The Minnesota Vikings have found a new target for Christian Ponder to throw to.

Greg Jennings was introduced as the newest Viking on Friday.

On Friday, the Vikings signed former Packers WR Greg Jennings to a five-year, $47.5 million deal with $18 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.

“We’re really excited about the fact that he brings high character,” said head coach Leslie Frazier. “He’s a tremendous athlete. We all know that. But what he’ll bring to our locker room, the energy that he’ll bring to what we do at practice along with his leadership, those were all qualities we were looking for when we talked with Greg.”

Once Percy Harvin went down last season, Christian Ponder didn’t have many options to pass too. Jennings hopes to fill that role of making life easier for Ponder.

“You can just get a sense that he needed a little more around him to give him some help,” Jennings said. “Hopefully I can help him a little bit.”

Jennings will had a second-dimension to the Vikings offense that was super dependent on Adrian Peterson last season.

“You see a guy like `All Day’ sitting in that backfield and you see the cluster of guys that are gathered in that box for him, it’s going to be some special things taking place,” Jennings said.

Jennings had three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2008 to 2010 but has battled injuries the past two seasons.

Despite turning 30 this season, Jennings isn’t worried about what the naysayers are saying.

“I can definitely still do it,” said Jennings. “I can definitely still make plays and be as exciting as I was in my earlier years.”

In eight games last season, Jennings had 36 receptions for 366 yards (10 ypc) and four touchdowns.

Free agency officially begins on Tuesday and the Minnesota Vikings will be active to fill numerous spots on their roster. Below is where their roster currently stands before free agency:

OFFENSE

Percy Harvin will be the Vikings biggest offseason question mark — Will they trade him? Will he hold out? Will they extend him?

Quarterbacks (3) – Christian Ponder, Joe Webb, McLeod Bethel-Thompson
*Note — look for the Vikings to add a veteran to this group.

Tight ends (5) — Kyle Rudolph, Rhett Ellison, John Carlson, Lamark Brown, Chase Ford

Wide receiver (5) — Percy Harvin, Greg Childs, Jarius Wright, Stephen Burton, Chris Summers
*Note — Percy Harvin remains a question mark as he enters the final year of his rookie contract and seems to be hinting at possibly holding out if he does not get a new contract.
Greg Childs is coming off a serve knee injury to both knees.

Running backs (4) — Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart, Joe Banyard, Matt Asiata

Guards (3) — Brandon Fusco, Charlie Johnson, Tyler Holmes

Tackle (3) — Matt Kalil, DeMarcus Love, Kevin Murphy

Center (1) — John Sullivan

DEFENSE

Defensive line (10) — Jared Allen, Brian Robinson, Kevin Williams, Fred Evans, Everson Griffen, Letroy Guion, George Johnson, D’Aundre Reed, Chase Baker

Defensive backs (11) — Chris Cook, Harrison Smith, Robert Blanton, Antoine Winfield, Brandon Burton, Josh Robinson, Mistral Raymond, Bobby Felder, Greg McCoy, Nick Taylor, Roderick Williams

Linebacker (4) — Chad Greenway, Audie Cole, Larry Dean, Tyrone McKenzie

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punter (2) — Chris Kluwe, T.J. Conley
*NOTE — Chris Kluwe had off-season knee surgery

Long snapper (1) — Cullen Loeffler

Kicker (1) — Blair Walsh

FREE AGENTS
*Those who were on the Vikings last season but enter the offseason as free agents (restricted or not)

Offense – Devin Aromashodu (WR), Joe Berger (C), Jerome Felton (FB), Phil Loadholt (T), Geoff Schwartz (T), Jerome Simpson (WR), Troy Kropog (restricted — T)

Defense – Jasper Brinkley (LB), Erin Henderson (LB), A.J. Jefferson (restricted — DB), Marvin Mitchell (LB), Jamarca Sanford (DB), Andrew Senejo (exclusive rights — DB), Marcus Sherels (exclusive rights — DB)

Christian Ponder will head into next season as the Vikings starting quarterback.

Head coach Leslie Frazier gives end of year presser

Head coach Leslie Frazier gave his end of year press conference on Tuesday, although it was earlier than he had hoped. He is excited about 2013 and thinks the Minnesota Vikings have a very bright future with the likes of rookies Harrison Smith, Matt Kalil and Blair Walsh all stepping up to in their respective positions.

“We were looking at continuing our season but unfortunately that didn’t happen,” said Frazier. “I’m very, very proud of our football team and what they accomplished this season. Our guys worked extremely hard, going all the way back to April 23 when they came back in the building and set a foundation for this 2012 season. Because of their work we were able to secure a playoff spot.”

End of season injury report

Injuries: Jared Allen will have surgery on a labral tear after the Pro Bowl. Chris Kluwe will have surgery on his left meniscus. Tyrone McKenzie will heal on his own. Adrian Peterson is going to be evaluated after the Pro Bowl on his core muscles. Christian Ponder will heal on his own. Antoine Winfield is healing and should make full recovery. There were other minor player injuries that should heal on their own in the offseason.

