Denver Broncos: Here’s the thing about Teddy Bridgewater
Many people in Broncos Country are disappointed with the decision to make Teddy Bridgewater the starter of the Denver Broncos, but here’s the thing.
I just finished typing up a negative post about Teddy Bridgewater being named the starter of the Denver Broncos, and now it’s time for some positivity.
Recency bias would tell us that Teddy Bridgewater wasn’t any good last year–and that’d be the correct assessment. However, we have to dig a little deeper for some context.
For starters, Bridgewater completed 69.1 percent of his passes in 2020 behind a bad offensive line and an offense that was missing Christian McCaffrey.
His completion percentage was 5th in the entire NFL. That’s really good.
His TD:INT ratio was rather poor, but the Panthers were in the first year of the Matt Rhule-Joe Brady era, and they themselves had to learn a brand-new offense mostly virtual, due to COVID guidelines.
Also, the Denver Broncos’ offensive personnel in 2021 are significantly better than the Panthers’ in 2020.
Bridgewater will play behind a very solid offensive line, exceptional wide receivers, and a great tight end. I really can’t put into words anymore how much better the Denver Broncos playmakers are on offense than the Panthers playmakers in 2020.
In fact, the Broncos roster on offense in 2021 is much closer, or even better, than the Saints in 2019, where Teddy led the Saints to a 5-0 record, and he put up a 9:2 TD:INT ratio as Drew Brees was rehabbing and injury.
The Saints 2019 offense featured an exceptional offensive line, a great wide receiver, and a great running back.
Let’s shift gears a bit.
I came across this tweet from Warren Sharp earlier, and it says that, in 2020, as a member of the Carolina Panthers, Teddy Bridgewater played the #1 most difficult schedule of passing defenses.
And in 2021, the Broncos are currently projected to play the #1 easiest schedule of passing defenses.
last year, Teddy Bridgewater played the #1 most difficult schedule of pass defenses
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 25, 2021
>> he played 11 games against top-15 pass defenses
this year, the Broncos are projected to play the #1 easiest schedule of pass defenses
from #1 most difficult to #1 easiest
I’m not saying that this means that Teddy Bridgewater will all of a sudden look the part of a franchise quarterback, but between the Denver Broncos offensive personnel (which we can all agree is great) and an easier schedule of passing defenses, Teddy has the best opportunity of his career to look like a franchise quarterback.
I could make the same argument for Drew Lock, but he’s not the starter, and we need to accept that.
Even further, the Broncos defense is going to be special, and it could get to a point where the defense can win a game or two during the season, or play well enough to where the offense doesn’t have to do much to win.
Teddy has never been a prolific passer, and he probably can’t go blow for blow with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, but the Broncos’ defense is going to be lethal, which will only benefit the offense.
I don’t think Teddy is going to have to do much to win games in 2021. Between the excellent playmakers on offense and studs on defense, the Denver Broncos are perfectly set up for a quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater to succeed.
Give him a chance, guys.