Teddy Bridgewater. Pepsi NFL rookie of the year.

[Pondering Her Percy]

Awesome to hear!!! Great pick by Spielman

[PurpleKoolaid]

Yay for Teddy! Finally a real honest to goodness QB we can be proud of, instead of someone people have to make excuses for year after year. And Teddy did this WITHOUT AD, Kyle (who is always injured) and a true #1 WR. He actually made the #1 WR from a former 6th (or was it 7th) round pick, who ended up on the practice squad. And he played behind an awful, beat up Vilkings line, in a Norvs pass heavy offensive. Now lets do the right thing and put some money/draft picks into another target for him!

[Demi]

WOW. Spielman third ROYsince he is responsible for the Vikings draft. In 8 years! And 2 years of them without an first round draft picks.

He didn't have control of the draft until the last few years.
And 2 years of those he had multiple picks in the first round.

He's done a solid job since he's taken over, hopefully it continues and he starts to find some stars in the middle and late rounds, definitely helps having guys like Zimmer and Norv around too.

[PurpleKoolaid]

If its good, then Rick had control for 8 years. If its bad, only 2 years. Im guessing Norv had as much (maybe not quite) to do getting Teddy as Rick did. Rick may have wanted JFB, like quite a few on this board did. I think it also shows the pocket passer (with the exception of the Seahawks) and a good to great running game are the way to go.

Its a great honor, and shows that we know have things clicking between GM, OC and DC, and mainly, imo, HC. Let the good times roll.

[ukvike]

Whilst i dont argue that Beckham had a great season and is a total freak, i do feel that he is being slightly misrepresented by his stats. This season he played against the 32nd, 28th (twice), 27th, 26th, 20th, 19th (twice), 17th, 11th, 5th and 1st best defences in the league (average 19.41), whereas Teddy played against the 32nd, 31st, 30th (twice), 25th and 20th best defenses sure, but also he had games against the defences ranked 2nd (twice), 4th, 6th, 10th, 12th and 15th (average 16.84 counting NO, and 15.66 if you dont count NO). I acknowledge that Beckham still has to perform but its a little easier playing against the on average the 19th best defence and catching passes from an experienced QB.

The other thing i would add about Teddy's stats are when you look at his td:int ratio it doesnt look that impressive at 14:12 but it is worth remembering that Matt Asiata has scored 9 touchdowns this season, and that most of/ all of these were from inside the 10 yard line which does show that often in the redzone the ball was taken out of his hands, serverely hindering his ability to put up eyecatching numbers of TD's. Also with regards to Bridgewater's INTS its worth remembering one was a hail mary just before half time and there were a few that went off the recievers hands and were picked off, but that happens I guess. When you add on top of that all of the turmoil that Teddy has been through this season, I think a case can be made that hes had a pretty special season at the hardest position in the game.

If i had a vote i would still probably vote for Beckham, but what i really hope is the case is that the voters at least dig a little deeper, look a little harder and give the other candidates the consideration that they derserve rather than getting wrapped up in the "ODB had the best rookie season in history" hyperbole. However, what fills me with the most hope is the fact that regardless of weather Teddy wins ROTY (he wont) we and the Vikings staff know what we have in Teddy.


(i know this is a pretty geeky/ long post but its midnight in the uk and im bored)

[Raptorman]

Yeah, if this is any indication, Beckham will get the AP award:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... -the-roost

Beckham will win it. However, I take faith in the knowledge that down the road I am hoping the Teddy will be in the running for MVP of the league. Something Beckham will never get.

[Purple bruise]

Whilst i dont argue that Beckham had a great season and is a total freak, i do feel that he is being slightly misrepresented by his stats. This season he played against the 32nd, 28th (twice), 27th, 26th, 20th, 19th (twice), 17th, 11th, 5th and 1st best defences in the league (average 19.41), whereas Teddy played against the 32nd, 31st, 30th (twice), 25th and 20th best defenses sure, but also he had games against the defences ranked 2nd (twice), 4th, 6th, 10th, 12th and 15th (average 16.84 counting NO, and 15.66 if you dont count NO). I acknowledge that Beckham still has to perform but its a little easier playing against the on average the 19th best defence and catching passes from an experienced QB.

The other thing i would add about Teddy's stats are when you look at his td:int ratio it doesnt look that impressive at 14:12 but it is worth remembering that Matt Asiata has scored 9 touchdowns this season, and that most of/ all of these were from inside the 10 yard line which does show that often in the redzone the ball was taken out of his hands, serverely hindering his ability to put up eyecatching numbers of TD's. Also with regards to Bridgewater's INTS its worth remembering one was a hail mary just before half time and there were a few that went off the recievers hands and were picked off, but that happens I guess. When you add on top of that all of the turmoil that Teddy has been through this season, I think a case can be made that hes had a pretty special season at the hardest position in the game.

If i had a vote i would still probably vote for Beckham, but what i really hope is the case is that the voters at least dig a little deeper, look a little harder and give the other candidates the consideration that they derserve rather than getting wrapped up in the "ODB had the best rookie season in history" hyperbole. However, what fills me with the most hope is the fact that regardless of weather Teddy wins ROTY (he wont) we and the Vikings staff know what we have in Teddy.


