Flash back to a sunny afternoon in Eden Prairie, four years ago at the end of August, and pretend it all had gone differently.
Pretend Teddy Bridgewater’s left knee had held firm as he dropped back to pass early in the Vikings’ final preseason practice. Pretend he’d gone into his third season healthy and led the Vikings out of the tunnel for the Sunday night opener against the Packers at the new U.S. Bank Stadium.
Would Bridgewater have stayed healthy to lead a team that started the 2016 season with five consecutive victories? Would he have taken the 2017 Vikings on a ride to the NFC Championship Game?