Minnesota rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will make his first NFL start against Atlanta on Sunday, facing a daunting task of guiding a team wracked by injury and off-field controversy.
Bridgewater is already being touted as the new face of a franchise whose dismal week last week started with controversy over the child abuse charge facing star running back Adrian Peterson and concluded with the season-ending broken foot suffered by quarterback Matt Cassel in a loss at New Orleans.
Minnesota have also lost top offensive lineman Brandon Fusco to a season-ending injury and cut receiver Jerome Simpson, who had been due to return after a suspension for a drink-driving arrest before word of further legal trouble surfaced.
"I never envisioned that," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said of throwing the team's prized first-round draft pick in at the deep end. "But it's part of football."
Bridgewater said the turmoil the team has endured won't make his job harder.
"It's no pressure toward me, and it's not all about me. It takes a team effort to win football games," said Bridgewater, who stepped in for Cassel in New Orleans and completed 12-of-20 passes for 150 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Vikings are just one of the teams dealing with quarterback changes because of early-season injuries.
Kirk Cousins started his second straight game for Washington on Thursday against NFC East division rivals the New York Giants having stepped in when Robert Griffin dislocated an ankle in week two.
After going 30-of-48 for a career-high 427 yards in his first start, Cousins came back down to earth on Thursday, finishing 19-of-33 with four interceptions as the Redskins lost 45-14.
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