(i know this is a pretty geeky/ long post but its midnight in the uk and im bored)

Yeah, I can't agree with you questioning Asiata's tds.. The guy is unstoppable most of time inside the 5 yd line. Only reasonable thing to do is to run it in for a sure td rather than risk a sack, an int. or an incompletion.

[ukvike]

Yeah, I can't agree with you questioning Asiata's tds.. The guy is unstoppable most of time inside the 5 yd line. Only reasonable thing to do is to run it in for a sure td rather than risk a sack, an int. or an incompletion.

I wasnt questioning them, id give the ball to asiata every time, the guy was a sure thing from inside the 10 yard line. It was more a reference to the fact i'd seen loads of butthurt Giants fans crying about the Pepsi ROTY saying Teddy only threw 14 TD's to 12 INTS and how is that worthy, and i was just trying to show that sometimes stats like that can be misleading.

[Mothman]

We need the title clarified... He won the Pepsi Rookie of the Year, which is FAN VOTED... not the official award.

Still a great honor, but not the real deal.

I clarified it.

It's a nice honor, basically a People's Choice Award for NFL rookies but there's nothing wrong with that. It shows that fans admired and respected his performance this season.

[Mothman]

I wasnt questioning them, id give the ball to asiata every time, the guy was a sure thing from inside the 10 yard line. It was more a reference to the fact i'd seen loads of butthurt Giants fans crying about the Pepsi ROTY saying Teddy only threw 14 TD's to 12 INTS and how is that worthy, and i was just trying to show that sometimes stats like that can be misleading.

I understand what you're saying but we don't know what would have happened if most of those Asiata runs had been pass attempts so maybe, as you implied, Bridgewater would have ended up with an eye-catching number of TDs or perhaps he would have just thrown a few more TDs, added a critical turnover or two to his resumé and the Vikes would have kicked more field goals. There's just no way to know.

I thought Beckham was the clear and deserving choice as Offensive ROTY this year. Bridgewater played fine but he was rarely outstanding.

[PurpleKoolaid]

He won the peoples choice but was just fine. hmm Try to contain your enthusiasm for our QB please.

[Mothman]

He won the peoples choice but was just fine. hmm Try to contain your enthusiasm for our QB please.

He was given a fan-voted award from a corporate sponsor. Am I supposed to be doing backflips over that? When they announced the AP ROTY of the year award on the NFL's awards show last night they didn't even show Bridgewater as a final 3 candidate.

I'm not going to apologize for having some actual perspective on the kid's first season. Bridgewater himself clearly understands the nature of this award:

http://www.twincities.com/vikings/ci_27 ... erson-back

For Pepsi rookie of the year, Bridgewater beat out four others in a fan vote: New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans, Cincinnati running back Jeremy Hill and Buffalo wide receiver Sammy Watkins.

"That shows that I have a pretty large fan base because it's all fan vote," Bridgewater said.

"I'm thankful for all those fans and everyone who voted for me."

Bridgewater has talked this week with Jennings and fellow Minnesota receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, who also is at the Super Bowl. Bridgewater said he hasn't set up offseason plans to work with his receivers but will soon.

Patterson had a disappointing season after a strong rookie campaign in 2013. Bridgewater is confident he will return to his previous form.

"He and I both, we have to get a lot better,'' Bridgewater said.

[PurpleKoolaid]

No one said he doesn't have a lot to work on. He was tossed into action before the coaching staff had planned. And he did a great job, learned under pressure. I just don't understand why when someone praises Teddy you always have to put an * in. When #7 was playing you did the opposite. If some of us were negative about him, you were the first to say he needs time, needs targets, needs a line, etc. But rarely criticized #7 himself. How could you be so forgiving of #7 during his time, and then always letting people know Teddy isn't all that when someone mentions how well he played. Its like you are on a one man crusade to keep people from feeling good about teddy, so we wont be let down if he doesn't work out.

[Mothman]

No one said he doesn't have a lot to work on. He was tossed into action before the coaching staff had planned. And he did a great job, learned under pressure. I just don't understand why when someone praises Teddy you always have to put an * in. When #7 was playing you did the opposite. If some of us were negative about him, you were the first to say he needs time, needs targets, needs a line, etc. But rarely criticized #7 himself. How could you be so forgiving of #7 during his time, and then always letting people know Teddy isn't all that when someone mentions how well he played. Its like you are on a one man crusade to keep people from feeling good about teddy, so we wont be let down if he doesn't work out.

All I did was call a fan-voted award a fan-voted award. Don't make more of it than that.

My behavior has been consistent from one young QB to the next: I try to maintain patience and perspective, see their good plays as good and their bad plays as bad. If you don't like that, tough. I've said it before and I mean it: I'm not going to be painted into the corner you keep attempting to paint me into when it comes to Bridgewater. Whatever your issue is, please work past it.

[losperros]

He's done a solid job since he's taken over, hopefully it continues and he starts to find some stars in the middle and late rounds, definitely helps having guys like Zimmer and Norv around too.

Great point about the middle and late rounds. One thing that would greatly improve the Vikings depth is to find some gems in the middle and late rounds of the draft. Same thing with grabbing free agents that thrive in the right system.

Of course, all of that is much easier said than done.