How Teddy Bridgewater Can Be Successful in 2020
A new era is upon us in Charlotte as quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looks to get his second chance as a franchise signal caller.
If you haven't followed Bridgewater's career and are unfamiliar with his background, well, all he does is win. He doesn't put up the flashy stats that you see from quarterbacks around the league and will likely never put up the numbers that Cam Newton did in a Panther uniform, but he will find ways to win games.
Bridgewater and Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady crossed paths in New Orleans a few seasons ago in the Saints organization, which is where the connection stems from.
It's nice and all to have familiarity, but at the end of the day, you have to be able to put your team in a position to win games, and that is what Bridgewater does.
Last year, the Saints felt their season coming to a screeching halt when Drew Brees went out with an injury that would keep him sidelined for an extended period of time. Little did the Saints know that everything would be fine in the capable hands of Teddy Bridgewater. In five starts replacing Brees, Bridgewater went 5-0 and kept the Saints at the top of the division.
Coming to Carolina, Bridgewater knows he has a challenge ahead of him. Nothing is going to come easy with such a youthful group of players littered throughout the roster. Thankfully for him, GM Marty Hurney reconstructed the offensive line by bringing in Russell Okung, Michael Schofield, and John Miller. Not only that, but Bridgewater has a pretty lethal arsenal of weapons at receiver with D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, and Robby Anderson and oh yeah, Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield.
Despite the defensive side of the ball being a major concern heading into the 2020 season, the Panthers should have some hope that their offense will be restored after a dreadful 2019.
So, what does Teddy Bridgewater need to do for this season to be considered a success offensively?
First and foremost, staying healthy. Much of this will ride on the play of the offensive line, but Bridgewater will have to be very picky on when to take off and call his own number. He can scramble out of the pocket and make plays with his feet, but he's a pocket passer in my book. He suffered a devastating injury during his time with the Vikings that resulted in a dislocated knee, a torn ACL, and other structural damage. Having a healthy quarterback will be extremely beneficial to guys like D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel who are trying to prove their worth.
Forming chemistry early on is also going to be critical, but will be a bit challenging considering the current conditions of COVID-19. Having limited in-person workouts together could stall that connection in the early parts of the new season.
As far as numbers are concerned, taking care of the ball should be priority number one. Pretty obvious right? Well, Joe Brady loves to take his shots down the field, so all of the underneath and intermediate throws are going to become more important. Completing the dinks and dunks at a high rate will allow Brady to open up the playbook and spill tremendous amounts of confidence in his quarterback.
As I previously mentioned, Bridgewater is a winner. He's not coming in thinking that this is a rebuilding situation, even if it is exactly that. He wants to win and do big things right out of the gate, just as any quarterback would. However, he does understand the state of the team and isn't oblivious to where the team stands heading into 2020. Wins and losses will likely be an afterthought halfway through the season. It will be about the improvement that is made on a week to week basis that will be what head coach Matt Rhule and Joe Brady are looking for.
What do you think Teddy Bridgewater needs to do this year to be successful? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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