More at the link.In an open-ended question, a reporter asked Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer if he’s disappointed about wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson’s season on Monday.
“I don’t think disappointment is the right word,” Zimmer said. “I think youth might be the right word.”
Zimmer expressed why he felt Patterson, in his fourth offense in four years dating back to junior college, hasn’t been a disappointment this year based on his limited time playing wide receiver in his career. Patterson, 23, displayed a lot of promise in what started as a limited role during his rookie season last year. The Vikings planned to unleash him in offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s offense this season but that hasn’t been the case through 10 games.
Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
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Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
http://blog.startribune.com/sports/acce ... -patterson
- PurpleKoolaid
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Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
Perhaps picking a WR that knew the position he was being drafted for, would have helped.
Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
I know others have disagreed but I still believe that norv is limiting his production by simply not using his talents to their fullest potential. We all know how he has struggled as a route runner and getting off press coverage and that has been extremely disappointing. So I don't understand why continue to use him nearly exclusively in a traditional WR role. If he cannot function successfully as a tradition WR at this point and needs further development in that area, what is the harm in using him more as a gadget player, a role he was extremely successful at last year. It's not like our offense has been so efficient that there's no room for more gadget plays, in fact a change of pace could actuslly provide a spark for this offense. We currently lack any big play ability, despite the fact that when Patterson was given the ball consistently last season, he was probably the best big play threat in the league.
Just give him the damn ball norv, any way you can.... what is there to lose?
Just give him the damn ball norv, any way you can.... what is there to lose?
Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
saint33 wrote:I know others have disagreed but I still believe that norv is limiting his production by simply not using his talents to their fullest potential. We all know how he has struggled as a route runner and getting off press coverage and that has been extremely disappointing. So I don't understand why continue to use him nearly exclusively in a traditional WR role. If he cannot function successfully as a tradition WR at this point and needs further development in that area, what is the harm in using him more as a gadget player, a role he was extremely successful at last year. It's not like our offense has been so efficient that there's no room for more gadget plays, in fact a change of pace could actuslly provide a spark for this offense. We currently lack any big play ability, despite the fact that when Patterson was given the ball consistently last season, he was probably the best big play threat in the league.
Just give him the damn ball norv, any way you can.... what is there to lose?
I agree. There is no reason to mute what Patterson can do in an effort to train him to be a traditional WR. Even when CP does understand the traditional role better, he should still be used in screens, running out of the backfield, and/or gadget plays.
Patterson proved during the last half of 2013 that he's a productive playmaker when he's doing things other than just being a traditional WR . If it gets yardage and more TDs, then the Vikings need to use him that way.
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Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
I agree as welllosperros wrote:
I agree. There is no reason to mute what Patterson can do in an effort to train him to be a traditional WR. Even when CP does understand the traditional role better, he should still be used in screens, running out of the backfield, and/or gadget plays.
Patterson proved during the last half of 2013 that he's a productive playmaker when he's doing things other than just being a traditional WR . If it gets yardage and more TDs, then the Vikings need to use him that way.
The saddest thing in life is wasted talent and the choices you make will shape your life forever.
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Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
And not trading four picks to get one that didn't.PurpleKoolaid wrote:Perhaps picking a WR that knew the position he was being drafted for, would have helped.
Proved? Not sure a few solid games is "proving" anything...much less enough to build an offense around him or run an offensive game plan based on his skill set.Patterson proved during the last half of 2013 that he's a productive playmaker when he's doing things other than just being a traditional WR . If it gets yardage and more TDs, then the Vikings need to use him that way.
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Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
He converted 26 touches into 6 touchdowns in the month of December alone!!!! I think that's a little more than a "few good games". He barely saw the field until Simpson was out prior to that.Demi wrote:
Proved? Not sure a few solid games is "proving" anything...much less enough to build an offense around him or run an offensive game plan based on his skill set.
The saddest thing in life is wasted talent and the choices you make will shape your life forever.
-Chazz Palminteri
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Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
Chip Scoggins has written a new article about Patterson:
http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 06711.html
That said, I agree with saint33: give him the ball! What is there to lose?
http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 06711.html
Someone here (I apologize for forgetting who) mentioned that Patterson was playing as if his injury is affecting him more than we've been told and it looks like that to me too. I'm just not seeing the same speed and explosive burst from him that I saw last year. Maybe he's healthy and its a matter of thinking too much and not playing at full speed but he looks "off" to me.Patterson’s longest catch is 28 yards. He’s averaging 8 fewer yards on his kickoff returns. Maybe his hip injury has affected him more than we know, but Patterson looks largely insignificant in the offense right now.
