Young Theodore Bridgewater

[Pondering Her Percy]

It still drives me crazy to even see Teddy's name in the same sentence as Ponders. They are literally nothing alike. ZERO. ZILCH. NADA.

[Mothman]

Stats. Bah! Humbug!

Ponder had happy feet and would always make a bad decision. He would play decent all game then always commit that one blunder that made everyone scratch their heads.

Accuracy is the main issue with Teddy. Other than that, I can't see how you guys don't notice how much more fluid and efficient Teddy is in comparison to Ponder.

It still drives me crazy to even see Teddy's name in the same sentence as Ponders. They are literally nothing alike. ZERO. ZILCH. NADA.

I think they have a lot more in common than some of you want to see.

Accuracy issues? Check. Deep pass issues? Check. Missing open receivers? Check.

Frustrating blunders that make you scratch your head? Check (go back and watch that Ponder-esque throw Teddy made off his back foot for an INT on Sunday for a fine example).

A tendency to fall back on the check down too quickly against pressure? Check. Down.

Bridgewater looks a lot like Ponder did his rookie season but I think that's due in no small part to the fact that he is a rookie and more often than not, this is how rookie QBs tend to play.

There are differences between the two but frankly, Teddy is dealing with a lot of the same issues Ponder had and ultimately failed to overcome. Hopefully, Bridgewater will actually overcome them.

[Pondering Her Percy]

I think they have a lot more in common than some of you want to see.

Accuracy issues? Check. Deep pass issues? Check. Missing open receivers? Check.

Frustrating blunders that make you scratch your head? Check (go back and watch that Ponder-esque throw Teddy made off his back foot for an INT on Sunday for a fine example).

A tendency to fall back on the check down too quickly against pressure? Check. Down.

Bridgewater looks a lot like Ponder did his rookie season but I think that's due in no small part to the fact that he is a rookie and more often than not, this is how rookie QBs tend to play.

There are differences between the two but frankly, Teddy is dealing with a lot of the same issues Ponder had and ultimately failed to overcome. Hopefully, Bridgewater will actually overcome them.

Teddy stands in the pocket longer than Ponder ever dreamed of and if you watch Teddy closely, he's going through his progressions. Something Ponder failed to do. In turn, Ponder just ran. He crapped his pants in the face of pressure. Also I don't see his accuracy issues nearly as severe as Ponders. Ponder had a 54.3 comp. percentage as a rookie (nowhere close to Teddy), 5 times he never even broke 120 yards (Teddy has yet to do that). He struggled to advance the ball. He gave us 2 wins and in those wins he threw a combined 1 td pass on a check down to AP. Teddy's intangibles alone already make him superior to Ponder. Teddy might have accuracy issues but he's still 7% higher than Ponder was as a rookie with a better average as well. Teddy has had his ups and downs as a rookie but nothing as bad as Ponders. I can't believe I am really comparing these two right now

[PurpleKoolaid]

It is amassing, and sickening. That's why I want #7 off the team. #7 was so much worse AND he had #28 to help him. I guess they both make mistakes so that's enough for some to bring up comparison's. Next, they will say we should draft Mariota.

[Pondering Her Percy]

It is amassing, and sickening. That's why I want #7 off the team. #7 was so much worse AND he had #28 to help him. I guess they both make mistakes so that's enough for some to bring up comparison's. Next, they will say we should draft Mariota.

Well yeah didn't someone on here already say that?? I wouldn't touch Mariota with a ten foot pole

But yeah, I just don't see any kind of comparison really. Like I said, Teddys intangibles alone make him superior to Ponder

[AlldayPotter]

I sucks to say it but, we just need to give him time and keep signing the right players to help teddy succeed. For what teddy has at WR and for a pathetic offensive line he is working with he isn't completely terrible (although his accuracy and touch need to be worked on). But he has shown poise at times and appears to be more of a quarterback than what we had when we invested into T-joke and Ponder less
Matthew Stafford , eli manning... they didn't have to good of rookie seasons..... but look at them now. I say we should make a run at a big name receiver like Dez Bryant or Calvin johnson to help teddy, and invest everything we have at some damn offensive lineman that can pass block!!!

[Purple Reign]

It still drives me crazy to even see Teddy's name in the same sentence as Ponders. They are literally nothing alike. ZERO. ZILCH. NADA.

I was only comparing what was said by coaches about how they both looked so good in practice but so far neither of them played all that great in games - nothing else. So in that respect and that respect only, they are alike (so far). Just hoping Teddy can overcome that issue.

[PacificNorseWest]

Matthew Stafford , eli manning... they didn't have to good of rookie seasons..... but look at them now.

They still suck?



Seriously though...Teddy needs to aspire to be more than those two. They're mistake laden/WR dependent.

