This should give Teddy Bridgewater plenty of rest.
ESPN is reporting that Bridgewater should be rested up enough for the Vikings’ next game against the Detroit Lions on October 12.
Bridgewater said he has “no doubt at all” he will be healthy enough to start October 12, and coach Mike Zimmer said the Vikings plan to start Bridgewater in that game. But with Christian Ponder taking all the first-team snaps in practice this week, the Vikings made the decision not to bring Bridgewater back four days after he sprained his ankle and risk further injury. Ponder threw two interceptions and was sacked six times in the Vikings’ 42-10 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field.
“It was a decision that Coach [Zimmer] made, and they felt it was best for the team and felt it was best for me,” Bridgewater said.
Bridgewater said he couldn’t remember at what point during the day Zimmer made the decision to start Ponder instead of him, but the players didn’t seem terribly surprised by the move after the Vikings spent the week preparing for Ponder to start.
“Christian was taking a lot of snaps this week,” receiver Jarius Wright said. “We kind of knew that we might be without Teddy.”
Asked whether Bridgewater lobbied to play Thursday, Zimmer said, “No. It wasn’t up to him. It was up to me.”
USA Today is reporting the game that where Ponder replaced Bridgewater was, essentially, over by halftime, with the Packers up 28-0. The Packers were never seriously threatened the entire game. Ponder threw two interceptions and was sacked six times by the Green Bay defense.
Still, it made sense in the young season to bench the young Bridgewater to help him recover from the ankle sprain he suffered early in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons, whom the Vikings beat 41-28 during week 4. Bridgewater, a rookie from Louisiville, can now rest from last Sunday (September 28th) until October 12 and let is left ankle completely recover.
Though the Packers game was over early, the Vikings strategy is that they let one game get away, not the whole season. They are now one game behind the Packers, half a game behind the Bears, and one and one-half game behind the Lions, who lead the NFC North with a 3-1 record.
So, they did lose the game, but resting Bridgewater gives them a chance at making up ground during the rest of the season. And, with such a young, unpredictable season, you have to be ready for anything.
[Image courtesy of Sports-Odds]
