![Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) walked off the field after throwing a pick six in the second quarter. The Minnesota Vikings played the Green Bay Packers Thursday October 2 , 2014 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay ,WI. ] Jerry Holt Jerry.holt@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/D32I5JXX7TASKT24Y3Q7MCCFFY.jpg?&w=1080)
A lot of bad ideas met up on Thursday night at Lambeau Field, their confluence producing the Vikings' 42-10 loss to the Packers.
Bad idea: Playing on the road on Thursday night. So far this season, road teams on Thursday night are 1-4, with the closest of those margins being 20 points.
Bad idea: Playing Christian Ponder in a football game. He wasn't just bad. He was unprofessional and embarrassing to the sport.
Bad idea: Playing the revitalized Packers offense without much preparation time. The Vikings' defense, impressive in three of the first four weeks, looked lost while trying to reach Aaron Rodgers, cover Jordy Nelson or tackle the previously ineffective Eddie Lacy.
The result was an unsightly addition to the annals of a usually fascinating rivalry.
It also offered evidence that the quarterback position is the most important in sports. With Teddy Bridgewater running the same offense last week, Jarius Wright played like a star, and Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon were highly effective.
With Ponder at the helm, even playing against what has been a mediocre defense, the Vikings couldn't function.
Now the Vikings have to hope that Bridgewater's ankle injury isn't a harbinger of future injury problems.
