Vikings Message Board.Com

Just Me wrote:Brian Billick evaluates our QB (Make sure you check this link for context, and keep a healthy dose of skepticism until we see exactly how Bridgewater will work out for us.):
I'm excited to get one of the best QB prospects in Bridgewater. I'm optimistic he'll work out for us. I just hope we have learned our lesson and have a "plan B," just in case...

I saw what Billick saw as well in that subtle pocket presence and Bridgewater's ability to make the small move to buy himself time rather than take off. That ability can be the difference between getting the ball to a receiver and missing the opportunity. Favre was very good at that, as are many of the better pro QBs. The fact that Bridgewater has it makes me extremely optimistic he'll thrive as a pro.

VikingLord wrote: I saw what Billick saw as well in that subtle pocket presence and Bridgewater's ability to make the small move to buy himself time rather than take off. That ability can be the difference between getting the ball to a receiver and missing the opportunity. Favre was very good at that, as are many of the better pro QBs. The fact that Bridgewater has it makes me extremely optimistic he'll thrive as a pro.

I agree with the fact that he has very good pocket presence and I am thankfull and hopefull that the o-line will give him a whole lot better protection than they have afforded to the last two QBs, 'cause they nearly got both of them killed on too numerous times. If they do not, then Teddy is in for a rough season.

The Breeze wrote:I agree...and I think the lack of composure in that specifc environment is more the norm for a human being, which is what I mean that a guy has to be kinda goofy\crazy to thrive as an NFL QB...assuming he isn't a mountain of a guy physically like Newton or Rothelburgers.

Troy Aikman and Jeff George are 2 guys that come to my mind. The butt kicking that Aikman took his rookie season blew me away. Yet the guy never waivered. It's hardly surprising that he had to be forced to hang it up due to serious health risks.
And the harder they hit George the more focused he seemed to get.

When you look at how many guys play the position vs how many have that specific presence it's no wonder GMs swing and miss so often.

I see what you mean and yes, there's definitely a certain rare mentality at work in some of the more successful QBs. It's not always good for the longevity of their careers either.

Purple bruise wrote:I agree with the fact that he has very good pocket presence and I am thankfull and hopefull that the o-line will give him a whole lot better protection than they have afforded to the last two QBs, 'cause they nearly got both of them killed on too numerous times. If they do not, then Teddy is in for a rough season.

I expect a solid bounce-back year from Kalil, who was injured much of last season but should be about full strength now. I'm still concerned about Sullivan's microfracture surgery. I don't know if he'll ever re-gain 2012 form. Fusco should be another year better. Loadholt is Loadholt. He'll still struggle with some speed guys, but he's still one of the better overall right tackles. I think if we can get someone to supplant Johnson at LG and get some better play there, that'll help buy Teddy a few more seconds.

dead_poet wrote: I expect a solid bounce-back year from Kalil, who was injured much of last season but should be about full strength now. I'm still concerned about Sullivan's microfracture surgery. I don't know if he'll ever re-gain 2012 form. Fusco should be another year better. Loadholt is Loadholt. He'll still struggle with some speed guys, but he's still one of the better overall right tackles. I think if we can get someone to supplant Johnson at LG and get some better play there, that'll help buy Teddy a few more seconds.

Very true and another key component would be to some how get AD to pass protect better. He is one of the worst, if not the worst, pass blocking backs in the entire league. I have watched too many games as pass rushers easily get by him in nano seconds to disrupt the passing game or get the qb blindsided.

dead_poet wrote: I expect a solid bounce-back year from Kalil, who was injured much of last season but should be about full strength now. I'm still concerned about Sullivan's microfracture surgery. I don't know if he'll ever re-gain 2012 form. Fusco should be another year better. Loadholt is Loadholt. He'll still struggle with some speed guys, but he's still one of the better overall right tackles. I think if we can get someone to supplant Johnson at LG and get some better play there, that'll help buy Teddy a few more seconds.

Hopefully, Turner will build hot reads and outlet receivers into a lot of the plays and the players will get on the same page quickly. Loadholts i going to let some defenders blow right past him. It's inevitable and even at his best, Sullivan is pretty susceptible to a strong inside rush from a powerful DT like Suh. Johnson is Johnson and considering how little experience most of the alternatives at that spot have, I'm expecting that position to be at least somewhat problematic again this year. I think they key is to make sure whoever is playing QB has somewhere to go with the ball, quickly, when facing a blitz or when protection breaks down too fast.

Purple bruise wrote:Very true and another key component would be to some how get AD to pass protect better. He is one of the worst, if not the worst, pass blocking backs in the entire league. I have watched too many games as pass rushers easily get by him in nano seconds.

I really don't think he's that bad at all. Over the last few years, I've seen him make more blocks and pick up more blitzes than miss on them. When he whiffs, it's ugly, but I think it's a weakness in his game that gets blown out of proportion.

Dilfer knows his stuff. Always love his insight. He's one of the few that actually goes deeper than the surface on his analysis. He's also not afraid to a call a Q out either. I think his evaluation of Teddy is spot on.

I especially loved this quote:

It's not a flashy car, but it gets you from Point A to Point B. But until people fully understand that, evaluating quarterbacks will be even less of an exact science.

