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BwareDWare94
Where were you when the world stopped turning?
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It’s hard for me to ask this question. I really like Teddy Bridgewater as a human being and as a prospective top half NFL quarterback. That being said, I don’t view him as having the potential to ever sneak into the elite ranks because of his physical limitations. He simply does not have the arm strength necessary to consistently make elite NFL throws, and while his mind is sharp as a tac and he isn’t completely noodle-armed, his arm strength deficiencies are still obvious to anyone who has two eyes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUTOdUxURfk
One need only look at how he has to unload this ball--he practically has to rear up and launch it with all his might to get it to the end zone. It's a beautiful pass, but it also puts on display the fact his arm strength is a definite worry. Let’s also not overlook the fact that this was in a preseason game--he was great in the 2015 preseason before stinking it up for most of the regular season that followed. He may not have actively lost games for the Minnesota Vikings, but his deficiencies and overall timid play absolutely killed drives.
He’s not incapable of having a great game with plenty of great throws, some of which display NFL level velocity and touch. In this clip that showcases his best game from last season, we see plenty of potential for Bridgewater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC4HyBbXyE0
No quarterback is going to throw 4 TD passes in every game, but if Teddy Bridgewater can show this kind of decisiveness in his reads and regularly display the zip in his passes as seen in this video, the decision to go back to him if he can recover from a horrible knee injury is easy. After all, he will only be 24 years old as of this November. We’re talking about a potential 10 or more year window on the offensive side of the ball so long as the Vikings are managed properly, and it appears that the defense is on its way to being a dominant unit for the foreseeable future.
But we just don’t know if he’s going to recover, and when you have a replacement at the helm in Sam Bradford who can stand in the pocket, take a hit, and put the ball in a perfect spot like this to a covered receiver:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e914zHSmRl8
It's going to be difficult to go back to Teddy Bridgewater if Sam continues to play well and remains healthy. You also have to factor in the instant chemistry between Bradford and long time Vikings underachiever Kyle Rudolph, who finally has a quarterback willing to give him a chance in the end zone on throws like these next two.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qb4EVChxBM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqtFZTC5yI
Even though Sam tossed up a duck and perhaps shouldn’t have thrown that pass, he is already showing a willingness to give Rudolph a chance to make a play for him. Will some of these passes end up in interceptions that perhaps Teddy Bridgewater wouldn’t throw? Sure, it’s entirely possible, but it’s also possible that the Vikings find the end zone at such a higher rate under Bradford that turnovers won’t be nearly as crippling as they would be from Teddy. And that’s not to ignore the obvious chemistry between Bradford and Stefon Diggs, as well. There was one more telling throw in the Panthers game to a relatively unknown player that showcases Sam’s trust in his receivers, which was developed in less than a month’s time, mind you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqowwmIxPoI
Please pardon the quality of this video--I am baffled as to how that catch by Adam Thielen (who happens to be from Detroit Lakes, MN, a town of not even 10,000 people not 45 miles from the Fargo/Moorhead metro) doesn’t have a highlight video out there. Anyway, here’s another throw that Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t even consider making, but Sam Bradford decided to take a chance and it paid off.
Overall, Sam Bradford has shown a level of chemistry with his receivers in a mind-bogglingly small amount of time that Teddy Bridgewater hasn’t shown after over two years in the program. Is it possible that Bridgewater would have played better than Bradford these past two weeks had he not been injured? Sure. His mobility may have negated some of the plays made by the pass rushers for the Packers and Panthers, but what Sam Bradford has displayed in just 2 games includes traits that we’ve wanted Teddy to develop, but there’s no tape proving that he has done so.
There is the possibility that Sam Bradford implodes, especially if the offensive line can’t play better as the season progresses. There is definitely the possibility that Sam Bradford is injured at some point in this season and proves to be no more likely to make it through 16 games than Bridgewater would have after recovering from his injury. Maybe all of these questions will prove to be unnecessary, but as of right now, if I’m asked who I want at quarterback between two hypothetically healthy options in Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford, my answer would already be Sam Bradford.
There is also a chance that Bradford could play even better, moving forward. What can Cordarrelle Patterson do with Bradford at quarterback as he continues to gain snaps with improved route running and elite level special teams play? This is a physical freak of nature with speed and power. His one catch against the Panthers last week displayed a tenacity and desire to see the field more as he broke what looked to be a TFL and scampered for a first down. The play might prove to be an anomaly, but it could also be a sign of more snaps to come with a quarterback who will give Patterson a chance to make plays. I also have to think about the eventual return of MyCole Pruitt, who is excellent at finding holes in the defense and should thrive with Bradford, as Bridgewater missed him repeatedly last season.
