EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Let's just call him Steady Teddy.
Even with all of the hoopla and hype surrounding Sunday's tilt with the Green Bay Packers, Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said his main focus this week is keeping things simple.
Bridgewater said he and his teammates don't need to play like superheroes Sunday at Lambeau Field.
"You can't let the game become too big," Bridgewater said Wednesday. "We know that we're playing for a lot right now but at the same point you just have to go out there and be ourselves.
"Don't have to do anything extra, don't have to put any S's on our chests, capes on our backs. We just have to do our job and do our job well."
The winner of Sunday's game will capture the NFC North with an 11-5 record and get to host a playoff game. The loser will pack their bags for a first-round postseason game on the road.
In his second season at the helm for the Minnesota offense, Bridgewater has thrown for 3,132 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer said there's been times when his young quarterback his been too amped up and made a mistake.
Zimmer said eliminating any errors will be crucial as Bridgewater makes his first career start in Green Bay.
"A couple of times when he's gotten jacked up, there's been times he's tried to do too much, but I think everybody is like that at times," Zimmer said. "It's not just a big moment for Teddy, I'm hoping it's big for our defensive line and offensive line and really everybody.
"You can tell when he's really gunned up for a game and he's played good when he has been, and there's been times where he's maybe tried to do too much. It's kind of like everybody."
Vikings Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner told Vikings.com's Mike Wobschall that Bridgewater's consistency of late has helped get Minnesota into the playoffs.
"I thought he played at a high level in the early part of the season but not through complete games," Turner said. "He had situations where he had great quarters and great halves … he's been able to sustain it and play complete games."
With the biggest game of the season set for Sunday, Bridgewater and the Vikings will try to keep things even-keeled while keeping their eyes on the prize.
A win would give the Vikings their first NFC North title since 2009.
"You work all year to get to this point and to be in this position," Bridgewater said. "We just have to continue to embrace the challenge, something that I've talked about the past couple weeks and Coach Zimmer has mentioned, embracing the challenge, and we have to continue to do that.
"We know what's in front of us and we just can't beat ourselves."
