The Minnesota Vikings announced Christian Ponder would be the starting quarterback on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Josh Freeman, who was cleared to play this week, appears finished in Minnesota.
Minnesota's quarterback carousel continued on Friday when coach Leslie Frazier declared Ponder as the starting quarterback for Sunday. Ponder, who started last week in place of the concussed Freeman, would make his second straight after sitting on the bench for most of October.
"Christian gives us the best chance to win," Frazier said on Friday, via USA Today Sports.
Frazier's decision to return to Ponder marks the end of the Josh Freeman Experiment. While Ponder isn't the long-term answer at quarterback, the Vikings apparently have seen enough from Freeman in his one-month stint in Minnesota to know the ex-Buccaneer isn't either.
Freeman started one game for the Vikings, completing just 20 of 53 passes for 190 yards and one interception in their 23-7 loss to the New York Giants. He apparently suffered a concussion in the loss, which led to Ponder starting the following week against Green Bay.
Although Ponder wasn't impressive (14/21, 145 YDS), he appeared more apt at moving the offense and didn't commit any turnovers.
Minnesota essentially gave Freeman $3 million to try out for the team, and it didn't pan out.
"(The Vikings) wanted the exclusive chance to assess whether he can become the franchise quarterback they haven't had since the last two years of Brett Favre's career," Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote on Friday. "So far, it's safe to say that the Vikings don't believe Freeman is the answer."
