The Minnesota Vikings are sticking with Christian Ponder at quarterback, as the 2011 first-round selection has been announced by head coach Leslie Frazier as the team's starter for Thursday night's game at home against the Washington Redskins.

Ponder, 25, returned to the starting lineup in Week 8 after Josh Freeman suffered a concussion the week prior. While the team lost each of Ponder's last two starts, he finished with a passer rating of over 80 in each game and accumulated 236 passing yards in the team's Week 9 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Were it not for a game-winning touchdown by Tony Romo in the final minute of the game, the Vikings would have snapped a three-game losing streak that started after its Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In Freeman's only start for the Vikings he completed just 20-of-53 passes for 190 yards and an interception. He has since been cleared to return to the field, but was reportedly a healthy scratch for Sunday's game.

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