Teddy Bridgewater gives pedestrian effort in Vikings win

Teddy Bridgewater was mostly reduced to a supporting role for the Vikings as Adrian Peterson and the defense rolled over the Atlanta Falcons.

There were a lot of days like these when Christian Ponder was the Vikings’ QB. Days when you were left feeling that the team won in spite of the QB rather than because of him.

Bridgewater’s stat-line from Sunday was very Ponder-like: 174 yards, zero TDs, one INT, a 72.6 passer rating.

Also very reminiscent of the Ponder days: the Vikings’ run/pass ratio. The Vikings ran 67 total offensive plays against the Falcons and rushed the ball on 39 of them.

Adrian Peterson carried the ball 29 times for 158 yards and two TDs, and in doing so carried the Vikings to victory.

When the Vikings made the playoffs in 2012, it was because Adrian carried them there. Ponder may have been credited with a “playoff season” but he was mostly just along for the ride.

Yesterday against Atlanta it felt like Bridgewater was mostly along for the ride. Though to his credit he did do a good job in avoiding sacks and not turning the ball over more than he did.

More from The Viking Age

• 6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings history
• Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North
• Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take
• 6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
• Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022

Had the Vikings been down late against Atlanta like they were against Chicago, maybe Bridgewater would have pulled one of his late-game comebacks.

It just happened that the Vikings didn’t need a lot from Bridgewater against Atlanta. Adrian Peterson and the defense gave them all they needed.

It’s okay for the QB to just be along for the ride sometimes. The important thing is that he be there to get it done when he’s needed.

Bridgewater has gotten it done at times this year when called upon to make plays. And at other times not so much.

What am I trying to say? Only this: Though Ponder-Bridgewater comparisons may seem valid at times, they’re not always valid.

They were valid yesterday. Hopefully, they will not continue to seem so.