Jeremy Bridges is better than Gandy

[the_future23]

He better start the remainder of the season.

 

[PJ1]

Sure looked like it tonight. In fairness to Gandy, when he has looked bad he was left out there alone. Great scheme tonight on Allen.

Do we have depth on the offensive line? Amazing....

 

[Shane]

Not so sure about that. We were helping Bridges a lot. he played well but so has Gandy on many occasions. Many times we havent given him that kind of help. All that being said Bridges played very well.

 

[lauraw]

JB was very solid, no doubt!!

 

[Shogun]

He performed well, but I wouldn't go that far. He had the RBs helping him out quite a bit.

 

[PoolBoy]

he talks a better game than Gandy for sure LOL
Bridges matched Allen syllable for syllable in a game-long exhibition of trash talking.

"It was one of the funnest games I've ever played in my life," Bridges said. "I'm hoarse right now. I ran my mouth the whole game."

The Cardinals' success in pass protection -- zero sacks in 32 pass attempts -- stood out as the single most surprising and pivotal development of the game. Right tackle Levi Brown, maligned ever since the Cardinals drafted him instead of Peterson, had a better game than the two-time Pro Bowl runner. But Bridges' success against Allen, who had two sacks during a 35-14 Vikings victory at Arizona last season, might have been more stunning.

"He started getting frustrated and he got a little corny with the things he was saying," Bridges said. "It got a little comical. He started to pout like a little baby, but that is to be expected. ... You have success and then you are not having it, you are going to be a little frustrated."

The Cardinals occasionally helped Bridges, leaving running back Tim Hightower to assist in protection. But there were other times when Bridges held up well enough for Warner to make big plays in the passing game. Warner, back in the lineup after missing six quarters because of a concussion, completed 22 of 32 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin combined for 15 receptions and 241 yards.

The Vikings had previously recorded at least one sack in 23 consecutive regular-season games.

Bridges called this his "Shawshank Redemption" after the Washington Redskins released him on the reduction to 53 players.

"[Allen] said he didn't know my name," Bridges added. "I said, 'You'll know by the end of the game because they're going to say it a whole lot on ESPN.' "


http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation

 

[NashDishesDimes]

Does anyone know what pick this guy was drafted in? And did he really start for carolina last year??

 

[Gee!]

Not so sure about that. We were helping Bridges a lot. he played well but so has Gandy on many occasions. Many times we havent given him that kind of help. All that being said Bridges played very well.

No kidding.. Bridges got a ton of help.. TE's pushing Jared down the line and bunching them all up in t middle.. Was a fantastic game plan to help him out.. There is a reason Gandy is starting and not Bridges..

 

[Perfectionist]

No kidding.. Bridges got a ton of help.. TE's pushing Jared down the line and bunching them all up in t middle.. Was a fantastic game plan to help him out.. There is a reason Gandy is starting and not Bridges..

Agreed. This team needs to remember the formula they had for this game when they have to play better pass rush teams in the future. Outstanding performance by both lines, total domination.

 

[Totally_Red]

Jeremy played well, but he was getting some help. Reggie Wells helped on occasion, along with Ben Patrick and Tim Hightower. But Jeremy played extremely well IMO. He was an excellent late acquisition replacing the horrible Oliver Ross.

 

[Catfish]

Jeremy Bridges was better than Mike Gandy this game------that is not to say he is better all around than Gandy is when healthy.

I don't want to take anything from Bridges, because he certainly answered the bell, AND Jared Allen, ALL NIGHT LONG. It appears to me that he seems to be more mobile than Gandy is, and thus, may be a little more adept at pass blocking. He certainly had help from Timmy, and from Becht. Patrick also helped out on Levi's side from time to time.

Gandy has certainly earned his paycheck here though, and appears to be a better run-blocker than Bridges is. Hard to see just how things will shake out at LT though. I like the fact that when both are healthy, there is certainly some real competition for the position, and as Whiz has proven, this makes for great play by all parties concerned.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Does anyone know what pick this guy was drafted in? And did he really start for carolina last year??

I can't remember his draft status, but he was a Cardinal for a year or two...Then he went to Caroline, where he was a starter. He was cut by the Redskins in Pre-Season this year and came back to the Cards a few weeks later.


EDIT: He was drafted by the Iggles in 2003, but never played...Then claimed off waivers by the Cards in 2004.

http://www.nfl.com/players/jeremybridges/profile?id=BRI127961

 

[SuperSpck]

It doesn't matter who the tackle is.
The coaching staff needs to keep the help coming.
It'll make any tackle look better.

 

[jaguarpaw81]

Bridges did well, but I wouldn't go giving "always-on-an-island" Gandy's spot away just yet. As good as Bridges was yesterday, a lot of credit should go to Patrick, Becht and Hightower for their help in blocking as well.

