losperros wrote:
I think that sums it up right there, Jim. Bridgewater was a rookie last season and did not have the experience to be a top QB in the league. That doesn't mean it won't happen, but it's not a given either. Personally, I believe football intelligence and hard work are essential for a young player to develop into a top tier quarterback. Fortunately, it does appear as if Teddy has those attributes.
I sure wouldn't discount what Adrian Peterson coming back is going to do for Teddy and the offense. I also like the way the WRs look this year and you can bet this speedy group will make some big YAC plays, which will help Teddy's stats. Interesting how the present Vikings offensive scheme is starting to look like what Teddy had with his Louisville team.
BTW, another guy who might really benefit from having AD on the field is Cordarrelle Patterson.
BTW, another guy who might really benefit from having AD on the field is Cordarrelle Patterson.
The whole team is about to benefit.
When AP is ripping off 20+ yard runs, that offensive line is going to be running down the field behind him high-fiving each other because they no longer look like a pedestrian group they were a year ago.
I'll say this; I'd rather have a rookie overthowing than underthrowing. The overthrow can be adjusted ... If he didn't have enough arm to make the throw that's a more difficult problem.
It takes time even a lot of the greats, Aikman, Manning and Rodgers all took a little time and became great..
Like many, I'm optimistic about Teddy over the long haul (not specifically this season). While I understand the hesitation anointing him an All-Pro, it seems a little odd these GMs and "experts" are already writing him off as "third-tier" and the like. For God's sake he's only played in a handful of games. There's not nearly enough sample size, not to mention he was a rookie learning a new (complex) offense. Yet some people are like "Yep, I've seen all I need. Game manager at best). Please. I sincerely hope he excels this season. Of course then we'd get to hear all the: "Well anyone could do that when you have AD in the backfield" nonsense. SMDH.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
dead_poet wrote:Like many, I'm optimistic about Teddy over the long haul (not specifically this season). While I understand the hesitation anointing him an All-Pro, it seems a little odd these GMs and "experts" are already writing him off as "third-tier" and the like. For God's sake he's only played in a handful of games. There's not nearly enough sample size, not to mention he was a rookie learning a new (complex) offense. Yet some people are like "Yep, I've seen all I need. Game manager at best). Please. I sincerely hope he excels this season. Of course then we'd get to hear all the: "Well anyone could do that when you have AD in the backfield" nonsense. SMDH.
I just think of all the QBs that are "Elite" in some category and "Prototypical" that turn out to be Kyle Boller, or Blake Bortles (maybe). I think some of these scouts and experts undervalue courage and composure in the pocket, which it ESSENTIAL while they overvalue arm strength or body type. I think Teddy has every tool essential to success. He's smart, he's dedicated, he's likable, he's courageous, he's even keeled, he makes quick decisions, and he has good (not great) arm talent. The only thing I foresee derailing an otherwise successful NFL career is durability, but in a limited sample size, he strikes me as pretty Gumby like.
This kid impress's me every time I hear him speak. It's never all about him, it's about the team and his place on it. He knows he needs to be a leader yet he knows he is still young and is smart enough to look towards the older guys for help. It seems he is always talking about doing things to make himself a better player.
Vikings fan since Nov. 6, 1966. Annoying Packer fans since Nov. 7, 1966
dead_poet wrote: Please. I sincerely hope he excels this season. Of course then we'd get to hear all the: "Well anyone could do that when you have AD in the backfield" nonsense. SMDH.
Yup that will happen, it seems an unwritten rule these days that if you have a great, HOF player on offense, he completely makes your offense with out any help from anyone else on the roster.
"Follow my lead today, whos goona be the big dog with me?" - Aaron Rodgers, February 6th, 2011
“The one evaluation we care about is ours,” Turner said. “And based on where we got to last year and where we think we’re going, I think we have a top-five quarterback.”
Turner believes it’s a strength that Bridgewater doesn’t get greatly affected by the highs and lows of the job. There are sure to be some lows in his second season, but Turner pointed out that even the best can struggle.
“We went to Buffalo last year against a real good defense and he didn’t play real well, we didn’t play real well. And it was, ‘Oh, what’s wrong with Teddy?’ And then about six weeks later, Green Bay went there and Aaron Rodgers had his worst game of the year and, ‘It was because of Buffalo’s great defense,’” Turner said.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
UPDATE 2:52 p.m. ET: The original version of this post had Turner calling Bridgewater a “top-five quarterback” as reported by the Star-Tribune. The newspaper reached out to PFT to amend the quote to “top flight” after listening to tape of Turner’s comments again and editing the quote in their report.
Inside Slant: Teddy Bridgewater in the House of Turner
This season, the Vikings hope that pairing Bridgewater with Peterson can conjure the kind of success Turner had with the Chargers from 2007 to '09. The Chargers were a top-5 scoring offense in each of the three seasons that LaDainian Tomlinson paired with Rivers and Turner as the lead tailback.
Bridgewater is not yet in Rivers' stratosphere, but his late-season surge revealed the attributes -- accuracy and anticipation -- that have powered Rivers over the years. Early ball placement issues were addressed with a focus on elbow mechanics, something Bridgewater focused on all offseason. ("Sometimes if I drop my elbow too low," he said, "a ball may sail on me.")
i love the conviction of the quote that their evaluation is the only one that matters. with that said, teddy needs to be able to throw the ball down the field for this team to be taken seriously and/or make the playoffs. his deep ball last year was horrendous to say the least i think he connected on one to johnson. that isn't going to cut it if you are a top 5 qb.
mosscarter wrote:i love the conviction of the quote that their evaluation is the only one that matters. with that said, teddy needs to be able to throw the ball down the field for this team to be taken seriously and/or make the playoffs. his deep ball last year was horrendous to say the least i think he connected on one to johnson. that isn't going to cut it if you are a top 5 qb.
Actually he was one of the more accurate deep ball passers, oddly enough. He got much better during the season. There are stats somewhere that say he was in the top 5 or 10 for deep passes.
The Devil whispered in the Viking's ear, "There's a storm coming." The Viking replied, "I am the storm." #SKOL2018
The eyes have it: Vikings' Bridgewater showing improvement in Year 2
“He's taken it a step further this year with his eyes,” Smith said. “He looks guys off in the secondary. If there's one of us in the middle, he will move him out and open up the spot. You don't see many guys his age doing that. He's already thinking, looking and finding out where we are and then using his eyes. When he came in last year as a rookie, he was so far along. But this is really taking the next step.”
“You always try to find ways to get better,” Bridgewater said. “Get rid of those tendencies. Guys on defense have one job, and that's to find tendencies. I play a position where there are a ton of tendencies you show. I have been working on my eyes and everything.”
