't go as planned too often in the NFL.

The Vikings currently stand at 2-6. Their hopes for making the playoffs are almost non-existant and Donovan McNabb has been benched. One could say that the season has been a disaster short of the unforseen circumstances of the Metrodome roof collapsing again.

However, as the Vikings head towards the second half, there seems to be a little bit of optimism about the team. Several players who were headcases on the roster, such as Bryant McKinnie and Bernard Berrian, are now gone. Others who haven't performed, like McNabb, have been benched.

So, what can Viking fans look forward to in the second half of the season? Let's find out.

The Development of Christian Ponder

When Christian Ponder was taken with the 12th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, many experts thought the Vikings had reached for a quarterback.

Many Viking fans didn't like the decision either. Instead of Ponder, Viking fans were clamoring for Prince Amukamara or Nick Fairley.

So far, the Vikings look to be in the right, as not only have Amukamara and Fairley barely been on the field in their rookie seasons, but Ponder has looked surprisingly good for a rookie.

When Ponder replaced Donovan McNabb in the fourth quarter of the 39-16 loss to the Chicago Bears on October 16, the differences between him and McNabb (aka The Worm Burner) made it seem like Ponder was the veteran.

In two starts, Ponder has shown plenty of poise and confidence. However, two games is a really small sample size.

If Ponder can continue to show improvement, the Vikings could have a franchise quarterback for the first time since Fran Tarkenton wore purple.

Jared Allen's Quest for Defensive Player of the Year Honors

Players on losing teams usually aren't considered for individual awards. Jared Allen may force the NFL to make an exception.

Allen has put on a clinic from the right end spot this season, as he leads the NFL with 12.5 sacks. Allen has recorded a sack in seven straight games, and he has had at least half a sack in 10 straight games dating back to last season.

To put it mildly, there's been a lot of cattle roping going on.

Allen is the key cog for the Vikings defense. If he gets pressure on the quarterback, it masks the paper thin secondary the Vikings currently have.

If Allen can keep his pace, the Vikings will be in a lot of games down the stretch, and it could end with defensive player of the year honors.

The Return of Antoine Winfield

The Minnesota Vikings currently rank 30th in the NFL in passing yards allowed. If Antoine Winfield had been healthy the entire season, that ranking  would probably be lower.

It's no secret that the Vikings secondary has been awful. The safeties have looked terrible in coverage. There have been players shuffling in and out of the lineup as well, but the status of Antoine Winfield has really kicked this unit in the rear.

I'm not saying that Winfield will turn the Vikings into a top five pass defense, but it can't hurt to see No. 26 back out on the field.

Will the Vikings Limit Adrian Peterson's Workload?

Adrian Peterson has carried the ball 166 times through the first eight games of the season. However, when a team throws in a rookie quarterback, they usually start handing the ball off more.

So far this season, the Vikings have given Peterson the ball roughly 20 times a game (not including receptions). The Vikings have started to use him more and more throughout the season and are now involving him in the passing game.

Over the years, it looks like 400 touches is the magic number for self-destruction. Backs like Larry Johnson and Rashard Mendenhall have seen severe drop offs in their production after hitting that number.

While it is unknown whether the Vikings adopt that philosophy, it has to raise a couple questions. If Peterson starts to climb toward that magic 400 number, will the Vikings use him less? Also, if the Vikings start losing, will the Vikings opt to do the same?

How the Vikings Perform in

The Vikings have about three games on their schedule where they could realistically win the game.

The Vikings have yet to face the Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins this season. All three teams have Jekyl and Hyde routines going for them, so there's a possibility that the Vikings could take advantage of one of their off games.

The Vikings still have the talent to put together a couple wins late in the season against other teams, but if they are able to take care of teams that they should beat, it will be a positive sign going forward.

Potential Draft Targets

When an NFL team starts losing games, their fans start dreaming about who they could take in the upcoming draft. (Hey, Indianapolis Colts fans and players have been doing that all year!)

It raises the question, how the Vikings are going to fix the rut they currently find themselves in.

If players at certain positions can step up, the Vikings will have an easier time figuring out who to take in next year's draft.

If the Vikings get a top 10 pick, will the Vikings try to protect Christian Ponder and bring in USC tackle Matt Kalil? Or will the Vikings decide to give Christian Ponder a new toy to play with and draft Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon? Or, the Vikings could decide to shore up their secondary by taking LSU corner Morris Clayborne.

All will be decided within the second half of the season where the front office wants to go.

For Viking fans, it's already the time to start dreaming.

The Viking Stadium Situation

Fans don't usually like to get involved in the political side of things, but this is very important to note as the Vikings come down the stretch.

2011 could be the last season of Minnesota Viking football if a new stadium is not agreed upon. The Vikings' current lease expires at the end of the year, and if state lawmakers decide not to have a special session on the topic, the Vikings could be headed towards sunny Los Angeles.

If a deal doesn't get done, there still could be hope to keep the Vikings. In the Vikings' lease, there is a damage clause that says that if the Vikings miss a game due to damage to the Metrodome, another year is automatically tacked on to the lease. That would give lawmakers more time to figure out funding where the stadium should be built, etc.

Regardless of what happens, a new stadium needs to be built for the Vikings to stay in Minnesota. Whether it will be agreed upon before it's too late is something to keep track of.