Teddy Bridgewater injury makes Minnesota a Super Bowl long shot
In the blink of an eye — and the buckling of a knee — Teddy Bridgewater became the latest reminder that football is a game of attrition. For the second time in a week, a starting quarterback was lost to injury and a team’s future was left in limbo.
Bridgewater went down with a season-ending left knee injury during a Tuesday practice that might seriously hurt the Minnesota Vikings’ postseason hopes.
Minnesota’s odds to win the Super Bowl were adjusted from 14-1 to 35-1 at Station Casinos sports books. The Vikings were posted as 3½-point favorites at Tennessee in Week 1 before Bridgewater’s fall, and the line moved to pick’em.
How the Vikings will react and whether they can recover was a hot topic Tuesday night during an NFL handicapping seminar hosted by Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito.
“The jury is still out on how good Bridgewater is,” Esposito said. “It’s not as big of an adjustment in Bridgewater’s case.”
Bridgewater is nowhere near as valuable as Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers or New England’s Tom Brady. And he’s a level or so below Tony Romo, who went down with a back injury last week and is expected to miss at least the first month for the Dallas Cowboys.
The Vikings rely mostly on running back Adrian Peterson and their defense. Bridgewater’s backup is 36-year-old Shaun Hill.
Las Vegas handicappers Brian Blessing, Bernie Fratto, Todd Fuhrman, Andy Iskoe and Bruce Marshall joined TV personality Hank Goldberg on a panel, and the analysts weighed in on the impact of Bridgewater’s absence. Goldberg said he doubts the Vikings will stick with Hill as their starter.
“I think it’s Shaun Hill’s job,” Fratto said. “He’s a very capable game manager, and he understands the system. I still think the Vikings are going to win nine games, and I truly believe that.”
Minnesota, which went 11-5 and won the NFC North last season, had a regular-season win total of 9½.
“The Packers are the team it’s going to affect the most,” Esposito said. “I still like the Packers to win that division.”
Green Bay became a stronger favorite to win the division. But Bridgewater, who passed for just 14 touchdowns last season, rates as a mediocre quarterback in the league. The Vikings still can contend because their strengths revolve around Peterson and the defense.
“If Green Bay is not 12-4 or 13-3, I’ll be shocked,” Fratto said.
The Packers could be favored in all 16 games, Fratto said, and he’s probably right. Green Bay plays at Minnesota in Week 2, and Rodgers will not be an underdog to Hill.
BASHING THE BEARS
Goldberg, who repeatedly mentioned his highly placed sources in the NFL, is no fan of Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler. Of course, Cutler has few fans.
“He’s uncoachable,” Goldberg said. “He still will make the horrible play at the worst time.”
Goldberg and Fratto agreed that betting the Bears under their win total of 7½ is a wise investment.
“I don’t like the Bears at all,” Fratto said. “I don’t see a lot of talent on this team.”
Fuhrman forecasts the Bears as “cellar dwellers” in the NFC North.
UP FOR DEBATE
Nine wins should again be enough to win the NFC East. Washington (9-7) was the only team above .500 last season. Dallas, Philadelphia and the New York Giants are mystery teams, but the same could be said of the Redskins.
“Unlike many people,” Iskoe said, “I am not expecting a decline from the Redskins.”
Fuhrman disagreed, saying he’s playing Washington under 7½ wins.
LOW-FLYING FALCONS
Goldberg recommended betting Atlanta under seven wins, partly because quarterback Matt Ryan “has lost his confidence.”
Ryan still has Julio Jones, who led the league with 136 receptions and 1,871 yards last season, but the Falcons are showing few other positives.
NOT IN THE CARDS
Carson Palmer is off his best year, passing for 35 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Still, he was terrible in Arizona’s playoff loss at Carolina, and he has not looked good in the preseason.
“Palmer is a pick-six machine waiting to happen,” said Blessing, who recommended betting the Cardinals under 10 wins.
Marshall added, “Something tells me Arizona is going to back up a little bit.”
JAGUARS RISING?
Jacksonville is a trendy wiseguy pick as a team on the rise, yet Fratto is not buying into any hype surrounding third-year quarterback Blake Bortles.
“Here’s what I think about the Jaguars — they’re going to start slow and then they’re going to fade,” Fratto said.
Jacksonville, off a 5-11 finish, is 12-36 in coach Gus Bradley’s three seasons. The Jaguars’ win total of 7½ is surprisingly high.
BEST IN THE AFC WEST
Fratto picked Kansas City to win its division over Denver, and he agreed with Blessing in betting Oakland under 8½ wins because of a brutal schedule that includes five trips east in the first eight weeks.
“I think the Raiders will struggle to get to 8-8,” Fratto said.
Contact sports betting reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow on Twitter: @mattyoumans247