Zimmer noted Patterson is playing in his third offense in as many years, which sounds like a nice way of saying Patterson is not always in the right spot.
In reality, Patterson remains remarkably raw as a receiver. Yes, he’s big and fast and strong and can be electric with the ball in his hands. But his struggles underscore that it became entirely too convenient to blame the former coordinator for keeping Patterson under wraps.
“I believe that he’s going to be a really good player, but everybody is impatient, including me, and I’m sure he is, too,” Zimmer said. “It will come. It just may take a while.”
That said, I agree with saint33: give him the ball! What is there to lose?
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Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
He seems to be more of a flush than a flashMothman wrote:Chip Scoggins has written a new article about Patterson:
http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 06711.html
Someone here (I apologize for forgetting who) mentioned that Patterson was playing as if his injury is affecting him more than we've been told and it looks like that to me too. I'm just not seeing the same speed and explosive burst from him that I saw last year. Maybe he's healthy and its a matter of thinking too much and not playing at full speed but he looks "off" to me.
That said, I agree with saint33: give him the ball! What is there to lose?
Do not mistake KINDNESS for WEAKNESS!
Best to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt.
Best to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt.
Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
He was a raw prospect, drafted almost entirely for his natural athletic ability. I considered it a given that it would probably take years (literally0 to develop him into an effective NFL receiver. When a team drafts a player like that, they're banking on their ability to train him and make the most of his ability over the long haul. He's been disappointing this year, and I'm not convinced that's all his fault, but personally, I think the jury is basically out on Patterson for at least another year. He should be looking much better by the end of 2015 and if he isn't, then at that point I'll be concerned that he's a bust.Purple bruise wrote:He seems to be more of a flush than a flash
IF he's going to be a star, I doubt he'll like one until year 4.
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Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
If he is not injured right now then what happened to him Look back at his highlights from last year and you can't even recognize him as being the same player. This is quite evident in watching his kick-off returns.Mothman wrote: He was a raw prospect, drafted almost entirely for his natural athletic ability. I considered it a given that it would probably take years (literally0 to develop him into an effective NFL receiver. When a team drafts a player like that, they're banking on their ability to train him and make the most of his ability over the long haul. He's been disappointing this year, and I'm not convinced that's all his fault, but personally, I think the jury is basically out on Patterson for at least another year. He should be looking much better by the end of 2015 and if he isn't, then at that point I'll be concerned that he's a bust.
IF he's going to be a star, I doubt he'll like one until year 4.
Maybe he "caught" whatever Kalil caught after their rookie years
Do not mistake KINDNESS for WEAKNESS!
Best to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt.
Best to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt.
Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
As I said, it looks to me like his injury has had more of an effect on him than we've been told.Purple bruise wrote:If he is not injured right now then what happened to him Look back at his highlights from last year and you can't even recognize him as being the same player. This is quite evident in watching his kick-off returns.
I think Kalil's injury had a lot to do with that too. It hampered him last year and supposedly hampered him earlier this year but as he himself pointed out, when a player plays injured, they adjust what they're doing in an effort to compensate for the injury and that can lead to bad habits that are hard to shake even when healthy again. I don't know if that's happening with Patterson though. It just looks to me like he can't get up to the full speed this year.Maybe he "caught" whatever Kalil caught after their rookie years
Maybe it's a confidence issue. He might be trying too hard to make things happen instead of letting them come naturally.
Both players are playing like they're over-thinking their assignments. It's frustrating.
Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
He's doing bad because I drafted him in fantasy this year. There, mystery solved
Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
Boon wrote:He's doing bad because I drafted him in fantasy this year. There, mystery solved
Correction. He's doing bad because we drafted him in fantasy this year. He's on my team too.
Re: Zimmer, Vikings will remain patient with Patterson
Demi wrote: Proved? Not sure a few solid games is "proving" anything...much less enough to build an offense around him or run an offensive game plan based on his skill set.
Yes, proved. The moment Patterson started getting the ball, things began to happen last year. That can't be changed, so the proof is there.
Since the Vikings most certainly did not build an offense around Patterson and aren't even close to running an offensive game plan that utilizes his skills, I'm not sure what your second point is supposed to be.