There are reasons to be both cautious and optimistic about the future with Sam Bradford at the helm. Nevertheless, with the small sample size we’ve seen of him at quarterback, he is already displaying traits we have yet to see from Teddy Bridgewater, and has noticeably better arm strength. If Sam Bradford stays upright, this is going to be a difficult decision for the Vikings franchise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUTOdUxURfk
One need only look at how he has to unload this ball--he practically has to rear up and launch it with all his might to get it to the end zone. It's a beautiful pass, but it also puts on display the fact his arm strength is a definite worry. Let’s also not overlook the fact that this was in a preseason game--he was great in the 2015 preseason before stinking it up for most of the regular season that followed. He may not have actively lost games for the Minnesota Vikings, but his deficiencies and overall timid play absolutely killed drives.
He’s not incapable of having a great game with plenty of great throws, some of which display NFL level velocity and touch. In this clip that showcases his best game from last season, we see plenty of potential for Bridgewater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC4HyBbXyE0
No quarterback is going to throw 4 TD passes in every game, but if Teddy Bridgewater can show this kind of decisiveness in his reads and regularly display the zip in his passes as seen in this video, the decision to go back to him if he can recover from a horrible knee injury is easy. After all, he will only be 24 years old as of this November. We’re talking about a potential 10 or more year window on the offensive side of the ball so long as the Vikings are managed properly, and it appears that the defense is on its way to being a dominant unit for the foreseeable future.
But we just don’t know if he’s going to recover, and when you have a replacement at the helm in Sam Bradford who can stand in the pocket, take a hit, and put the ball in a perfect spot like this to a covered receiver:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e914zHSmRl8
It's going to be difficult to go back to Teddy Bridgewater if Sam continues to play well and remains healthy. You also have to factor in the instant chemistry between Bradford and long time Vikings underachiever Kyle Rudolph, who finally has a quarterback willing to give him a chance in the end zone on throws like these next two.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qb4EVChxBM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqtFZTC5yI
Even though Sam tossed up a duck and perhaps shouldn’t have thrown that pass, he is already showing a willingness to give Rudolph a chance to make a play for him. Will some of these passes end up in interceptions that perhaps Teddy Bridgewater wouldn’t throw? Sure, it’s entirely possible, but it’s also possible that the Vikings find the end zone at such a higher rate under Bradford that turnovers won’t be nearly as crippling as they would be from Teddy. And that’s not to ignore the obvious chemistry between Bradford and Stefon Diggs, as well. There was one more telling throw in the Panthers game to a relatively unknown player that showcases Sam’s trust in his receivers, which was developed in less than a month’s time, mind you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqowwmIxPoI
Please pardon the quality of this video--I am baffled as to how that catch by Adam Thielen (who happens to be from Detroit Lakes, MN, a town of not even 10,000 people not 45 miles from the Fargo/Moorhead metro) doesn’t have a highlight video out there. Anyway, here’s another throw that Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t even consider making, but Sam Bradford decided to take a chance and it paid off.
Overall, Sam Bradford has shown a level of chemistry with his receivers in a mind-bogglingly small amount of time that Teddy Bridgewater hasn’t shown after over two years in the program. Is it possible that Bridgewater would have played better than Bradford these past two weeks had he not been injured? Sure. His mobility may have negated some of the plays made by the pass rushers for the Packers and Panthers, but what Sam Bradford has displayed in just 2 games includes traits that we’ve wanted Teddy to develop, but there’s no tape proving that he has done so.
There is the possibility that Sam Bradford implodes, especially if the offensive line can’t play better as the season progresses. There is definitely the possibility that Sam Bradford is injured at some point in this season and proves to be no more likely to make it through 16 games than Bridgewater would have after recovering from his injury. Maybe all of these questions will prove to be unnecessary, but as of right now, if I’m asked who I want at quarterback between two hypothetically healthy options in Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford, my answer would already be Sam Bradford.
There is also a chance that Bradford could play even better, moving forward. What can Cordarrelle Patterson do with Bradford at quarterback as he continues to gain snaps with improved route running and elite level special teams play? This is a physical freak of nature with speed and power. His one catch against the Panthers last week displayed a tenacity and desire to see the field more as he broke what looked to be a TFL and scampered for a first down. The play might prove to be an anomaly, but it could also be a sign of more snaps to come with a quarterback who will give Patterson a chance to make plays. I also have to think about the eventual return of MyCole Pruitt, who is excellent at finding holes in the defense and should thrive with Bradford, as Bridgewater missed him repeatedly last season.
There are reasons to be both cautious and optimistic about the future with Sam Bradford at the helm. Nevertheless, with the small sample size we’ve seen of him at quarterback, he is already displaying traits we have yet to see from Teddy Bridgewater, and has noticeably better arm strength. If Sam Bradford stays upright, this is going to be a difficult decision for the Vikings franchise.
