Mile High Monday: Maybe it was Bridgewater’s job all along

The Denver Broncos are on a tear. They have now dominated two preseason games as they get ready for the 2021 season. On Saturday, the Broncos traveled to beat the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 30-3.

I like the way the Broncos have looked this preseason. I know the games don’t count – but they do matter. This team is building momentum which can bleed over to the regular season.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Has It Been Teddy All Along?

Training camp this year was dubbed “50-50, Teddy vs Drew” and we’ve watched this close quarterback battle unfold for the last few weeks. Drew Lock is the incumbent and is the younger player most think has more upside. Teddy Bridgewater is the seasoned veteran the team traded for earlier this year and is generally considered the “safe” option.

Last week after the Vikings game, it looked like Lock perhaps could be named the starter. This week after the Seahawks game, it looks like Bridgewater will be the starter. Perhaps this news could come in the upcoming week.

Maybe we should have seen this coming all along. Bridgewater has a connection with new general manager George Paton from their days working together with the Vikings. Paton was an executive when the Vikings selected Bridgewater in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Bridgewater was a young player on the rise for the Vikings, looking like a potential franchise quarterback and leading his team to the playoffs. His future in the NFL took a wild turn with a devastating leg injury that almost cost him his life.

Now, Bridgewater has another chance to prove himself as a starter. Yes, he started most games for the Carolina Panthers last year, but that was on a team missing a lot of talent. The Broncos have much more talent and could win nine or 10 games if Bridgewater plays well.

Fangio sounds like he’s ready to make QB decision in next couple days. Hard to believe it won’t be Teddy Bridgewater. #9sports

— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) August 22, 2021

No matter who Fangio wanted to win this job, he must look at how the competition has unfolded every day in camp. Lock has arguably won most days, but in the joint practices against the Vikings, it sounded like Bridgewater was the better player – yes, even with his turnovers on the first day of joint practices. The games have been split just like most practices have been, but the team has leaned towards Bridgewater from day one.

It’s almost like the team pegged Bridgewater as the guy, and Lock needed to blow him out of the water in order to win the job. Lock has arguably been better, but he’s not won by a wide margin and this coaching staff may feel they must go with Bridgewater. The coaching staff from head coach Vic Fangio on down is under pressure to win and win now. They may feel Bridgewater gives them the best chance to do that.

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Risner Rip

The second scoring drive of the night was highlighted by starting left guard Dalton Risner. With rookie running back Javonte Williams trying to power his way through the defense, Risner ripped the ball out of his hands and stood in the end zone for the score.

The touchdown was scored as Risner’s instead of going to Williams. Coming out of Kansas State, we knew Risner could be a great starter and now he’s got touchdown-scorer on his resume. He was out in the first preseason game, but Risner made his presence felt against the Seahawks.

So, we had the "Bush Push" in college football years ago. Should Dalton Risner's touchdown tonight be called the "Risner Rip" ??? LOL #Broncos @1043TheFan pic.twitter.com/Iby5K7CuGt

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) August 22, 2021

Risner has done this before – kind of. In a game against the Packers two seasons ago, the guard grabbed running back Phillip Lindsay and threw him into the end zone when he was fighting for pay dirt. It just seems like the big man has a nose for the end zone – whether it’s him or someone else who can get the score.

***

Looking Like a Steal

Jonathon Cooper was one of my favorite players in the 2021 NFL Draft. Watching him during the week of practice for the Reese’s Senior Bowl earlier this year, I thought Cooper would make a great fit for the Broncos defense.

The Broncos were able to get Cooper in the seventh round of the draft. He fell due to health concerns from a heart problem. Years ago, Cooper was diagnosed with arrhythmia and underwent multiple heart surgeries when he was 14 years old to address his abnormal heart rhythm. Cooper underwent a minimally invasive heart procedure four days after the Broncos drafted him. He required the ablation to correct a heartbeat issue.

He missed most of the offseason work as he recovered from the procedure, but he has been set loose in training camp and the preseason. Cooper was everywhere against the Seahawks on Saturday night, finishing the game with 2.0 sacks, one pass defensed and a forced fumble. He was everywhere on the field and looks to be one of the main backup pass-rushers for the Broncos.

This is great news for the team because Cooper is the type of guy everyone can root for. His game is all about heart and hustle. He has multiple moves to get after the passer and is doing a better job of stacking those moves as quickly as possible. Clearly, Cooper is learning everything he can from a future Hall of Famer in Von Miller and he’s making plays with his opportunity.

Jonathon Cooper was a player I really liked in college. Did a spot for @BroncosTV from the @seniorbowl where I said he would be a great fit for them. Thought they got a steal in the #NFLDraft getting him late…certainly coming through in a big way tonight…love it! @1043TheFan

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) August 22, 2021

Cooper has made too many plays in the preseason for the Broncos to sneak him through to the practice squad. He’s deserving of a spot on the final roster, and his play means he’s a reserve to watch out for in the future – and this year – for the Broncos.

***

Breach of Trust

On Sunday, I saw that the movie “Spiderman: No Way Home” was trending on Twitter. It’s the latest movie in the Spiderman series from Sony, and it’s set to be released in theaters on December 17 – yet no trailer has yet dropped. Thinking I had missed the trailer debut, I quickly clicked on the topic only to find it was something different than what I thought.

It appears that an unfinished version of the trailer was leaked on Tik Tok. The video found its way around other social media before Sony shut it down. What’s interesting to note is that the video is clearly watermarked “Wassilia LMouaci” which means it was probably that person’s copy that the leaker got ahold of.

Just like in sports, the movie industry is full of leaks. Reporters, bloggers and fans do their best to find out behind the scenes news and information all the time so they can leak it to the internet before anyone else. By posting a video that is clearly watermarked (like most working trailers and scripts/screenplays are), it puts the person in danger of losing their job or legal action from the studio. Simply put, this is a huge “no-no” in the leaker world and will have ramifications.

The moment has arrived 💥

Step into a whole new universe in the first episode of Marvel Studios' #WhatIf, now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/28ll8REp8P

— What If…? (@whatifofficial) August 11, 2021

Did you get to see the trailer for “Spiderman: No Way Home” before it was taken down? If so, what did you think? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

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