Vikings QB Christian Ponder to start Thursday against Packers

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder will start on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers, ESPN's Bob Holtzman confirmed Thursday evening. Teddy Bridgewater will be listed as inactive.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder will start Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers, ESPN's Bob Holtzman confirmed on Thursday evening. Rookie Teddy Bridgewater will be listed as inactive.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported the roster change on Thursday afternoon.

The Vikings signed rookie quarterback Chandler Harnish, who was signed to the team's practice squad earlier this week, to the active roster earlier on Thursday.

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Wide receiver Rodney Smith was waived to make roster space.

Ponder, in his fourth year with Minnesota, will start his first game this season. In his career with the Vikings, he has passed for 6,436 yards and 38 touchdowns with a 60.2 completion percentage. He has also thrown 34 interceptions.

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Bridgewater, who replaced Matt Cassel after Cassel was placed on injured reserve in late September, threw for 467 yards and one touchdown in two games against the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints.

If the #Vikings played the #Packers on Sunday, the QB would be Teddy Bridgewater. Instead, today is Thursday, per source, and it’s Ponder

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 2, 2014

The Vikings travel to Lambeau Field to face division rival Green Bay. Both teams are 2-2.

- Christopher Woody