NEW ORLEANS – Having already clinched the NFC's top seed, the New Orleans Saints rested several healthy offensive starters Sunday, including record-setting quarterback Drew Brees and dynamic running back Alvin Kamara.
In his place, Teddy Bridgewater started an NFL game for the first time since the 2015 season, getting a chance to rebuild his credentials after missing most of the past two seasons because of a career-threatening knee injury.
"It was a pretty cool moment, just running back out there. It's been a long time, but I'm grateful for that moment, grateful for that opportunity," Bridgewater said after New Orleans lost 33-14 to the Carolina Panthers. "Honestly, I just wanted to get back into the rhythm of playing football. That was my biggest goal."
Bridgewater completed 14 of 22 passes for 118 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Saints (13-3). They were his first completions since 2015 with the Vikings; he returned to the field last season at U.S. Bank Stadium but threw an incomplete pass and an interception in a victory against Cincinnati.
He signed with the Jets over the offseason but was traded to the Saints to back up Brees, who ended up playing almost the entire season and set an NFL single-season record with a 74.4 percent completion rate — breaking the mark of 72 percent he set last season.
Bridgewater had played only one game this season before Week 17, again in a rout of the Bengals, when his only pass was incomplete. Sunday, New Orleans fell behind 30-0 before scoring its first points on Bridgewater's 9-yard pass to rookie Tre'Quan Smith early in the fourth quarter.
Carolina undrafted rookie Kyle Allen turned in a promising first NFL start, until he hurt his shoulder in the fourth quarter. Pressed into service with Cam Newton and Taylor Heinicke out, Allen threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers (7-9) ended a seven-game losing streak that derailed their season.
