How good could Teddy Bridgewater be? The Vikings’ rookie quarterback played one of his best games as pro in Minnesota’s 30-24 overtime victory over the New York Jets on Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium.
He went 19-for-27 for 309 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. His passer rating was 117.7, and it would have been higher if Charles Johnson didn’t fumble at the goal line and he wasn’t intercepted on a harmless deep ball to the end zone as time expired in the first half. According to Vikings Journal, Bridgewater would have finished with a passer rating of 145.6 – the ninth highest rating for any quarterback in a single game this season – had those two plays not unfolded the way they did.
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer ready to hand the keys to the franchise to his rookie gunslinger.
“I think when Teddy decides to be the leader of this football team … this franchise is Teddy’s,’’ Zimmer said after the game, according to Vikings.com. “I know that was a good headline for you. That’s what he needs to do, he needs to take it over. This is his team now.’’
Bridgewater has been at his best since the Vikings’ Week 8 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, he’s racked up nine touchdown passes to just three interceptions, completed at least 70 percent of his attempts in two consecutive games and thrown two touchdowns in three straight games.
PFF's top-rated QBs since week 8 (Vikings at Tampa):
1. Brees
2. Rodgers
3. Brady
4. Big Ben
5. Tannehill
6. Palmer
7. Luck
8. Bridgewater— Krauser (@Krauserrific) December 8, 2014
If there weren’t so many great rookie WRs, Teddy Bridgewater would get off. ROY looks. More Ws than all rookies QBs combined, big 1 today
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 8, 2014
According to the Courier-Journal, Bridgewater owes his confidence boost to quarterbacks coach Scott Turner, the son of offensive coordinator Norv Turner.
“Go out there and let it rip and don’t worry about overthinking things and trying to be perfect,” is Bridgewater’s new mindset, thanks to Turner’s coaching. He added: “Because when you try to be perfect, that’s when you make mistakes.”
Speaking of mistakes, the Vikings can’t make any AND they’ll need LOT of help if they hope to make the playoffs. The earth will probably stop spinning before all of this happens, but here’s how WCCO’s David McCoy lays out the ingredients to a Vikings playoff run.
- Vikings must win out to finish 9-7
- Seahawks must lose out to finish 9-7
- 49ers need to finish 9-7 or worse
- Rams must win out to finish 9-7
- Packers and Lions have to win at least 10 games
Good luck with that.