 

[Early]

Bridges was pretty bad last night .. He got help 905percent of the time, whivh must be some NFL record, and still there were 2 or 3 plays where he got past him without the sacks tough

 

[Totally_Red]

The thing I like most about Jeremy is his demeanor. He is aggressive, not passive, even in pass protection. As long as he doesn't go over the top and commit stupid penalties, I like that about him. I don't want an idiot Richie Incognito personality, but someone with a lot of passion on the O-line is a welcome addition.

One thing you have to remember is that Jared Allen is a film room freak. He probably didn't have any film of Jeremy to look at this week. Couple that with the help Jeremy got, and advantage Cardinals. Allen is already looking forward to the rematch judging by his post-game comments. I just hope the Cardinals can get hot and somehow grab that 2nd playoff seed away from the Vikings. Go Bengals!!!

 

[Catfish]

Bridges was pretty bad last night .. He got help 905percent of the time, whivh must be some NFL record, and still there were 2 or 3 plays where he got past him without the sacks tough

Much as I would like to ignore that statement, I just can't sit by and idly let it go. I don't know what game you were watching last night, but to call Bridges performance BAD is a sad comment indeed. Yes, he had help, but that help was part of the game plan. Jared Allen IS the best pass rusher in the league period. Providing help to a player who is starting his very first game EVER at left tackle against Jared Allen is only fitting. I am reasonably sure that help would have been provided for Gandy too, had he been healthy enough to play last night.

Getting help is not a sign that Bridges played badly, only that our coaching staff recognized that Allen is unstoppable by one man alone. Last nights Offensive Line Performance was the best that I have seen since the days of Dan Dierdorf, Conrad Dobler Et-al. Jeremy Bridges was a big part of that wonderful performance. Not only did he walk the walk, but he talked the talk with one of the biggest trash mouths in the game, and he kept it up all night. To denigrate ANY PART of that performance is just plain silliness. If anything, Bridges performance was a shining light on one of the best offensive line performances in Cards history.

 

[MadCardDisease]

"[Allen] said he didn't know my name," Bridges added. "I said, 'You'll know by the end of the game because they're going to say it a whole lot on ESPN.' "

That is Classic!

 

[joeshmo]

Gandy and Bridges are about as similar as they come. Similar pass blocking ability, similar run blocking ability, both can play 4 positions on the OL, similar age, similar measruables. But I hae to give the edge to Bridges becuase the dude is a mean SOB that plays with attitude all game long. Where as Gandy is a little more chemically balanced in the head. I also dont think Gandy has been healthy for a season and a half now.

But I cant vote on who should start over who because I havent seen Gandy play with the same amount of RB and TE help that Bridges got this last game. All things equal though I have always liked Bridges since watching him at Carolina last year and would offer him the extension over Gandy if we continue to run the same protection packages as the Vikings game.

 

[earthsci]

Jeremy Bridges must be Matt Leinart's BFF.

 

[joeshmo]

One thing you have to remember is that Jared Allen is a film room freak. He probably didn't have any film of Jeremy to look at this week. Couple that with the help Jeremy got, and advantage Cardinals. Allen is already looking forward to the rematch judging by his post-game comments. I just hope the Cardinals can get hot and somehow grab that 2nd playoff seed away from the Vikings. Go Bengals!!!

Allen had plenty of Film on him. Bridges played the week before and Allen also faced him when the Vikings played Carolina last year. It wasnt like Allen didnt know he would be facing him considering the injury report all week with Gandy so Allen had plenty of tape. Here is the thing with Allen, he tends to dissappear against OT's that are overly agressive. He feasts on the finesse OT's, and if you take away the two GB games where he just feasted he only has 5 sacks in 9 games. Not exactly tearing things up against teams not named Packers.

 

[ajcardfan]

Bridges has a history, here and in Carolina, of playing great for a couple of games and then playing just terrible. Do you think he would've been cut four times if he always played like he played last night?

That's why I would go back to Gandy when healthy. Now that we've finally opened the "help" door for LT, then just continue to use it.

 

[MadCardDisease]

But I cant vote on who should start over who because I havent seen Gandy play with the same amount of RB and TE help that Bridges got this last game. All things equal though I have always liked Bridges since watching him at Carolina last year and would offer him the extension over Gandy if we continue to run the same protection packages as the Vikings game.

My thoughts exactly. I don't think that Gandy will be back next year. I wouldn't mind seeing us sign Bridges to compete with the younger guys next year for the starting LT spot.

 

[Unsterblich856]

I've talked to Panthers fans about Jeremy Bridges a couple weeks ago. They were all unanimous: he'll be the best player on the line one game and be a turnstile the next.

 

[ajcardfan]

I've talked to Panthers fans about Jeremy Bridges a couple weeks ago. They were all unanimous: he'll be the best player on the line one game and be a turnstile the next.

Yep, and I have to assume the coaches are well aware of that history.