Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson

[Mothman]

That's the case with every team in the league, though.

Exactly. They could have been an 11 win team last year with everything going right. In the end, they're probably going to finish with 1 or 2 more wins than they did last season, which is a reasonable improvement under a new coaching staff, with a rookie QB starting the majority of games.

[jackal]

Teams have injuries, but not every team losing its starting QB, TE , all pro RB RG in the first few games ...

[DK Sweets]

Teams have injuries, but not every team losing its starting QB, TE , all pro RB RG in the first few games ...

No, but last year the Patriots did lose their top 2 TEs, top 2 DTs, their best LB, and their starting RT. So it's not like what we've been through is absurd...just unfortunate.

[Pondering Her Percy]

No, but last year the Patriots did lose their top 2 TEs, top 2 DTs, their best LB, and their starting RT. So it's not like what we've been through is absurd...just unfortunate.

....but they still had Tom Brady

[Cliff]

....but they still had Tom Brady

They went 10-5 with Matt Cassel in 2008 ...

[Mothman]

Cordarrelle Patterson benched for Charles Johnson

Cordarrelle Patterson's swoon into the abyss rages on in Minnesota.

After the Vikings' second-year receiver played just three of 50 snaps in Sunday's win over the Panthers, Patterson has been benched.

Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner told reporters Thursday that from-the-wilderness pass-catcher Charles Johnson has taken over Minnesota's "X" receiver position.

"CJ is playing at a high level," Turner said, per ESPN.com's Ben Goessling. "CJ is the starter at X. That's the position Cordarrelle plays. We're going to do what we can to give him some opportunities to play there, but CJ's playing at a real high level right now."

Johnson leads the Vikings with 22 targets over the past three games, hauling in 11 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown.

[Mothman]

More from Ben Goessling:

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... s-position

[frosted]

My thought on the curious case of Cordarrelle Button (I posted this in my thread earlier in the week):

"I know a lot of people are up in arms about the role Flash is playing on offense right now, but we're just going to have to be patient. He's seeing extra attention when he's on the field, and that has limited the opportunities for the 'gimmick' plays everyone loves so much, and he's not very effective as a traditional WR at this point. Our quarterbacks have a combined 51.6 passer rating throwing to Patterson this year. That's compared to 96.6 (Jennings), 81.1 (Wright), and 72.8 (Charles Johnson). I have lots of hope for him as an explosive member of our offense going forward, but he needs to keep his chin up and grind. Things aren't always going to come easy, especially now that opposing teams have adjusted to account for him and stop him. I think he's kind of butt hurt right now (judging by some of his comments to the media), but that's not going to help anything. He'll get there eventually."

I don't agree that this is as easy to explain as 'Turner and Zim are under-utilizing him'. It's never that simple, IMO.

[frosted]

@christomasson
Patterson says he has tough love with Zimmer

@christomasson
Patterson said he and he and Zimmer not best friends but have good rapport

@christomasson
Patterson says he will talk with coaches if he doesn't play much this week

@christomasson
Patterson says Minnesota has bipolar weather

@christomasson
Patterson said changing offenses has been tough

@christomasson
Cordarrelle Patterson on Mike Zimmer: “I don’t feel like we’re best friends, but we’re cool enough to keep it real with one another.’’

[losperros]

My thought on the curious case of Cordarrelle Button (I posted this in my thread earlier in the week):

"I know a lot of people are up in arms about the role Flash is playing on offense right now, but we're just going to have to be patient. He's seeing extra attention when he's on the field, and that has limited the opportunities for the 'gimmick' plays everyone loves so much, and he's not very effective as a traditional WR at this point. Our quarterbacks have a combined 51.6 passer rating throwing to Patterson this year. That's compared to 96.6 (Jennings), 81.1 (Wright), and 72.8 (Charles Johnson). I have lots of hope for him as an explosive member of our offense going forward, but he needs to keep his chin up and grind. Things aren't always going to come easy, especially now that opposing teams have adjusted to account for him and stop him. I think he's kind of butt hurt right now (judging by some of his comments to the media), but that's not going to help anything. He'll get there eventually."

I don't agree that this is as easy to explain as 'Turner and Zim are under-utilizing him'. It's never that simple, IMO.

You're right. There's more to it. There is a head coach and offensive coordinator so married to a system that they'll let their most explosive playmaker squander on the bench. There is also the possibility that Patterson hasn't been as healthy as reported, though I'm beginning to doubt that.

Since you re-posted something, I'm going to bring up a subject I posted before: Patterson was NOT drafted to be a possession WR. He's a big play machine.

