Teddy Bridgewater Knows Broncos' Can't 'Beat Themselves' vs. an Aggressive Ravens Defense

Teddy Bridgewater understands the model to withstanding the Ravens' defense.

The ability of Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to climb the pocket and avoid pass rushers went a long way towards winning his training camp battle for the starting job this summer. It’s also served him well through three straight wins to open this season.

It would appear that Bridgewater is up to the formidable challenge of standing up to the Baltimore Ravens' blitz-happy defense on Sunday.

The Ravens currently blitz the eighth-most in the NFL, but for the previous three seasons, the team has held the top spot under defensive coordinator Wink Martindale so Bridgewater is well aware of the challenge at hand. Teddy ranks No. 2 in the league, right behind Arizona Cardinals ultra-mobile QB Kyler Murray, when passing vs. the blitz, and that sets up things very nicely for an intriguing battle.

“[They’re] one of those teams, man. They have a solid group of veteran players,” Bridgewater explained on Wednesday. “When you have a solid group of veterans they are well assigned, and they don’t beat themselves. They bank on you giving the game to them.”

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Under the team's new, more experienced starter, the Broncos have cleaned that up this season with Bridgewater yet to throw an interception through 12 quarters of play. Keeping that unblemished stat sheet against the aggressive Ravens would be quite an achievement but head coach Vic Fangio likes what his QB shows facing the blitz.

“He’s got a good feel for pre-snap where it might be coming from,” Fangio said. “If he doesn’t, he has an innate ability to react to what might surprise him, and he’s calm. He doesn’t rush his decisions. He’s calm under duress and that pays off.”

Due to the uncertain gameday status of starting guards Dalton Risner and Graham Glasgow, their inexperienced backups — Quinn Meinerz and Netane Muti — are poised to be thrown into the deep end. Bridgewater pointed out how having the right scheme will definitely help, first referencing his own role, and then how O-line coach Mike Munchak and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur set the table.

“It’s just understanding your outlets and giving guys a chance. ‘Coach Munch’ and those guys—the run-game gurus and pass-game gurus,” Teddy said. “They do a great job of just coming up with solid plans for us to get into the right protections. ‘Coach Shurm’—he’s doing a great job of just calling plays that gives the quarterback an outlet. The rest is on us to go out there and compete, and we’re doing just that.”

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