The Denver Broncos won their first game of the 2021 season. Teddy Bridgewater leads the top five stars of the week for the Broncos.
The Denver Broncos are back into the September win column for the first time since the 2018 season. After starting off his head coaching tenure in Denver with an ugly 0-7 record in the month of September, Vic Fangio finally got off the proverbial schneid.
The Broncos beat the New York Giants decisively to the tune of 27-13, a score that was only that close after a Daniel Jones garbage time rushing touchdown as time expired.
The Denver Broncos have not had this convincing of a season-opening win since Peyton Manning threw seven touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens in 2013.
After spending the last nine months speculating about what the team might look like, how things could come together, and all the different things that could happen, we all finally got the chance to see some actual football with actual consequences on the win-loss record.
It was glorious.
Which Denver Broncos players stood out the most in this one?
Denver Broncos top 5 stars in win vs. Giants
1. Teddy Bridgewater, QB
What an outstanding debut for Teddy Bridgewater to open the 2021 season.
Completing nearly 78 percent of his passes, Bridgewater was efficient — as advertised — but he gets so unfairly painted as a drifting journeyman who is only capable of playing well under perfect circumstances.
I think Sunday’s effort against the Giants showed us that Bridgewater can work both in and out of structure.
https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1437177463352827906
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1437174271546036226
It’s safe to say that all if not most of Broncos Country underestimated Teddy Bridgewater going into this game.
In the words of the great Michael Scott, maybe next time we will “estimate” him.
It’s hard to say that the expectations Broncos Country put on Bridgewater after a full season as the starter in Carolina last year were unfair. Although Bridgewater dealt with an injury last season, he didn’t post great numbers and failed to live up to a big-money contract.
This game from Bridgewater was the best he’s played since the Panthers nearly upset the Kansas City Chiefs on the road last year.
If he keeps playing like this, the Denver Broncos are going to win a lot of games.