Will Joe Webb remain a member of the Vikings?

» Continue reading “End Of The Season News Bulletin”

Peterson has 409 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Packers this season.

The Minnesota Vikings tumultuous 2012 season has come down to Saturday night. When the season started, many NFL analysts had the Vikings in the 4-6 win range. Last August, if you would have said THIS Minnesota Vikings team will make the playoffs, you would have had your Helga hat rights revoked. With a handful of rookies a barely second-year quarterback that had yet to prove himself and a Pro Bowl running back coming off a devastating ACL and MCL tear, this team had little hope. But here we are on January 4, 2013 with wildcard in hand, looking to play the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the playoffs.

The Vikings have surpassed all expectations of the 2012-2013 season and are looking at a bone chillingly cold playoff game at Lambeau Field Saturday night. With an impressive team showing last Sunday afternoon, the Vikings are poised to beat all odds and head deep into the playoffs.

Christian Ponder and Adrian Peterson both need to have games similar to their performances Sunday to give the Vikings a chance. Peterson, who came nine yards short to breaking the NFL all-time rushing record, has rushed for 409 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Packers this season. But even with huge numbers from Peterson, the Packers have proved they can allow these rushing yards and still win. Ponder will need to play at the level he did on Sunday to have any shot at keeping the Vikings in the game. Ponder, who threw for 234 yards and three touchdowns Sunday is listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game due to an elbow injury he received in last week’s game.

The Packers will be getting back almost all of their weapons that have been out with injuries this season. CB Charles Woodson has been cleared to play after missing the majority of the season with a broken collarbone. Wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb have also been cleared to play. The Vikings have listed Christian Ponder as questionable as well as CB Antoine Winfield, with a hand injury.

I haven’t made a game score prediction all season and I’m typically not the most optimistic Vikings fan in the world (Hello! I live in Wisconsin!). A few stats I like: The Vikings are 1-0 in playoff games at Lambeau Field and the Packers are 2-4 in their last six home games. I was also very encouraged by the play of Ponder last week and thought was the most well-rounded I had seen the Vikings all season. I’ll take Vikings 24-21. See you in Georgia!

Kim’s prediction: I write for the Vikings, I’m a fan of the Vikings, I gotta pick the Vikings. Call me a homer but I think in the cold the Vikings’ run game will have more success than the Packers’ passing game.  It won’t be a shootout like last weekend, though.
Vikings 23, Packers 21

The Vikings ability to advance in the playoffs will likely depend on QB Christian Ponder’s play on Saturday, not Adrian Peterson

After winning against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Vikings earned themselves another border battle.  This time it’ll be in the playoffs on Saturday at Lambeau Field.

“Playoffs!? That was awesome,” said quarterback Christian Ponder.

The Vikings last made the playoffs during the 2009 season with Brett Favre at quarterback.  Only 13 players from that squad remain with the Vikings.

Ponder, who is in his second season in the NFL and first full year as the Vikings starter, will be making his first playoff start on Sunday.  Ponder will be among many of the young Vikings who will be new to the playoff intensity they will see on Saturday.

“We know that it is a high pressure situation, but for me, I’m going to try to treat it like I’ve done the past several weeks. We’ve treated that like playoffs games,” said Ponder. “Our number one goal is to get to the Super Bowl and win it and have a ring on our finger. We’re just going to prepare and work hard like we do every week.”

Despite Adrian Peterson’s dominance against the Packers during the regular season, the Vikings will sink or swim based on how Ponder plays.

Exhibit A — Vikings loss to Green Bay:

• Christian Ponder: 12/25 for 119 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions
• Adrian Peterson: 21 rushes for 210 yards and a touchdown

Exhibit B — Vikings win against Green Bay:

• Christian Ponder: 16/28 for 234 yards and three touchdown (no turnovers)
• Adrian Peterson: 34 rushes for 199 yards and a touchdown

Peterson fell eight yards short of Eric Dickerson’s all-time NFL rushing record

Almost one month ago this Minnesota Vikings team was all but counted out of the playoff hunt. The Vikings had just left Lambeau Field, licking their wounds after a 23-14 loss. QB Christian Ponder put the loss on his shoulders, after a dismal showing and Head Coach Leslie Frazier said every game after that would have to be treated like a playoff game.

And the Vikings were ready. They went on to win their next four games; home against the Bears, at the Rams, at the Texans and home against the Packers, to sneak into the playoffs, nabbing that last wildcard spot.

“Just a great job by our football team,” Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier said moments after the game. “I’m so proud of our guys. A complete team effort all the way across against a very good football team. For our guys to be as resilient as they were throughout this ballgame…our fans were terrific throughout this game. It’s the first time in a long time I felt like, playing against Green Bay and being at home, we truly had home-field advantage because our fans were loud, they made it hard for their team to really function at times, and we needed that. I’m very, very grateful to our fans that really had an impact on this ballgame at Mall of America Field.”

