Bridgewater proving he’s a legitimate NFL starter
In what might be the best job by any fill-in since George Michael sang Somebody to Love with Queen at the 1992 Freddie Mercury tribute concert, Teddy Bridgewater has been nothing short of outstanding as temporary starting quarterback for the 6-1 New Orleans Saints.
With Sunday’s 36-25 win in Chicago, the sixth-year pro improved to 5-0 since the right-handed Drew Brees broke the thumb on his throwing hand, early in a Week 2 loss at the Los Angeles Rams.
If it’s true that Brees might return to action this coming Sunday against the visiting Arizona Cardinals, and if this indeed turns out to be a season to remember for New Orleans, then every Saints fan in the Gulf Coast area ought to honour Bridgewater forever for having done one of the best jobs by a temporary stand-in QB in modern NFL history.
To be sure, Bridgewater has faced stiff challenges, beginning with his first start on Sept. 22 at Seattle. He completed 70 per cent of his throws for two touchdowns without an interception at Seattle’s Centurylink Field, one of the toughest venues for a visiting QB, in a 33-27 win — a victory that prevented the Saints from starting 1-2 (or worse) for the fifth time in six years.
The 26-year-old Bridgewater has continued to perform at a high level. In five starts he has completed 69.7 per cent of his throws for an average of 241 yards per game, with nine touchdown passes against only two interceptions.
Among the other wins: A Sunday-nighter against Dallas, and Sunday’s throttling of a Bears defence thought to be among the best in the NFL. Three of the five wins have come against 2018 playoff teams, two of them on the road.
Each of Bridgewater’s games has been tight, too, meaning one gaffe by him could have turned a win into a loss. In the five starts, he hasn’t lost a fumble. And he hasn’t been picked off in his last 99 pass attempts over nearly three full games.
“I think Teddy is playing the way he knows how to play,”
Saints running back Latavius Murray said after Sunday’s win. “I don’t think he’s trying to come in and replace Drew. He just comes in and is himself.
“That’s all you can ask, because Teddy has had success before. So this is nothing new to him. He’s been a successful quarterback at this level. So we support him.
He’s done a heck of a job.”
Player after player over the past five weeks has delivered similar glowing statements about both Bridgewater’s play and his top-shelf character.
Fox Sports sideline reporter Erin Andrews said during Sunday’s win that the “goal” is for Brees to play this week, and she quoted Saints head coach Sean Payton as saying of Brees: “If he’s healthy, you play him.”
After the game, Payton said Andrews’ report was “incorrect.” According to ESPN, Payton then said: “I’ll fill you guys in, day by day. We’re not targeting … We’re going to see how he’s doing. And we’ll give you the news when we feel like we’re ready to, … I’m not even discussing it (further). Sorry.”
We’ll get a better idea by Wednesday. That’s when the first NFL injury report of the week is released. If Brees practised fully or as a partial participant on Wednesday, it will show up on the report.
Brees posted video to social media last week of himself throwing the football with punch. If he’s unable to go this week, the Saints are off next week. Presumably, at this rate of recovery, he’d be a virtual certainty to return on Nov. 10 for the Saints’ Week 10 home game against Atlanta.
As it happens, Nov. 10 is Bridgewater’s 27th birthday.
However much he celebrates that day, he’s surely going to be celebrating as much or more come mid-march, when 2020 free agency kicks off. Bridgewater will become a rich man then. Remember, in March he eschewed a starting opportunity in Miami to re-sign for one more year as Brees’ backup in New Orleans. Yes, for good backup money — US$7.25 million — but just for this season.
Presuming Brees aims to continue as the Saints’ starter in 2020 and beyond, Bridgewater would move on. His September and October performances this year ought to garner him a contract worth at least $25 million per year with the Qb-needy team of his choice.
You can’t help but feel good for Bridgewater. He suffered a horrific knee injury (ligament tears and dislocation) on the eve of the 2016 season, when he appeared ready to bust out as a top-flight NFL QB, following two seasons as the starter for the Minnesota Vikings.
Two years of intense rehab later, the Vikings let him walk away.
A tryout with the New York
Jets last year revived his career. In pre-season practices and games, he proved far better than expected, so the Saints traded for him at the end of the 2018 training camp and he’s been there since.