Teddy Bridgewater throws a pair of TDs in Bucs’ win over Steelers

PITTSBURGH — He didn’t know many plays and hadn’t thrown to all the Bucs receivers.

But Teddy Bridgewater huddled with offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard Friday night and Saturday morning to put together a script he could follow in their game against the Steelers.

Only 12 days since signing with the Bucs, Bridgewater made his first start and threw a pair of touchdown passes in a 17-14 preseason win.

He finished 6 of 11 for 85 yards, prompting a question that head coach Todd Bowles wasn’t prepared to answer following the game:

Could Bridgewater wrestle away the No. 2 quarterback job from Kyle Trask?

“I don’t know yet,” Bowles said. “I’ve got to see the tape.”

Ladies and gentlemen, start your backup quarterback controversy.

Bridgewater figured he had never even thrown a pass during a scrimmage to rookie Emeka Egbuka until he lofted a 5-yard touchdown toss to the first-round pick to give the Bucs a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

“‘Earlier in the drive, it might have been the previous drive, they had a similar concept and I was telling (quarterbacks coach) Thad (Lewis), ‘I can throw this corner route, but I haven’t thrown corner routes to these guys so I don’t know the timing and their body language and everything like that.’

“So I missed that opportunity, and I saw the opportunity came up again in man coverage and I said, ‘You know what? I’m just going to throw it to a spot,’ and Emeka did a great job of winning versus the coverage that he had, going to the ground and making a great catch.”

Bridgewater’s performance was in stark contrast to Trask’s. The former Gators star went only 3 of 10 for 30 yards and was sacked once. All four of his possessions ended in a punt.

Bowles said he hasn’t decided even whether the Bucs will keep three quarterbacks on the roster.

But certainly Bridgewater is a quick study, and his experience showed Saturday.

“I’m not surprised at all,” Egbuka said. “He’s been doing this a very long time. He’s a vet. He’s a pro. ... When I saw the ball in the air and I saw it was in the perfect place, I said, ‘Well, that’s Teddy for you.’”

Fortunately, Bridgewater has experience in a lot of systems and there was some carryover from when he was with Grizzard with the Dolphins.

“We were talking about some of the plays I was comfortable with that I’ve run at Miami and the past couple teams I’ve been with," Bridgewater said. “And that was the focus for me and Grizz was to jot down a couple plays I was comfortable with, go out there and execute, just get the ball out and let them make plays for us.”

The Bucs went three-and-out on Bridgewater’s first drive, but they got the ball right back when Zyon McCollum intercepted Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Bridgewater’s first TD drive was aided by a roughing the kicker penalty when Steelers defensive back D’Shawn Jamison ran into Chase McLaughlin following his 43-yard field goal kick.

Given new life, Bridgewater threw a dime in the corner of the end zone to running back Bucky Irving, who beat linebacker Payton Wilson. It was the first touchdown reception of any kind for Irving as a pro.

“Bucky says all you to do is throw it up to him like he’s Wilt Chamberlain or somebody,” Bowles said. “But he has great hands, he’s a great competitor, and those are things that can develop and give us another weapon out there.”

Bridgewater’s second touchdown was a better catch than a perfect throw, as Egbuka made a sliding grab in the back of the end zone.

“He plays like he practices,” Bowles said of Egbuka. “He practices like that. He plays like that. He’s been like that since we drafted him. He’s like that every day in practice, and he just carried it over (Saturday).”

Bowles said the decision to start Bridgewater was not a demotion for Trask.

“We wanted to see (Bridgewater) play,” Bowles said. “We didn’t want to see him playing mop-up time. So we wanted to put him out there, take a look at him and see where he is. He did a good job.”

The Bucs had a lot of positives in the game.

They had three interceptions, including one that Antonio Grier returned 31 yards. The play set up Chase McLaughlin’s winning 42-yard field goal as time expired. Kindle Vildor also had an interception. Chris Braswell recorded a much-needed sack, one of four for the Bucs.

Rookie Tez Johnson returned a punt 37 yards, but he also muffed one that resulted in a turnover and set up the Steelers’ tying touchdown in the third quarter.

The Bucs host the Bills next Saturday in their final preseason game, and then Bowles will have to decide which quarterback will back up Baker Mayfield.

Regardless, you get the feeling Bridgewater is a calming influence in that locker room, and his experience is a huge advantage over Trask.

“I saw him as a freshman in high school when I was a senior,” linebacker Lavonte David said. ”It’s weird. I never thought that we would be teammates and stuff like that. It’s definitely cool to see."

Speaking of his high school, Bridgewater may not even be playing had he not been suspended for providing rides and food to his players at Miami Northwestern, where he coached his alma mater to a Class 3A state championship last season. Those kids were on his mind Saturday.

“I’ve still got the same perspective on life, on football, on everything,” Bridgewater said. “I’m happy to be in Tampa right now. I do want to give a shout out to my boys at Miami Northwestern. They beat Lakeland (Saturday). So, shout out to them.”

Up next

PRESEASON

vs. Bills, 7:30 Saturday, Raymond James Stadium TV/radio: WFLA-Ch. 8; 97.9-FM

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