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Norv Turner clicked the play button on his big-screen TV remote control and 40 years of coaching experience came rushing out of him. A reporter who trails his expertise by 40 years sat nearby listening, learning and wondering how hard it must be to reach a point where the chaos of an NFL play not only makes perfect sense but can be visualized before the ball is even snapped.

Sometimes, Vikings rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater wonders the same thing. Like when the ball is snapped during practice and he can hear Turner, the offensive coordinator, talking to himself.

“As soon as we line up, he’s standing behind us mumbling,” Bridgewater said. “You can’t hear him, but you know he’s telling you where to go with the ball, what to do with the protection. He sees things before they happen.

“You drop back to pass and he’s still mumbling. But you don’t pay attention because of everything going on. You try to block him out, but one of these days I’m going to actually figure out what he’s mumbling about.”

One of the reasons Bridgewater fell in the draft was that famously poor Pro Day performance at Louisville. Weeks later, during a private workout with the Vikings in Florida, Turner’s main emphasis was getting Bridgewater to drop and set his feet quicker. Once he did that, he said he saw the target faster and was able to use his legs more, which increased his velocity and accuracy.

“Best workout I had before the draft,” Bridgewater said. “And when Coach Turner left, he told me he couldn’t have cared less about my Pro Day. He said if he had run my Pro Day, I’d have gone 65-for-65.”

“As soon as we line up, he’s standing behind us mumbling,” Bridgewater said. “You can’t hear him, but you know he’s telling you where to go with the ball, what to do with the protection. He sees things before they happen.

Turner preaches trajectory, arc and accuracy far more than velocity. With the right trajectory and arc, the ball is easier to catch and isn’t dying as it arrives. As a teaching tool, Turner will place a 10-foot net 14 yards downfield that quarterbacks must throw over on deep out passes.

“This is a throw that people talk about arm strength,” said Turner as he moved on to the next play, a deep out. “You have to be able to throw the ball firm and on a line, but it has to have an arc or this linebacker underneath is going to hit it. Teddy’s ball here carries 36 yards on a line with an arc. If you can make that throw right there, you can make any throw we need in this offense.”

dead_poet wrote:I also liked this:
One question: was Turner showing film of Louisville Teddy or Minnesota Teddy? Just curious.

PacificNorseWest wrote:I can't tell you guys how relieved I am that the Vikings ended up with Teddy. Norv's expertise is one thing, but the player has to be willing to listen and put in the work. Not only that, but understands what he's doing and why. For that...Teddy was always the right man for this squad (any squad really, but the Vikes got him!).

PacificNorseWest wrote:True. However, I'm going off of what I felt about Teddy coming in. I definitely didn't have the same gut feeling about Ponder. He had the feel of bust right out of the gates. Teddy seemed way more polished and rounded for what you'd expect of an NFL quarterback. Ponder, on the otherhand, felt way more hit or miss to me.

It's still early though, but I really feel like the Vikings lucked/won out this time.

dead_poet wrote: I agree with you, but let's keep in mind the exact same thing could've been said about Ponder (and was).

jackal wrote:The more and more I think about it I can see Bridgewater starting for us ...

Eli wrote:Many of the same things were said of Ponder. Smart. Quick learner. Hard worker. Eager student. Can make all the throws.

But I'm not sure I can recall anyone complementing his quick release, his vision, or anticipation. And that's exactly how he failed. He was always a half step behind everyone else on the field.

Due to his tight, compact delivery, Ponder is able to throw passes with quickness and effectiveness. He holds the ball around his shoulder and releases the ball over the top for a quick deliver that comes out in a tight spiral. He gets the ball out with great quickness when he tracks down the target that he’s looking for.

Setup/Release: Quick setup and a compact, over-the-top delivery. Good footwork. Willing to take a hit to set his feet and step into his throw. Experienced under center and operating out of the shotgun. Passes have a tight spiral, making his throws easy for his wideouts to track and catch easily.

Gets rid of the ball quickly with good timing.

Does a good job in the short passing game getting the ball out quickly with accuracy.

Mechanically Ponder is very sound. His release is compact and quick, his footwork crisp in his drops, and there is no wasted motion in his delivery.

Field vision:Ponder does a good job diagnosing what the defense is trying to throw at him. He has the presence to identify pre snap alignments and potential blitzers. After the snap he is comfortable going across the field with his progressions. He doesn’t panic when his first read is covered and quickly looks to his secondary reads. The most important skill Ponder possesses is the way he anticipates his throws. He gets the ball quickly out of his hands and before his target makes their break. He trusts that his wide receivers will run the correct route. His anticipation is going to be the key to his NFL success because of his limited arm strength.

dead_poet wrote:FWIW (not much), he was praised for his quick delivery.

Eli wrote: Not worth much, you're right. Those were all college scouting reports.