Don't know if you've noticed, but at 4-7 and residing in the NFC North, the Vikings sure have a lot less to play for than the 3-7-1 Panthers do in the NFC Worst South.
So we asked Vikings rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to name the No. 1 thing he's looking to improve on during what presumably won't be a playoff push, regardless of how many games the Vikings win the rest of this season.
Here's what Bridgewater said:
"Just take advantage of those easy completions when they present themselves," Bridgewater said. "There are times in the game when there could be a five-yard out route or just something that gives you consistency, something that gives you rhythm. Taking every completion and not try to force throws and be smart with the football."
At first, it seemed odd that he would mention improving on the "easy" throws and the "five-yard outs" as his No. 1 goal. Seems like he might have picked the deep balls he hasn't been able to hit consistently or the throws outside the numbers that have given him some fits and caused some to question his arm strength and ability to be a starter in the NFL.
But, upon further thought, the "rhythm" he's searching for would, presumably in his mind, lead to more consistency on deeper throws, more third-and-short situations and some more time on the field instead of standing on the sideline. And, of course, Bridgewater also has been missing a lot of those easy throws. Throws he says he "completes nine out of 10 times in practice."
Slow starts followed by strong second-half play have been the consistent theme for Bridgewater as he's compiled a 3-4 record as a starter.
Asked again today about the slow starts, Bridgewater said, "When we were at halftime [of Sunday's 24-21 loss to the Packers], coach Norv Turner came into the locker room and told us that for some reason for the first 10 minutes of the game we were trying to feel our way through. We're trying to see if we can play with our opponents. That's been the issue, like coach Turner says, that we're trying to feel our way through those first couple of possessions. But we just have to bring it to our opponents right away.
