Welcome back to “NFL’s Believe It or Not.” This week, I will focus on controversial comments from Mike Wallace, Ron Rivera, and Christian Ponder.
Mike Wallace
I will start with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace, who discussed the increase of illegal contact penalties in the preseason, saying, “Not on our team. We don’t get those calls. I don’t know why.” You’re right, Mike Wallace. The officiating crews throughout the NFL have joined together and they have decided to intentionally target the Dolphins wide receivers. That’s the reason Mike Wallace has struggled during his time with the Dolphins. Perhaps he should take responsibility for his performance instead of blaming his struggles on the officiating. Everybody understands that when he mentions “our team,” he’s really referring to himself and begging for more calls because that’s the type of player Mike Wallace is. I bet if he has a spectacular game to open the season against the Patriots, nobody will hear anything about the officiating from him.
Ron Rivera
Next up, Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said that the Panthers offense can be “dynamic” if Jonathan Stewart stays healthy. Let’s put the health of Stewart aside and say that he does play the full season. I still don’t see how the Panthers could produce a dynamic offense this season. Who is Cam Newton going to throw the ball to? The only promising wide receiver is Kelvin Benjamin, but he is still a rookie. The Panthers had a very successful year last season because of their extremely talented defense. While Cam Newton played well enough for the Panthers to win games, his offense certainly wasn’t the main reason they were winning those games. Now that Steve Smith is gone, the Panthers lost their best receiver and one of their key leaders. The Panthers didn’t have a dynamic offense last year, and I don’t see much changing this year. They will once again need to ride their defense if they want to make the playoffs.
Christian Ponder
Finally, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder apparently does not want to be traded from the Vikings, saying, “I’m learning so much right now. I do feel like it’s beneficial for me to be right here right now.” At the ripe age of 26, I’m sure that Ponder’s career will benefit from being the third-string quarterback on a team that is destined to finish last in their division once again. So he never wants to play again? Maybe if he was traded to a quarterback-needy team like the Rams, he would have a chance to get some playing time if everything goes his way. On the Vikings, he will be lucky to make the roster, let alone get a shot to prove himself on the field. There’s only so much you can learn without playing. At his age, it is time for him to start proving himself on the field if he wants to become a successful quarterback in this league, and Minnesota is no longer a place where he can do that.
Make sure to leave your own comments below and come back next Thursday for another edition of “NFL’s Believe It or Not.”
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