The Minnesota Vikings lost starting quarterback Matt Cassel last week, and rookie Teddy Bridgewater should be given the start in his place. Minnesota conducted a quarterback battle in training camp and the preseason, but gave the job to Cassel. There's an argument to be made that Bridewater was the superior quarterback at that point, however.
Vikings vs. Falcons 2014: Teddy Bridgewater set for 1st NFL start
Teddy Bridgewater is now the starter for the Minnesota Vikings, and he’s got a tall test in his first start -- the Atlanta Falcons.
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Whatever the case, Bridegwater is starting and he'll be looking to overcome the tough Atlanta Falcons for his first career victory. He'll have to keep pace with one of the top offenses in the NFL, and one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Matt Ryan. Keeping up with Ryan is a tall order, but it's worth noting that the Vikings have a better pass defense than the Falcons.
Atlanta has beaten the better competition this season, taking down the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, while the Vikings have only managed to beat the St. Louis Rams before falling to the aforementioned Saints in Week 3.
Digits
Under Cassel, the Vikings were led to the No. 31 passing offense in the league. They're averaging just 173.7 passing yards per game, despite having guys like Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson. Cassel probably had a couple more games to try and show the Vikings that he can do something, but a 57.7 completion percentage and three touchdowns to four interceptions don't inspire much confidence.
Bridgewater didn’t throw a touchdown in relief of Cassel in Week 3, but this is his first opportunity to start. In the preseason, Bridgewater threw five touchdowns and no interceptions. Obviously, folks are excited to see what he can bring to the table.
But Ryan is playing great football at the moment. He’s completed 68.5 percent of his passes on the season, throwing for 965 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s averaging 321.6 passing yards per game, and that’s without much help from his running game. He doesn’t need it, but the running game is at least middle of the pack, averaging 121.3 rushing yards per game.
Who to watch
Teddy Bridgewater: This one is obvious, isn’t it? Bridgewater looked good in the preseason -- better than Cassel -- and most expect he at least provides the potential for big numbers. Rookie mistakes are expected and he’s not likely to lead the Vikings storming back into the playoff picture or anything, but the Vikings’ passing game is totally inept at the moment and he may be able to do something with those receivers. Atlanta features the No. 24 pass defense in the league, allowing 262.7 passing yards per game. That bodes well for Bridgewater.
Matt Kalil: Bridgewater's success could come down to whether Kalil can bounce back. The starting left tackle, Kalil has struggled big-time against pass-rushers this season, and that's part of the reason Cassel struggled. Atlanta doesn't have a particularly strong pass rush or defensive front in general, so if Kalil plays as well as he should then it could be a good day for the Vikings.
Devin Hester: Many wrote off Hester as being past his prime, but the Falcons continue to find ways to use him effectively. He's played well in the passing game, and had a 20-yard touchdown carry this season on top of that. He's also still one of the best returners in the league, which is how the Vikings know him. Hester has beaten the Vikings for big yardage many, many times and he'll definitely be a focus for Minnesota.
How to watch
Where: TCF Bank Stadium
When: 4:25 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Announcers: Chris Myers, Ronde Barber
Online Streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile
The venue
The fight for a new stadium came down to the wire for the Vikings. The team subtly threatened potentially moving to another city, and multiple deadlines to get the deals done passed without any progress, but somehow it was all pulled together at the last minute and a new venue is being built. Until then, they’re playing at TCF Bank Stadium, a solid stadium built on the campus of the University of Minnesota. The stadium opened in 2009 and so far it’s serving the Vikings quite well.
Odds
The Falcons opened up as 2.5-point favorites and the line didn’t move much throughout the week. Atlanta could be had at -3 on some books later in the week but that’s about all, according to OddsShark.
Preliminary judgment
SB Nation’s seven experts came very close to a unanimous decision on this game. All of Ryan Van Bibber, Stephen White, Joel Thorman, David Fucillo, Danny Kelly and PFT Commenter are going with the Falcons to win this road contest. Matt Ufford is the lone dissenter taking Minnesota. You can find all of SB Nation’s Week 4 picks here.
Further reading
For more on the Vikings, head on over to Daily Norseman. If you want more on the Falcons, go to The Falcoholic.
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