The Official Vikings vs Bills Game Day discussion thread

Oct 19, 2014 16:10:26 GMT -6 Reignman said:

He's not more involved because they can't figure out how to use his skill set. He's not a typical receiver. He's definitely not a wideout. They need to try him in the slot and use him the way the Patriots used Welker. Quick short passes and bubble screens. Plays where they don't need him to run routes or wait for him to get open. CP's strength is running with the ball and yac, not catching. They need to line him up in the backfield more often and just hand him the ball. It doesn't always have to be the jet sweep. Just get him the damn ball and let him do his thing. He's one of those guys who can make things happen on his own. There are lots of ways to get him the ball without making him run routes 20 yards down field which everyone knows isn't his game. Norv is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Right now Norv is doing a better job of shutting down Patterson than opposing defenses.

That's exactly what the Seahawks were doing with Harvin, to the tune of 6 yards a catch.  It's what the Vikings did with Harvin, to the tune of 11 yards a catch.  It's what the Rams do with Tavon Austin, to tune of 10 yards a catch. Those teams also use those guys as ball carriers, who make a decent gain from time-to-time, but not as guys who carry the ball 15-20 times. But, the Vikings had Adrian Peterson, the Seahawks have Marshawn Lynch and Russel Wilson, the Rams have Tre Mason, Benny Cunningham...other guys who can carry the ball and make those plays where you give Harvin or Austin the ball a real threat.   You mentioned Welker?  Wes Welker's career yards per catch is 11.1.  Is that what you want?  None of those guys is a true number one receiver.  Yeah, it looks great in fantasy football when a guy catches 14 passes, but if you're only getting 95 yards out of it?  True weapons make big plays all over the field.  They run solid routes and grab 15 yard in routes, 20 yard slants, 50 yard go routes.  None of those guys do that with any regularity, which makes them useful, but not true weapons.  Think about it, when do those guys truly stand out as the go-to-guy on their teams?  If they are, is their team successful?  The 2009 Vikings had Sidney Rice to make big plays downfield and Percy Harvin to do his thing.  The 2010-12 Vikings relied on Harvin as their number one receiver and went 13-26 with Harvin in the lineup.  The Patriots and Broncos are models have success, Welker had, in succession, guys like Moss, Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Eric Decker, Julius Thomas and Demaryius Thomas to make the big plays.  Demaryius Thomas averages 15.5 yards per catch, Gronkowski averages 14.3.  Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Brandon Marshall, Jordy Nelson...those guys are weapons because they are true wide receivers.  If you want Cordarrelle Patterson to catch 10 passes a game, most of those passes will be 6-10 yard gains.  Yeah, occasionally he'll break one, or he'll break a big run like Austin, Harvin or Welker, but without someone else to take the lid off the defense, he isn't going to be a difference maker.  Players who aren't difference makers aren't your best weapons. 

 Right now, Greg Jennings is a semblance of a weapon, Jarius Wright is showing promise...Cordarrelle Patterson is showing no ability to get open, little effort (the deep pass from Bridgewater...could he have dived for that, last week on one kick return he looked like he was jogging), but sure is running his mouth.  Shut up, get in the playbook, learn to run a slant and make some plays and I'll call you a weapon.  Right now?  He's just a below-average wide receiver.

Oct 19, 2014 17:23:26 GMT -6 VikingsBoss said:

 Right now, Greg Jennings is a semblance of a weapon, Jarius Wright is showing promise...Cordarrelle Patterson is showing no ability to get open, little effort (the deep pass from Bridgewater...could he have dived for that, last week on one kick return he looked like he was jogging), but sure is running his mouth.  Shut up, get in the playbook, learn to run a slant and make some plays and I'll call you a weapon.  Right now?  He's just a below-average wide receiver.

I get what you're saying as far as Patterson not being a true weapon, but if he's not our number one weapon, who the heck is? Do we even have one? I think he's the closest thing that we have as far as a "weapon" on offense, and we should be finding him more ways to get involved. I dang near passed out when they let him run out of the backfield earlier. Where has that been all my life? Oh yeah, we left that in St. Louis.

Regardless, beggars cannot be choosers. Patterson catching 10 passes a game for 6-10 yard gains is a GOOD start! We aren't even getting that! I don't think anyone is expecting miracles here, but some decent looking drives would be nice. That can be done with the short to medium passing game. There's no reason Patterson can't be more involved.

5 Takeaways From The Bills Loss

You know, watching it live is bad enough because we all know it's coming. But reading it later on, when you've calmed down a little, you just have to sit back and go, "Yep...only the Vikings."