Getty ImagesVikings quarterback Donovan McNabb has only two interceptions through five games this year. But he’s also averaging just 170 passing yards a game in a year when quarterbacks are making 300-yard games seem commonplace.
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier sees those two stats as related, and he’s telling McNabb that it’s OK to take more chances.
“He’s done a great job of not turning the ball over, which is a big deal because of the way we play,” Frazier said. “It’s one of the reasons we’ve been in these games the way we have.”
Frazier followed that thought up, however, by saying McNabb needs to be aggressive in the passing game.
“But you can’t play this game cautious,” Frazier said. “He knows that. He’s had a ton of success in this league. Sometimes, you just got to let it go. And he will, and he has.”
McNabb has looked so tentative this season that it’s easy to wonder whether he’s become so sensitive to criticism that he cares more about avoiding mistakes than he does about making plays. Frazier is right: McNabb needs to let it go.
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hes just not very good anymore…
Jason campbell thinks like mcnabb too, but he dnt get bitch at like mcnabb by the fans….Go raiders
Cautiously.
A 1-4 team, in one of the toughest divisions…
I just don’t understand why they don’t give Ponder a chance.
Let him learn, get experience, build his confidence…improve the O-line and WR’s in the off season.
Maybe then this team can compete.
“Cautious” should be exchanged for ” AT ALL”!!
He’s right. A 2:1 TD/INT ratio isn’t great when you only have 4 TDs.
Aromashodu looks like a good deep threat, and with that height…..
McNabb needs to let it go.
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You know, Don, the way the EAGLES and the skins let YOU go.
Joe Webb, anyone?
I hope so. I’m starting the Bears defense this week in FF.
Instead of McNabb just letting it go, how about the Vikings just let McNabb go?
Yea, let it go,meaning retirement.
He should have told him that Wide Receivers cant catch with their ankles.
McNabb is secretly worried what it meant when Frazier sized his hands for holding a sideline clipboard last week.
kingviking414 says: Oct 13, 2011 3:35 PM
A 1-4 team, in one of the toughest divisions…
I just don’t understand why they don’t give Ponder a chance.
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Maybe you should sit and Ponder about it for awhile.
You might as well start ponder. With the lions and packers going off.
McNabb might want to tell Coach Frazier to not COACH this game cautiously, because not only had he blown almost every game this season, but he is unquestionably under fire as well. How about taking some of the pressure off of McNabb and let that decent runningback get a few touches. I know 5 isn’t anywhere near great anymore, but he’s not on the level of losing games for his team.
McNabb blows…….
The last sentence of this article should read…”McNabb needs to be let go!”
Brett Favre threw caution to the wind, he let the receivers make plays on the ball, that is a reason he had so much success with the Vikings. Remember in 09 it was against the Packers, threw into triple coverage Harvin plucks it out of the air with the three Packers colliding and Harvin running for the TD. We will never see that with McNabb, he would rather throw low risk screens or just completely give *No One* a chance to make a catch.
Here’s another take: He’s not good and never has been. He beenfited from being on very good teams in good systems with good Brian Westbrooks.
This team can compete obviously. We we’re dominating at halftime the first 3 weeks of the season. We just failed to adjust to the opponents adjustments. McNabb needs to open it up but the coaches are just as much at fault here.
McNusty is McCrusty! Donovan is damaged goods. Been there done that. He is a used car riding on spares with a cracked windshield.
By “cautious”, did you mean “fat”?
Regards,
Mike Shanahan
OK, this is how sick I am of the sports in this town…though I will always be a fan…The Vikings Franchise will go into the off season and they realize that they need to add talent at WR, O-Line, S and other areas. So what will we do…spend our money on CRAP…Like McNabb…I hate the Packers & Patriots, but you have to admire how their rosters are built from within…when will the leadership at Winter Park EVER get this. I can handle rooting for losing teams when we are developing, but the problem is the Vikings do a TERRIBLE job of drafting. We need people who know how to draft…plain and simple. Stop spending in free agency and draft correctly…another example the Eagles!!!
He has been letting it go…Dink and Dunk. With his O-Line, there’s not anymore time for anything else.
Except…the Eagles actually have some talentthat hey drafted…just tried to fill too many holes via free agency.
Leslie, one to many words in your statement,
You meant to say “You can’t play this game” Now go back to Philly eat some soup.
McNabb responded by chuckling, stroking his goatee several times, and declaring…
“Everybody wants to tell me I’m cautious….you know who doesn’t think I’m cautious? The turf outside the hash marks on the Metrodome field…go ask that turf how cautious I am when I blaze a fast ball at it trying to complete a screen pass….Jerks.”
orakpophobia says:
Oct 13, 2011 3:33 PM
hes just not very good anymore…
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I’d slightly rephrase that to “he’s never been very good”.
Robin Williams just needs to let Donovan know…
It’s not your fault.
It’s not your fault.
Donovan… It’s not your fault.
McNabb has always been tentative, and he has one of the lowest pass/int ratios out there to show for it. It stems from the early years of his career when his only options at receiver were Torrence Small, Todd stinkston, James Trash, Fred Bitchell, etc.
Frazier tells McNabb: “you can’t play this game cautious”.
Even after the pep-talk and resuming their game, Donavan’s lawn jarts never made it far enough to reach the stationary circle.
This is ridiculous. McNabb has been one of the best QBs in the league for over a decade. A player like that doesn’t just “lose it” overnight. The whole Redskin fiasco from last year has apparently torn down his confidence in his abilities. The guy is not injured. He hasn’t lost much mobility or arm strength. He isn’t too old. He just has to work out his issues upstairs and have a good game or two. He needs his “mojo” back. A few good recievers would help, too. I agree with Frazier. Just let it go; Drop the tentativeness and good things will happen.