I've fought this battle on behalf of so many quarterbacks because, in general, people feel the only quarterbacks who can win a Super Bowl are elite guys. That's not the case nor has it ever been. There's nothing outstanding about Teddy when you watch him play. However, he does the things in between the lines and just enough of everything you can see, that he's a guy who will put your team in the best spot to win games. I view him like a view Matt Ryan. Efficient, smart and makes the right play most of the time. Ryan can put up big numbers and be looked at as fringe elite, but probably won't ever be that. He's still a great quarterback and a guy you can win with if the pieces around him are good enough. Same with Teddy. And with the roster on the offensive side of the ball that Minnesota has built, I think he's going to be very successful out of the gates.

Mothman wrote: I really don't think he's that bad at all. Over the last few years, I've seen him make more blocks and pick up more blitzes than miss on them. When he whiffs, it's ugly, but I think it's a weakness in his game that gets blown out of proportion.

I will agree that he has improved a little but he still sucks at it

Yes, I'm a bit of a jerk, today - sorry. I really didn't mean to be (I did say to read the link). Billick's description of "our QB" was of Ponder in 2011 before he was drafted by the Vikings (just shortly before the draft). I removed the descriptors of Ponder (and used pronouns) to illustrate that at one point Ponder was termed: The most "NFL-Ready QB". So for the descriptors that seem to apply to Bridgewater, they also were used to describe Ponder.

To be clear - I think Bridgewater will surpass Ponder, but...there are no guarantees, and the similar descriptions of the two QBs before they have played a down in the NFL leave me 'cautious.'

TO be fair - Bridgewater was a highly touted talent for most of his last year in college and his stock fell after the season. Ponder was the reverse: a mediocre->good QB whose stock rose due to a decent showing as MVP of the Senior Bowl. Let's hope the opposites continue as Bridgewater completes his pro career...

Just Me wrote:Yes, I'm a bit of a jerk, today - sorry. I really didn't mean to be (I did say to read the link). Billick's description of "our QB" was of Ponder in 2011 before he was drafted by the Vikings (just shortly before the draft). I removed the descriptors of Ponder (and used pronouns) to illustrate that at one point Ponder was termed: The most "NFL-Ready QB". So for the descriptors that seem to apply to Bridgewater, they also were used to describe Ponder.

To be clear - I think Bridgewater will surpass Ponder, but...there are no guarantees, and the similar descriptions of the two QBs before they have played a down in the NFL leave me 'cautious.'

TO be fair - Bridgewater was a highly touted talent for most of his last year in college and his stock fell after the season. Ponder was the reverse: a mediocre->good QB whose stock rose due to a decent showing as MVP of the Senior Bowl. Let's hope the opposites continue as Bridgewater completes his pro career...

Good points and I would add the obvious; Teddy comes into a much better situation/team than Ponder did. He will get the distinct advantage of having to go through a training camp, with much better coaching and receivers. Lastly, let's all hope that he is not thrust into action like Ponder was after the McFlabb debacle, before he is ready.
I think that Teddy will be up to the challenge and I do expect great things from him as his career progresses.

Trent Dilfer comes across as pompous to be honest. He never threw for over 3000 yards in any given season, he has thrown more interceptions than TD's in his career, and he just happened to be in the right place at the right time with Baltimore. Seriously the guys career was freaking horrible. I just don't trust his insight on QB's.

Bridgewater a Prius? I wonder what his thoughts were on Aaron Rodgers (I know Dilfer was still in the league). Im sure he would have said something about Rodgers being a Prius too. I really do not like Dilfer.....Can you tell?

I'm hoping that the way Turner schemes this offense will have a large effect on mitigating the major protection problems of past seasons....as well as continued cohesivness among the linemen themselves.

I feel the heavy reliance on AD and that lack options to audible at the LOS (if that was true) really made it easy for opposing defenses to disrupt the flow of the offense. In spite of that, they moved the ball quite well due to the weapons they have. I'm betting Turner is licking his chops designing plays for these guys.

I think AD is extremely valuable as a decoy....especially if they get him more involved in the passing game. Little designed swing passes to him might do a lot to slow down aggressive defenses and open up further options for the downfield weapons. Make everybody's job that much easier if the offense is more complicated.....especially the 3 QBs.

2cents and such~

fiestavike wrote:Norv also touched on this in the interview linked above. Basically saying that AP is not bad at blocking but struggles against DE's, big LBs and they need to scheme so that he is not being asked to do that. Also that he will catch more passes in this offense.

Thanks for the link to that interview. It contained a lot of great stuff and Norv did a nice job of conveying the differences between how a coach thinks and how fans think. His comments about everyone from AD to the QBs to Patterson were excellent. That got me more excited for this season than I have been thus far!

Mothman wrote: Thanks for the link to that interview. It contained a lot of great stuff and Norv did a nice job of conveying the differences between how a coach thinks and how fans think. His comments about everyone from AD to the QBs to Patterson were excellent. That got me more excited for this season than I have been thus far!

I agree, great listen all around. Norv inspires confidence; his experience is just super obvious. Loved what he said about our QB situation being a strength and how coaching Patterson, a young guy w/ lots of potential, is what makes coaching after all these years so much fun. Being able to mold a young guy.