Best to Temper Early Expectations for Teddy Bridgewater as Vikings Starter

This wasn't part of the Minnesota Vikings' plan for rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's first ever start.

Down a once-in-a-generation talent at running back. Without the safety valve of an athletic, pass-catching tight end. Lacking the road-grading qualities of a newly wealthy guard. A highly drafted left tackle still struggling to protect the blindside. 

Bridgewater has been thrust from the bench and into the starting lineup at the very zenith of a chaotic situation even the most pessimistic of observers couldn't have predicted, especially just a few weeks into the young 2014 season. 

First-round picks receive no pity parties, but it's in the best interest of everyone involved to temper early expectations for Bridgewater. 

His first NFL start Sunday will come without the services of running back Adrian Peterson (exempt/commissioner's list), tight end Kyle Rudolph (hernia surgery) and guard Brandon Fusco (torn pectoral). Left tackle Matt Kalil will play, but there's an argument to be made that he's been the worst starting left tackle in the NFL this season. 

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Self loathing? You won't hear any from Bridgewater or head coach Mike Zimmer. 

"I don't think he's thinking 'whoa is me,'" Zimmer said Wednesday, via the team's official site. "He's thinking about his opportunity and what he has to do to help this football team. ... He's been ready since the day he walked in."

Bridgewater acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, but he also offered a quiet reminder that he'll still be on the field with 10 other players Sunday.

"It's a challenge, when you're talking about some great football players [missing]," Bridgewater said, via the team's official site. "It's not all about me. I don't have to do it by myself."

The Vikings offense once looked tailor-made to comfort a young, learning-on-the-job quarterback. 

The dominant running back capable of carrying the load. The athletic tight end needed for safe, easy throws. The time provided by a strong, cohesive offensive line. Two skilled perimeter players.

Three weeks into the season, and only receivers Cordarrelle Patterson and Greg Jennings remain in the equation. 

Peterson hasn't played since Week 1 after he was indicted on child abuse charges. His replacement, Matt Asiata, has catches of 25 and 41 yards over the last two weeks, but he's also rushed for just 71 yards on 25 carries filling in for Peterson—good for just 2.8 yards per carry. Once a saving grace no matter the quarterback, the Vikings' running game has sputtered in 2014, and Asiata remains unlikely to suddenly rescue it. 

The tight end position is also in a state of transition. 

Rudolph, who signed a five-year, $36 million contract back in late July, slimmed down and blew up the preseason, catching seven passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. He cooled down to start the meaningful games—his 96 receiving yards through three weeks rank 19th at his position—but he's still the only game-breaking option the Vikings have at tight end. 

According to Albert Breer of NFL.com, Rudolph will be out roughly six weeks because of required hernia surgery. Zimmer said the procedure was completed Tuesday. 

Offensive line cohesion? No more. 

On Wednesday, the Vikings announced the team had placed Fusco and quarterback Matt Cassel (foot) on season-ending injured reserve.

Cassel's injury opened the door for Bridgewater, who will now be handed the keys to the franchise for the foreseeable future. But Fusco's placement on injured reserve is equally significant.

Signed to a five-year, $25 million contract on the Saturday before Week 1, Fusco has started 34 of the last 35 games at right guard for the Vikings. He was the fifth-best run-blocking guard in the NFL last season, and he started 2014 as Minnesota's highest-graded offensive lineman overall, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

His loss is a stinging departure for an offensive line already struggling to find its footing in the run game. 

Fusco will now be replaced by Vladimir Ducasse, who was hit for two penalties over just 11 snaps last week against the New Orleans Saints. The drop-off from starter to backup is significant. 

While change is underway inside, the struggles on the blindside are painfully obvious. 

Kalil, the third overall pick in the 2012 draft, is still the team's starting left tackle, but he's played like a backup. 

According to PFF (subscription required), Kalil has allowed more hurries (nine) and more overall quarterback disruptions (14) than any other offensive tackle in the NFL this season. He's been charged with three sacks (second-most) and two quarterback hits. Not surprisingly, Kalil has graded out as the worst tackle in football through three weeks. 

His efforts in the run game haven't helped. Kalil is ranked 53rd out of 68 qualified tackles in run blocking. 

	QB Disruptions Allowed	NFL OT Rank	Run Block Grade	NFL OT Rank
2012	23	7th	-1.0	41st
2013	49	42nd	-4.1	54th
2014	14	63rd	-3.1	53rd

Zimmer defended his left tackle Wednesday. 

"For 93 percent of the game, he plays pretty good," Zimmer said. "Unfortunately, the three or four bad plays he has show up and guys get on him. I'm not as discouraged as everybody else is on it."

So, to recap: Bridgewater will make his first ever start Sunday with a stalled run game missing Peterson, Rhett Ellison and his 14 career catches starting at tight end, a New York Jets castoff at right guard and a left tackle currently in the midst of a crisis of confidence.

It's not a great situation, but rarely do first-round quarterbacks fall into an ideal set of circumstances.

The Vikings won't make excuses under Zimmer.

"It's a part of football," Zimmer said. "Things happen in the NFL." 

Still, for all the encouraging signs lifted from his debut last Sunday, it's probably best to quiet expectations for Teddy Bridgewater—at least until the worst of this bludgeoning storm blows over. 

Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2