The Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings will both likely be making
changes in the offseason after disappointing years.

Whether the quarterbacks are among those changes remains to be seen.

The Vikings visit the Redskins on Saturday, needing to win their final two
games to avoid finishing with the worst record in the franchise’s 51-year
history.

Minnesota’s worst 16-game record was 3-13 in 1984 while the 1961 Vikings
went 2-11. This year’s squad has shown little reason to make anyone believe it
can win at least one of its final two games – the last of which will come at
home against Chicago – much less two.

Minnesota’s losing streak reached six – its longest single-season skid since
1984 – with a 42-20 loss to New Orleans on Sunday. The Vikings (2-12) were
outgained 573-207 and had 12 first downs to the Saints’ 36.

This will be the second straight season Minnesota has missed the playoffs
after reaching the NFC title game in 2009.

“There’s a lot at stake,” linebacker Erin Henderson said of the final two
games. “They’re watching closely right now to see who’s still fighting, who’s
still coming out here trying to give their best and give it their all, and look
to see who they can build this team with next year and continue to move forward
with.”

While coaches are often the first to take the fall for a team’s failures,
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier reportedly has the support of the team’s owners.
Frazier took over after Brad Childress was fired last season.

“I’m really optimistic about the future, as difficult and as crazy as that
may sound,” Frazier said. “I think I have a good idea of what we need to do to
not be in this situation in the future. So no, I’m not concerned about 2012 at
this point.”

Frazier hopes quarterback Christian Ponder is part of the team’s plans going
forward. Ponder, the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, took over when
Donovan McNabb struggled. However, after showing promise early on, Ponder had
regressed. In the last two weeks, he’s 25 of 52 for 235 yards with four
touchdowns and four interceptions.

“With Christian, like so many young quarterbacks, you don’t want to base
your judgment on one or two games,” Frazier said. “Give him a chance to have an
offseason to get with our coaches in OTAs that are going to help him. I think
it’s a little bit too early to panic about Christian.”

With Ponder struggling, Minnesota needs Adrian Peterson at full strength.
Peterson, who is 68 yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards for a fifth straight
season, had 10 carries for 60 yards last week after missing three games with a
sprained ankle.

Like the Vikings, the Redskins (5-9) also face questions about their roster
as they near the end of a third straight losing season.

Washington won for the second time in 10 games, beating the New York Giants
23-10 last Sunday.

Rex Grossman completed 15 of 24 passes for 185 yards, one touchdown and two
interceptions while the defense held the Giants to a field goal until the final
minute of the fourth quarter.

Grossman’s two interceptions give him 18 this season – two shy of his career
high. His 71.4 passer rating ranks 29th among qualifying quarterbacks, just
behind Ponder’s 72.3.

However, Grossman could have better luck against the Vikings secondary,
which hasn’t forced an interception in the last nine games while giving up an
average of 271.9 passing yards.

Grossman will be a free agent at the end of the season, but he has the
support to come back from at least one of his teammates.

“We’ve been feeling that rhythm again once Rex got back out there, giving us
that swag that he carried on the first part of the season,” receiver Santana
Moss said. “That’s leading us to go out there and do what we do. We needed a guy
like that to take advantage of those opportunities that we have.”

The Vikings defeated the Redskins 17-13 in Washington last season in
Frazier’s first game as head coach.

Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier

Conference Call With New Orleans Media

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

 

Who will start at quarterback on Sunday?

“Christian (Ponder) is our starting quarterback. Barring an injury, he will remain our starting quarterback.”

Can you discuss the status of Adrian Peterson?

“We will get our first chance to see him today at practice but we are optimistic that this is the week that we will get him back.”

Can you discuss how the team is dealing with being in a rebuilding mode?

“It is tough anytime you are going through the things that we have experienced this season but our guys have battled. We are definitely in a transition. They have battled each week and we are going to fight the good fight again this week.”

Can you discuss the attitude of the team this year?

“The resiliency of our players has been incredible. We are down 21-0 in the first quarter of the game last Sunday (at Detroit) and they could have easily tanked that game but they didn’t. There we are on the last play of the game on the 1-yard line with a chance to win the game. They have been very resilient throughout this season. It is a testament to our leadership. We just have some things that we will have to address this offseason to get some things corrected.”

What factors have contributed to the struggles of the team this year?

“There are a lot of different factors. You guys (New Orleans media) have been in it a long time and we are not the first team to play in the NFC Championship game and then disappear for a while – it happens in our league. It also happens where teams you didn’t expect all of a sudden jump up and are playing in the NFC Championship game. Things can change fast in our league. Especially in this age of free agency, this year particularly with so many things that happened in the offseason that had an effect on the regular season. There are a lot of factors that go into where we are now and where we were in 2009.”

Is New Orleans’ loss to the Rams something that you are looking closely at in film study?

“That’s a tape we will take a look at. The Tampa game also. The Green Bay game is a little different with them being a 3-4 team and it was the first game of the season. You are always trying to look for something that will give you some hope that will give you a chance against such a prolific offense and a very good football team. We will search through the tapes and try to find something that will hopefully give us an edge.”

Can you discuss how the defensive line continues to be a strength of the team?

“It has without question been the strength of our defense. We have had some troubles on the backend but our defensive line has consistently played hard for us and played well. Jared (Allen) has led the way and is having an MVP-type season.”

