Based on three preseason games, the Vikings weren't going to embarrass themselves regardless of which quarterback they chose as their starter going into the season. Both Matt Cassel and Teddy Bridgewater have played pretty well in the tuneups, meaning the decision for new coach Mike Zimmer ultimately could come down to which was the smarter play.
If you start with Bridgewater, you could be a genius. But if he fails early, it's much harder to go from the rookie to the veteran than vice-versa. A rookie coach doesn't want to start 0-5 or 1-4 with a rookie quarterback. Then nobody looks good.
No to Titletown: The Packers are among the five least-desirable franchises to play for, according to an anonymous NFL player survey at ESPN.com.
Red Zone: The NFL and DirecTV are closing in on a new massive deal over rights fees to broadcast the league, per a story at sportsbusinessdaily.com.
