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No substance however Drew Lock played earlier him, Teddy Bridgewater was going to beryllium prepared and focused erstwhile helium was called to regenerate him successful the Broncos’ preseason opener astatine Minnesota connected Saturday.
History guaranteed it.
“I learned a invaluable acquisition erstwhile I was backing up Drew Brees,” Bridgewater said.
In New Orleans’ Week 2 2019 crippled astatine the Los Angeles Rams, Brees was injured connected the Saints’ 2nd series. Trailing 3-0, Bridgewater entered and his 7 possessions failed to nutrient a touchdown successful a 27-9 loss.
“I wasn’t prepared,” Bridgewater said. “So it’s (now) like, ‘Whatever I’ve got to do, if I’m not starting, conscionable marque definite you enactment locked successful mentally and physically.’”
Playing the relation of alleviation pitcher against the Vikings, Bridgewater picked up wherever Lock near off, starring the Broncos to a tract extremity and touchdown successful his 2 possessions of work. Bridgewater was 7-of-8 passing for 74 yards and 1 touchdown successful the Broncos’ 33-6 win.
Lock’s show was flashier, highlighted by his 80-yard touchdown walk to KJ Hamler, but manager Vic Fangio declared Quarterback Competition 2021 adjacent entering Monday’s practice. Bridgewater volition commencement Saturday astatine Seattle.
When Bridgewater took implicit against Minnesota, the Broncos led 23-3 with 9:04 near successful the archetypal half. He began with a six-yard walk to choky extremity Eric Saubert. Two plays later, helium rolled close aft play enactment and threw a abbreviated walk that Saubert turned into a 22-yard gain. Just similar that, the Broncos were backmost successful Vikings territory.
On third-and-5 from the Vikings’ 26, Bridgewater enactment immoderate zip connected a speedy slant to receiver Trinity Benson (12 yards). Two plays later, aft choky coverage, Bridgewater zigged and zagged for a 12-yard touchdown tally that was negated by tackle Cam Fleming’s holding penalty.
“I pulled retired 1 of my moves; I deliberation I utilized that determination connected Von (Miller) backmost successful 2015,” Bridgewater said. “It didn’t enactment then. It worked (Saturday).”
Bridgewater’s archetypal thrust ended with a tract extremity erstwhile helium didn’t get greedy connected third-and-16 and threw 5 yards to moving backmost Royce Freeman.
To commencement the 2nd half, Bridgewater handed disconnected 3 consecutive times to moving backmost Damarea Crockett (14 full yards) earlier throwing 17 yards to Benson. After a rushing play mislaid 4 yards, Bridgewater threw 9 yards to choky extremity Austin Fort and to wrapper up his day, perfectly placed a four-yard propulsion to Benson for a touchdown.
Seven of Bridgewater’s snaps were successful the reddish zone, a portion of the tract that is simply a regular signifier emphasis.
“We enactment reddish portion a batch astir here; I emotion it,” said Bridgewater, who was captious of Carolina Panthers violative coordinator Joe Brady during the offseason for what helium believed was not capable reddish portion signifier work. “Just getting those (red zone) reps, it was precise beneficial for this team.”
Also beneficial was not having to unit a affirmative outlook aft the preseason opener. Everywhere Bridgewater looked connected the violative extent chart, plays were made and advancement gained.
“You ticker antithetic guys spell retired determination and vie astatine a precocious level and marque plays, you beryllium backmost and you realize, ‘Man, the enactment we enactment successful backmost successful the outpouring and the past mates of weeks meant something,’” helium said. “Even though it’s conscionable an accumulation game, winning is contagious. No substance what it is — we tin vie astatine shooting a hoops oregon throwing a portion of insubstantial successful a trash tin and if I bushed you, I’m going to locomotion distant with this feeling of satisfaction. It’s bully that the young guys got to consciousness that.”
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