Really it doesn't matter if Charles Johnson is the #2 WR. Heck, I like Johnson a lot. Patterson can easily be a #3 or #4 WR, especially if Turner uses spread sets, as he advertised before the year. But when Patterson gets only 3 touches in one entire game on offense, then that's a complete waste of talent. All Zimmer and Turner have to do is utilize Patterson properly. Frazier and Musgrave did it late last year. Zimmer and Turner can do it now.

That's kind of out of context. Here's the full quote:

Of Zimmer, (Patterson) said, "Me and Coach Zimmer, we got a good chemistry. Even though people don’t believe it. It’s tough love. We don’t show it, but we have our little talks, at the end of the day just talk to each other. Try to feel each other out. I have some people coming up this week, asking if me and Coach are best friends. I don’t feel like we’re best friends, but we’re cool enough to keep it real with one another."

[frosted]

You're right. There's more to it. There is a head coach and offensive coordinator so married to a system that they'll let their most explosive playmaker squander on the bench. There is also the possibility that Patterson hasn't been as healthy as reported, though I'm beginning to doubt that.

Since you re-posted something, I'm going to bring up a subject I posted before: Patterson was NOT drafted to be a possession WR. He's a big play machine.

Really it doesn't matter if Charles Johnson is the #2 WR. Heck, I like Johnson a lot. Patterson can easily be a #3 or #4 WR, especially if Turner uses spread sets, as he advertised before the year. But when Patterson gets only 3 touches in one entire game on offense, then that's a complete waste of talent. All Zimmer and Turner have to do is utilize Patterson properly. Frazier and Musgrave did it late last year. Zimmer and Turner can do it now.

I think he was drafted to be a quality WR capable of producing big plays. I think some of the regularity with which he made big plays last year was unsustainable, and gave people unrealistic expectations. It's easy to say he's struggling primarily because he's not being utilized properly, but I think that's an overly simplistic way of analyzing the results. There's probably some things the coaching staff could do, there's probably some things Flash needs to improve, and there's definitely things the defense is doing to limit him that he's not able to overcome yet. I just think it's misguided to explain it away by saying "All Zimmer and Turner have to do is utilize Patterson properly." YMMV.

That's kind of out of context. Here's the full quote:

Thanks - Tomasson's tweet was obviously pulled outside of the context of that quote. It seemed like an odd thing to say, thanks for clearing that up.

[PsyDanny]

I never heard of Sports World Report until it came up on my new phone today. But this suggest things may be getting a bit "pissy"

http://www.sportsworldreport.com/articl ... aiders.htm

There has been a lot of speculation that the Vikings could try and move on from Patterson this offseason, something he likely would not turn down. The wide receiver is a former first-round draft pick and still has a lot of value on the market if he becomes available. A number of teams would love to get his dynamic abilities into their offense if possible. NFLMock.com has the Vikings listed as a team possibly willing to jump up and draft someone like Amari Cooper or Kevin White which means that Patterson could be out.

Read more: http://www.sportsworldreport.com/articl ... z3KzICZeSb

I thought for all of maybe 30-seconds about replacing the Percy Harvin jersey I burned in my backyard at half time of the Seattle game last year with Patterson / 84.

I think I was wise. #22 sounds like a much better investment.

[Demi]

Good idea. We need a real WR. Not to teach someone to be one. Someone whose ability to even learn the playbook has been questioned in the past. Hopefully get a Harvin like deal for him.

[Pondering Her Percy]

Good idea. We need a real WR. Not to teach someone to be one. Someone whose ability to even learn the playbook has been questioned in the past. Hopefully get a Harvin like deal for him.

I don't think thats a good idea at all. It's his first year under yet another offense. He's still only in his 2nd year. That just creates another unnecessary hole. He could definitely develop into a nice #2

[losperros]

Good idea. We need a real WR. Not to teach someone to be one. Someone whose ability to even learn the playbook has been questioned in the past. Hopefully get a Harvin like deal for him.

Bad idea. We need a real playmaker who scores TDs. Too bad you missed all of Patterson's games last season or you'd probably agree with me.

You probably won't like to hear this, but apparently Patterson has had a big week of practice and is feeling healthier than he has for much of the season.

From Norv Turner:

"I expect Cordarrelle to play and play like he has," Turner said. "I think we need to roll him in there and do the things that we've done throughout.

"He's had some bad luck. He's had some situations where he's been open and (quarterback) Teddy (Bridgewater) threw it somewhere else and he could have big plays. ... I see him being a big-time player in this offense as we go forward."

http://www.twincities.com/vikings/ci_27 ... ck-picture