Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is a popular breakout candidate for 2015. But folks seem to forget his 1-4 record against division opponents last season. Yes, he finished 2014 in an impressive flurry, but Minnesota will need Bridgewater to take a leap forward this year if they hope to make a playoff push.
Can Bridgewater leapfrog some of the other NFC North quarterbacks?
"I like Bridgewater," ESPN's Jeff Dickerson wrote. "Do I feel his arm strength is kind of suspect? Yes. But Bridgewater showed me a lot at the end of last season. Quarterbacks have to be leaders. Bridgewater seems to understand what is expected of him at the position. Some young quarterbacks fall victim to off-the-field or locker room issues, but I don't suspect that will be a problem with Bridgewater. Will he eclipse Aaron Rodgers as the No. 1 quarterback in the NFC North? Of course not. But can Bridgewater win as much as Matthew Stafford in Detroit or Jay Cutler in Chicago, despite not having the same kind of physical gifts as his two rivals? I feel comfortable saying yes. So much of a quarterback's success depends on the environment. My take on Minnesota - they're an organization on the rise with a solid head coach in Mike Zimmer. All the elements are there for Bridgewater to keep improving. Having Adrian Peterson in the backfield doesn't hurt either."
Bridgewater had a tendency to settle for his check downs early on in his tenure as starter last season. But as the season went on, he became more and more comfortable stretching the field. His average yards per pass attempt over the final five games was 8.8. His nine games prior: 5.8.
With offensive additions such as wide receiver Mike ujjklWallace and the return of Peterson (suspension) and tight end Kyle Rudolph (injury), Bridgewater has more than enough talent around him to take the next step in his development. But surpassing Stafford and Cutler, both of whom are coming off down seasons, seems a bit rich so early in Bridgewater's career. Still, no reason for Vikings fans not to be optimistic.
