EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Christian Ponder is showing signs of improvement in his first full season as a starter for the Minnesota Vikings. None of those signs is bigger than his league-leading 75.8 completion percentage.

Now Ponder and the Vikings hope to see him add some big plays in the passing game for his next step. Ponder has completed just two passes for 20 yards or more in his first two weeks, and the Vikings have struggled to pick up big chunks of yardage both through the air and on the ground. That puts more stress on the offense to churn out long scoring drives.

Ponder says "one of the things we're lacking is big plays."

It won't be easy this week when the Vikings face the 49ers.

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