3 under-the-radar stats from Teddy Bridgewater’s Panthers’ debut

8.2 intended air yards per attempt

There were plenty of questions surrounding Teddy Bridgewater’s ability to get the ball downfield in a different environment. But these concerns seem to be alleviated by a strong showing for the Carolina Panthers in his first game.

Bridgewater threw that ball 34 times, which was to be expected for a team that was trailing for some parts. He recorded an intended yards per attempt average of 8.2, which might not sound the best. But it is something that needs to be put into context.

This was a higher average than a large number of other starting quarterbacks in Week 1. Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, and even former Panthers’ signal-caller Cam Newton all had a lower average. So this is an under-the-radar statistic that shouldn’t be overlooked.

It highlights Bridgewater’s confidence in his own ability to get the ball wherever he wants. There is every chance he can improve further as the games go on due to no preseason games to develop cohesion. But it is hard to deny this wasn’t exactly what the Panthers were looking for from a player they gave a three-year, $63 million deal with a $15 million signing bonus and $33 million guaranteed this offseason.