Let’s see: His mechanics are suspect and he needs to be coached-up on how to play NFL Football??—-
Is PFT sure Frazier wasn’t talking about Christian Ponder?
Good info for an alien who has not yet seen a pro football game but who is asking questions.
Frazier really meant “Damm, you suck McNabb, and you’re a puddy!!!”
OK…The Picture, Thumbs up if Mcnabb is putting ON the helmet / Thumbs down if he is Taking it OFF
kingviking414 says:
Oct 13, 2011 3:35 PM
A 1-4 team, in one of the toughest divisions…
I just don’t understand why they don’t give Ponder a chance.
Let him learn, get experience, build his confidence…improve the O-line and WR’s in the off season.
Maybe then this team can compete.
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Per a credible source within the MN media…… Ponder isn’t ready. If you throw him in now, you risk ruining the kids psyche. There won’t be any confidence to build up if he can’t do well in games. With this questionable O-Line, there’s little to no benefit by putting him in now. We’ll win enough games to avoid getting Andrew Luck. So just let the kid continue to develop, even if he’s learning under McNabb, and let the coaches determine when it’s time to put Ponder in.
Yeah, he should “let it go”…his career that is.
A little over a year ago this message board was destroying Eagle fans for not “appreciating” McNabb.
P.S. Be careful Leslie, this guy DOES NOT respond well to criticism! He’s going to force it this game…..and pout.
McNabb’s mama must have beat him into pulp whenever he spilled some soup.
Id give mcnabb one more week
If nothing improves in his department, throw that kid Ponder in.
Just more bs! drop him and lets get into the ponder era. season’s over.
p.s. ncnabb wa bad in training camp. Couldn’t get around robison. It’s over.
McNabb needs more weapons, and a financial apology.
Frazier must be losing his mind.
All McNabb has to do is be a “game manager”, which he HAS been. The defense and the running game can keep the Vikings in the game as long as McNabb is “cautious” with the ball.
To give him the “green light” to sling it around is complete ignorance.
Ponder sucks! That’s why they don’t start him. Start Webb
What does he weigh this year? Looks like 260 -270lbs range.
Now he can throw balls into the turf without thinking twice about it!
And McNabb didn’t rely on the FB on 4th and 1, instead of giving the ball to AP, who wanted it.
They should start Joe Webb. I actually like the potential this guy showed last season. Give the kid a shot.
Yes! Fox is horrible. Their Rosenthal is the most annoying reporter alive.
thesportsguy52 says:
Oct 13, 2011 3:46 PM
McNabb might want to tell Coach Frazier to not COACH this game cautiously, because not only had he blown almost every game this season, but he is unquestionably under fire as well. How about taking some of the pressure off of McNabb and let that decent runningback get a few touches. I know 5 isn’t anywhere near great anymore, but he’s not on the level of losing games for his team.
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Frazier is a work in progress but we definitely would have won a few more games if McNabb could just hit an open receiver. His third down conversion rate is atrocious because of his lack of accuracy. Convert a couple of key third downs each game and we’re 3-2 or 4-1.
Mike Shanahan was right and everybody carved him up. Mcnobb cant grasp basic offensive concepts LMAO. This loser has been exposed the last two seasons, if it wasn’t for Andy Reid Mcnabb would have been out of the league after his first year. The spin machine will start now that Leslie Frazier has publicly criticized him. Coach better cut him or it will be a GONG SHOW
all these people saying mcnabb wasn’t ever any good. how many nfc championship games did he get to? can you name any of his receivers besides T.O. and Westbrook(running back) he had to throw to when he was in philly? no? didn’t think so. the vikings offensive coordinator plus their lack at wide receiver is what is contributing to his second horrible season in a row. what about washington? shanahan’s system was not a good system for a QB like mcnabb and he had garbage to throw to. sure he throws at his receivers feet or overthrows them but when he has receivers he trusts he can throw the ball. who does he have in minny? berrian, harvin, aromashadu, and who else? only one of those receivers has proven anything and that’s harvin. these people who are saying that mcnabb was never good need to go look back and tell me who, up until last year, was as consistent as mcnabb was when he was in philly. i’m not even a mcnabb fan but even i know that he just needs receivers that don’t drop the ball or think they’re open all the time.
Instead of saying “You can’t play this game cautious”, he could have simply said, “You can’t play this game”……………
he wants McNabb to throw interceptions so they suck for luck
Actually, Frazier said ” You can’t play this game!”
Big difference!
“But you can’t play this game,” Frazier said cautiously. “He knows that. He’s had a ton of success in this league. Sometimes, you just got to let him go. And he will be, and he has.”
And you can’t throw skip passes in the game of football.
Donny, time to say bye-bye and go coach pop warner somewhere…how bout Philly?!
What does Rush Limbaugh have to say about this?
Actually, the transcriber left out a comma. “You can’t play this game, Cautious.” See? Punctuation and capitalization still matter.
I miss Brett.
I wonder if McNabb still thinks that a felon deserves a 2nd chance! That’s some crazy $h! t, talked his way out of a job, and now his self confidence is so effed up he can’t play anymore! He literally begged for Vick in Philly, & then got a boot in the a$$ for his trouble. He aint been right since!
I expect a Brett Favre “Miss Me Yet?” billboard to be put up somewhere along 35 within the next month or so.