[Mothman]

Teddy stands in the pocket longer than Ponder ever dreamed of and if you watch Teddy closely, he's going through his progressions. Something Ponder failed to do. In turn, Ponder just ran. He crapped his pants in the face of pressure. Also I don't see his accuracy issues nearly as severe as Ponders. Ponder had a 54.3 comp. percentage as a rookie (nowhere close to Teddy), 5 times he never even broke 120 yards (Teddy has yet to do that). He struggled to advance the ball. He gave us 2 wins and in those wins he threw a combined 1 td pass on a check down to AP. Teddy's intangibles alone already make him superior to Ponder. Teddy might have accuracy issues but he's still 7% higher than Ponder was as a rookie with a better average as well. Teddy has had his ups and downs as a rookie but nothing as bad as Ponders. I can't believe I am really comparing these two right now

I find the exaggerations and inaccuracies about Ponder so tiresome that I can't even bring myself to respond to most of that, especially because I know it's a losing battle. Suffice to say that nobody is saying the two players are identical but if you can't see similarities in their struggles and shortcomings, it may be because you don't want to see them.

[AlldayPotter]

"They still suck" ...

Eli Manning has two super bowl rings,,,, one more than his 5 time mvp brother.

Matthew Stafford has thrown over 5000 yards in a season, and finally has a defense that is helping him out and are leading the Lions to the playoffs.

If teddy threw for over 5000 yards in a season or has two super bowl rings,,, I wouldn't say he sucks.

My point being, give the kid the tools to success, then watch, wait, and believe.

[Purple bruise]

I find the exaggerations and inaccuracies about Ponder are so tiresome that I can't even bring myself to respond to most of that, especially because I know it's a losing battle. Suffice to say that nobody is saying the two players are identical but if you can't see similarities in their struggles and shortcomings, it may be because you don't want to see them.

Exactly right! And for what it is worth Ponder's career rating is 75.9 and TB's is 75.7. To me there are huge similarities. Ponder's career in Minny has been a flop. I attribute a lot of it for the way he was forced onto the field his rookie year without a training camp. Talk about a crappy blocking/pass protecting line that is what he was faced with without any better receivers than this team has now. He suffered several injuries as a result as will TB. I want nothing more than to see Ponder in a different uniform on a new team but I see the same problems facing TB.
Jim, when people argue that the only success that Ponder had was because of AD you already dispelled that untruth in an earlier post. I would add that Ponder is much bigger, stronger and a better runner than TB and his crappy blocking line caused a whole lot of his "happy feet" because of the constant beating he took (very similar to TB's fate).
Never the less, I see a whole lot of fans glossing over TB's ints and bad throws and saying that is attributed to being young. I won't discount that for a moment but I will say that I personally feel like he does not have the size, strength or accuracy to be this teams franchise QB. I hope that I am wrong but as I said time will tell.
As for anyone saying that they want nothing to do with Mariota as a Viking QB I think most experts would take him in a heartbeat over TB.

[losperros]

Bridgewater looks a lot like Ponder did his rookie season but I think that's due in no small part to the fact that he is a rookie and more often than not, this is how rookie QBs tend to play.

There are differences between the two but frankly, Teddy is dealing with a lot of the same issues Ponder had and ultimately failed to overcome. Hopefully, Bridgewater will actually overcome them.

Maybe some of the similar issues have to do with both of them playing on Vikings teams that other shortcomings. A porous OL, for example.

Teddy's inaccuracy concerns me a lot. It really cost the Vikings in the last game.

That said, my main concern is still the OL. If that gets fixed, Bridgewater will play better. Maybe not great, I don't know, but better.

[Mothman]

QB snapshot: Teddy Bridgewater

It might be a small measure of progress, but the 22-yard touchdown pass Bridgewater threw to Charles Johnson on Sunday was his longest of the season. It was the first complete pass he'd thrown at least 20 yards in the air since the Vikings' Week 9 win over the Washington Redskins.

Bridgewater still had a poor day throwing downfield -- he was just 4-for-12 on passes that traveled at least 10 yards, according to ESPN Stats & Information -- but on the Johnson TD, he benefited from a few things he hasn't often had this season: a clean pocket and a receiver who could quickly beat press coverage.

[Mothman]

Maybe some of the similar issues have to do with both of them playing on Vikings teams that other shortcomings. A porous OL, for example.

I think that's a virtual certainty, Craig.

Teddy's inaccuracy concerns me a lot. It really cost the Vikings in the last game.

That said, my main concern is still the OL. If that gets fixed, Bridgewater will play better. Maybe not great, I don't know, but better.

It can only help. Improving any of the talent around him would likely help.

[frosted]

"I think they have a lot more in common than some of you want to see."

Suffice to say that nobody is saying the two players are identical but if you can't see similarities in their struggles and shortcomings, it may be because you don't want to see them.

Is it so hard to believe that a rational mind would disagree, without having some sort underlying denial about the comparison?