EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Matt Cassel will start at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings against Carolina on Sunday, a seemingly inevitable decision finally confirmed by coach Leslie Frazier. Cassel helped the Vikings get their first victory of the season with a solid performance in London against Pittsburgh Sept. 29, a game Christian Ponder sat out of because of a broken rib. Ponder was cleared to play this week, though. Despite Fraziers earlier statement that Ponder was still the starter when healthy, the Vikings decided to make the former first-round draft pick their backup. Frazier said his mind was made up a couple of days ago. "I think its always tough when you make a change at quarterback," he said. "You have to take a lot of factors into it when youre doing that. You dont make those decisions lightly, and we didnt. Well see how it plays out." The Vikings signed ex-Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman this week, further muddling the position. Frazier wasnt ready to declare Freeman an option for the next game, Oct. 21 on the road against the New York Giants, but he said hed re-evaluate the situation Monday. Cassel is 30-33 in 63 career starts, most of them with Kansas City. He said he didnt find out until Friday. "Ive been focusing on it without really knowing but at the same time anticipating maybe this would happen," Cassel said. "You know what? You never know in this league. I wouldnt have guessed on Monday wed have another quarterback in the room as well." After practice Thursday, Ponder acknowledged the mental challenge of the last few weeks. "I would be lying if I didnt say its a little disappointing and frustrating," he said. "But Im not going to get too discouraged about it. Im a man of faith and I know God is in control." Ponder said a trade "would be difficult to deal with" but that he was trying not to worry about the future of his career. Picked 12th overall in the 2011 draft, Ponder is 12-17 as a starter with 39 turnovers. "Its a waste of energy and thought to think about what could happen and what might not happen," he said. "Im just trying to enjoy these moments because life in the NFL doesnt last long." The Vikings also listed kicker Blair Walsh as questionable for Sunday due to tightness in his hamstring that kept him out of practice the last two days. Punter Jeff Locke would be the emergency replacement, but Frazier said hes anticipating Walsh will play against the Panthers. Cornerback Chris Cook (groin) and safety Jamarca Sanford (hamstring) are expected back in the starting lineup after missing the Steelers game with injuries. Air Max 97 Pas Cher France . Its other five picks were all six foot or better, with three at 6-1 or above. Third-round pick Brett Lernout stands six foot four and weighs 206 pounds. Chaussure Air Max 270 Pas Cher . Earnshaw, 31, most recently spent time on loan in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv from Welsh club Cardiff City, which plays in Englands second-tier League Championship. Earnshaw began his career with Cardiff Citys youth program and turned professional in 1998. http://www.pascherairmax97.fr/. Smiths former Atlanta teammates were glad to hang on for an ugly win. Air Max 97 Soldes . Off-Season Game Plan looks at what the Blue Jackets may do to build upon last seasons success to return to the playoffs again next year. Air Max 97 Pas Cher . Balotelli was out at dinner with his brother Enoch and came home to discover he had been burgled. The car was later found abandoned. Balotelli wrote Saturday on Twitter: "I feel empty! No emotions .Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - The Kansas City Royals tendered starting pitcher James Shields a qualifying offer on Monday. Shields has until 4 p.m. (ET) on Monday, Nov. 10 to accept the offer or become a free agent. If Shields decides to accept, he would receive a one-year deal worth $15.3 million. However, if he declines the offer, the Royals would receive draft-pick compensation if he signs somewhere else. The nine-year veteran went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 34 starts this past season. Over 227 innings, the rightt-hander allowed 224 hits, struck out 180 and walked 44.dddddddddddd Shields has eight straight seasons of pitching over 200 innings. For his career, Shields has a 114-90 record with a 3.72 ERA. He spent the last two years with Kansas City after spending the first seven of his career with Tampa Bay, and has posted a 27-17 mark with a 3.18 ERA with the Royals. In five 2014 postseason starts for the AL champion Royals, Shields went 1-2 with a 6.12 ERA. He was 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA in two World Series starts. ' ' '