» Continue reading “Vikings Run Past Packers and Right Into Playoffs”

Adrian Peterson needs 208 yards to become the single-season leading rusher

Today the Minnesota Vikings play a game no one thought they’d be playing at the beginning of the season.  2012 was supposed to be a rebuilding season but on Sunday the Vikings face a win and in game against the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers are already in the playoffs but they won’t be playing for nothing.  If the Packers win on Sunday, they earn a first round bye.     If the Vikings win, they earn a ticket to play Green Bay a week later in the wild card round.  Both teams have something to play for tomorrow so it won’t be easy.

“They have a lot to play for, we have a lot to play for and it’s going to be a big game,” said Chad Greenway. “I think the most exciting part for us is we get to be at home.”

Vikings inactive list  – QB M. Bethel-Thompson, WR S. Burton, CB B. Burton, S R. Blanton, LB A. Cole, OL T. Kropog, & DE D. Reed

That means, Adrian Peterson, Antoine Winfield and Brian Robinson, all battling injuries, are ACTIVE today for the game.

Peterson needs 208 yards today to become the all-time single-season rusher.  Last game against the Packers, Peterson went for 210 yards so it can be done.  Will he remains to be seen.

Key to the game — win the turnover battle — Christian Ponder needs to take care of the ball, unlike last time in Green Bay

Side note: With the NY Giants easily leading against the Eagles, the Vikings will need a WIN to get into the playoffs. No other options.

Peterson will need 208 yards next week to break the all-time NFL rushing record.

The Minnesota Vikings not only stunned the nation Sunday when they routed the Houston Texans, they also did so without Adrian Peterson running 100 yards.

The Vikings, in arguably one of their most impressive games of the season, came into Houston as nine-point underdogs and won 23-6 to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings came out with a vengeance, holding the Texans to just a field goal in their first possession and then driving 78 yards for the score. QB Christian Ponder linked up with TE Kyle Rudolph for a three-yard touchdown.

Two possessions later, Houston was driving when QB Matt Schaub handed the ball off to RB Arian Foster. LB Jasper Brinkley hit Foster hard and the ball came out. CB AJ Jefferson was there to recover. The turnover led to a Vikings 56-yard field goal by Blair Walsh, who set an NFL record for his ninth 50-yard field goal of the season.

» Continue reading “UPSET ALERT: Vikings Win Big in Texas”

Sorry ladies but Christian Ponder is OFF the market after marrying ESPN’s Samantha Steele

On Monday, Christian Ponder and his gal Samantha Steele crossed the border into Wisconsin (EW) and got married, according to court documents obtained by the Pioneer Press.

Ponder met Steele on the set of ESPN’s College Gameday earlier in the year.  In October Ponder confirmed him and the ESPN reporter were dating and only a few weeks ago was it confirmed he popped the question to Steele.

Lucky for Ponder, the news of new marriage broke the day he faced the media.  He assured the media, though, that it will not be a distraction heading into the Vikings big road match-up against the Texans on Sunday.

No. Not at all. It hasn’t deterred anything from what I did, routine Monday and Tuesday. I was in here and got my film work in. Obviously, it’s a big deal, but it wasn’t a distraction at all.

For why, Ponder stated it was important to “get it done before the holidays and a lot of personal reasons that went into it.”

Steele quickly squashed the pregnancy speculation on twitter, however.

Any who, congrats to the happy newlyweds. Hopefully this marriage lasts longer than then the Humphries-Kardashian wedding.  Countdown starts NOW.

After the Vikings handily beat the Rams 36-22, Minnesota currently holds the sixth playoff seed in the NFC based on today’s outcomes and tiebreaks.

How did the Vikings end up with the win today? Below is a quick recap:

• Adrian Peterson is NOT human.  It can’t be possible.  He rushed for 212 yards today on 24 attempts with a looooooong 82-yard touchdown run in the 2nd quarter. Can you say MVP?
• Christian Ponder was pretty efficient today. No major mistakes, which is exactly what he needs to do while riding Adrian Peterson to victories.  He finished 17-of-24 (70.8%) with 131 yards (YES, he passed for more than 100 yards) and ZERO interceptions.  He also rushed for a touchdown on a scramble.
• Ponder completed passes to 7 different receivers  – Simpson had 4 catches (27 yards),  Burton had 3 (22 yards), Rudolph had 3 (22 yards), Carlson had 3 (17 yards) and Toby had two (21).  Michael Jenkins and Jarius Wright each had one for 11 yards each.
• Blair Walsh was once again money from 50+, nailing three of them (50 yards, 53 yards and 51 yards)
• Everson Griffen had a 29 yard interception return for a touchdown

Vikings travel to the Texans next Sunday, then finish the season at home against Green Bay.  They hold the key to their playoff ticket.  Win out and they are in.  Can they do it against two tough opponents? It remains to be seen, but my, oh my, what a turn around this has been.