As the Vikings try to enhance their passing game, don’t rule out the possibility that they’ll diversify their running game.
Appearing on Friday’s edition of Pro Football Talk on NBCSN, Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder touted his ability to move the football with his legs.
“I feel like I’m a pretty athletic guy,” Ponder told Erik Kuselias. “I think I can move pretty well and run the ball pretty well and I think we’re seeing a shift to more mobile quarterbacks in the league and everyone talks about RG3 and Russell Wilson and those guys and I feel like I can move pretty well.”
That doesn’t mean the Vikings will be breaking out the read option, but with so much emphasis on running back Adrian Peterson, anything the Vikings do on offense other than hand Peterson the ball could have a good chance of succeeding.
It also doesn’t mean that, if Ponder runs the ball from time to time, it’ll automatically make him a great quarterback. He still needs to be able to throw, which remains the biggest question about the 2013 edition of the team.
“I have high expectations for myself so I don’t really pay attention to what others say and I understand that all 32 teams, the success of that team depends on quarterback play and I’m excited for the position I’m in and can contribute to a lot of what happens on this team,” Ponder added. “And it’s an exciting position, it’s a competitive position and I’m up for it.”
The Vikings hope he is. And they hope he delivers. If he does, the Vikings could get back to the playoffs -- and advance. If he doesn’t, it could be another long year in Minnesota.