Can you discuss the comments that Jared Allen made to the cities of Detroit and New Orleans last week?

“I talked with him about those comments this morning. I am hoping that we won’t have any more comments like that going forward.”

Can you talk about the progress of Christian Ponder?

“He has had his ups and downs like most rookie quarterbacks that come into our league. He is battling through those things that every young quarterback goes through. Whether you are Peyton or Eli Manning – whoever it may be. Even Joe Montana. We think our team will be much better going forward as he goes through some of the growing pains of being an NFL quarterback. It’s difficult for him and difficult for our team at times but you have to look at the bigger picture. It’s an investment for our future and he is handling it pretty well.”

By Dave Campbell, Associated Press

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have been down all year. Now they’re even more depleted.

The transaction list released by the Vikings resembled a virtual white flag, with four key players placed on injured reserve with five games to go in a second straight dismal season. Two safeties, a wide receiver and the long snapper are out, joining two of their best three cornerbacks.

These are positions that lacked depth at the beginning of the year. But as tantalizing as securing that second overall draft pick for 2012 can be — assuming the winless Indianapolis Colts are on their way to locking up No. 1 — the Vikings (2-9) haven’t abandoned their goal of finishing the season with success.

The ultracompetitive nature of professional sports makes it nearly impossible for coaches and players to think that way, for one. The Vikings will face legitimate playoff contenders in four of their last five games, another motivating factor. Plus, there’s the fear of rushing a rookie into action too soon.

“If you don’t feel like he’s quite ready and you put him out there just for the sake of saying, ‘We want to look at him in a game,’ and now the kid fails or he jeopardizes someone else’s health because he wasn’t ready,” coach Leslie Frazier said, “then that’s not the wisest thing to do.”

Frazier said this week’s moves were not made because of the team’s record. Only long snapper Cullen Loeffler and wide receiver Michael Jenkins would have a chance to return if the Vikings were still in the race for a playoff spot. So they’ve been left with no choice but to elevate the status of a handful of young players.

Strong safety Tyrell Johnson, who started three games this season to fill in while Jamarca Sanford and Husain Abdullah were injured, tore the hamstring tendon away from the bone in his right leg. Frazier said Johnson will need six months to recover. He was scheduled to have surgery Wednesday.

Abdullah also is done for the year, due to lingering concussion symptoms. That means sixth-round draft pick Mistral Raymond will start at safety next to Sanford, with Jarrad Page now backing them up. Page was signed Tuesday after being let go recently by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jenkins, who leads the team with three touchdown receptions and is second in catches and yards, has torn meniscus cartilage — Frazier didn’t say which knee — and will have surgery Thursday. His season-ending injury prompted the team to re-sign rookie Stephen Burton, a seventh-round draft pick who has been on and off the roster.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have been down all year. Now they’re even more depleted.

The transaction list released by the Vikings resembled a virtual white flag, with four key players placed on injured reserve with five games to go in a second straight dismal season. Two safeties, a wide receiver and the long snapper are out, joining two of their best three cornerbacks.

These are positions that lacked depth at the beginning of the year. But as tantalizing as securing that second overall draft pick for 2012 can be — assuming the winless Indianapolis Colts are on their way to locking up No. 1 — the Vikings (2-9) haven’t abandoned their goal of finishing the season with success.

The ultracompetitive nature of professional sports makes it nearly impossible for coaches and players to think that way, for one. The Vikings will face legitimate playoff contenders in four of their last five games, another motivating factor. Plus, there’s the fear of rushing a rookie into action too soon.

“If you don’t feel like he’s quite ready and you put him out there just for the sake of saying, ‘We want to look at him in a game,’ and now the kid fails or he jeopardizes someone else’s health because he wasn’t ready,” coach Leslie Frazier said, “then that’s not the wisest thing to do.”

Frazier said this week’s moves were not made because of the team’s record. Only long snapper Cullen Loeffler and wide receiver Michael Jenkins would have a chance to return if the Vikings were still in the race for a playoff spot. So they’ve been left with no choice but to elevate the status of a handful of young players.

Strong safety Tyrell Johnson, who started three games this season to fill in while Jamarca Sanford and Husain Abdullah were injured, tore the hamstring tendon away from the bone in his right leg. Frazier said Johnson will need six months to recover. He was scheduled to have surgery Wednesday.

Abdullah also is done for the year, due to lingering concussion symptoms. That means sixth-round draft pick Mistral Raymond will start at safety next to Sanford, with Jarrad Page now backing them up. Page was signed Tuesday after being let go recently by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jenkins, who leads the team with three touchdown receptions and is second in catches and yards, has torn meniscus cartilage — Frazier didn’t say which knee — and will have surgery Thursday. His season-ending injury prompted the team to re-sign rookie Stephen Burton, a seventh-round draft pick who has been on and off the roster.

Thus, Greg Camarillo and Devin Aromashodu are the primary outside receivers, with the team’s preference to use star returner/receiver Percy Harvin in the slot and limit his snaps to decrease his injury risk. That’s not an ideal situation for quarterback Christian Ponder’s development.

“The guys that we’re going to have playing on Sunday are guys he’s familiar with. They still have the ability to make plays for him,” Frazier said. “You still want to make sure that you’re doing the right thing by our team and by Christian as well.”