Entering the 2014 NFL Draft, most people knew the Minnesota Vikings needed a quarterback. After years of anger and frustration, the Vikings may have finally found their guy in Teddy Bridgewater.
Despite being projected as the top pick in the draft just five months ago, he was available at the end of the first round. That led Vikings general manager Rick Spielman to execute his annual draft day tradition of trading up for the star Louisville quarterback.
With Bridgewater taking the tumble down draft boards, many football analysts have compared him to Aaron Rodgers. However, just saying that would be lazy. There are several other areas where Bridgewater rivals the Green Bay Packers star.
While most people will want to bore you with big words and excerpts from their scouting profiles, there is one big area where the two seem to be a similar breed: They take what’s given and make the best of it.
Both quarterbacks entered their draft class with subpar measureables. Both quarterbacks also were completely torn apart by the scouting process, which led to their draft slides. However, those things didn’t stop Rodgers from utilizing what he does well.
Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in the league because he plays within his boundaries. If he decided he wanted to be Brett Favre in an effort to win over the hostile fans in Green Bay once he finally got his opportunity, it was going to be a complete disaster.
Instead, he decided to be himself, which meant staying calm under pressure and using his smarts to elevate the players around him. Many people compliment the Packers organization for its seemingly never-ending supply of interchangeable parts, but when it comes to the offense, it’s because Rodgers can elevate the play of his team with his intangibles.
The same can be said for Bridgewater. While draft evaluators focused on what he can’t do, the Vikings decided to focus on what he can. His attitude and complexion are something his predecessor Christian Ponder had, but he also has the calmness in the face of adversity, which led his teammates in high school to nickname him “G.U.M.P.” (Great Under Massive Pressure).
While there’s intense mental pressure on prospects during the combine and pro days, there’s nothing more intense than having a 300-pound man chasing you while trying to find an open receiver.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Bridgewater excelled in the latter situation by completing 53.5 percent of his throws under duress with a 7:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also excelled with five or more blitzers by completing 70.1 percent of his passes.
Just like Rodgers, it seems Bridgewater has the same ability to know when defensive coordinators will bring it and make them pay when they do.
The two quarterbacks also have a tendency of not forcing passes. As a junior at Louisville, Bridgewater threw just four interceptions while completing 71 percent of his throws. By comparison, Rodgers has done a great job of limiting his mistakes with 20 interceptions over the past three seasons.
Cool under pressure, a master in protecting the football and the attitude that can raise an entire team. This sounds a lot like the quarterback the Vikings have been seeking. Time will tell if Bridgewater truly becomes a Rodgers-like quarterback, but it seems this may be the best quarterback option the team has had in a long time.
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Chris Schad contributes to 105 The Ticket and has had his work featured on the Bleacher Report and Yahoo Contributor Network. He serves as the Vikings Lead Writerfor Pro Football Spot. Find him on Twitter @crishad. |