Lack of Precision Holding Back Vikings WR Cordarrelle Patterson
There are times when the statistics and game tape of a player tell two completely different stories.
Such is not the case when discussing Minnesota Vikings receiver Cordarrelle Patterson.
Patterson's numbers in 2014 scream inefficiency and demand explanation. The tape, especially from last Sunday's win over Washington, confirms the suspicions and provides answers.
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Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer spoke about Patterson's struggles as a sophomore receiver, even admitting a certain level of disconnect between quarterback and pass-catcher.
"We’re not precise enough in a lot of areas,” Zimmer told reporters, via the team's website. “We’re trying to get Cordarrelle involved in the offense. We’d love for him to be involved, but guys have to make sure that they are in the right places all the time.”
The stats say Patterson hasn't been nearly precise enough.
According to the stat tracking at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Patterson has been targeted 48 times this season. Vikings quarterbacks have completed only 26 of those attempts (54.2 percent) for 308 yards (6.4 per attempt), one touchdown and four interceptions (tied for fourth most among qualified receivers). His targeted passer rating is just 46.2, which ranks second to last.
Patterson's catch rate of 54.2 percent ranks 89th out of 110 receivers who have played at least 25 percent of offensive snaps. He has just one dropped pass, which helps highlight the troubles in getting him the football.
| Catch Rate | 54.2% | 89th |
| Targeted Passer Rating | 46.2 | 80th |
| Yards per Route Run | 1.06 | 73rd |
If you use ESPN's tracking data, the numbers become even more frightening. ESPN has Patterson down for 56 targets, which would bring his catch rate to 46.4 percent, yards per attempt to 5.5 and targeted passer rating to 39.9. His catch rate would rank 107th and his targeting passer rating dead last.
The process of completing a pass obviously requires two main parties: a quarterback and a receiver. The Vikings have rotated through three quarterbacks, including a 21-year-old rookie. Over Teddy Bridgewater's five starts, Patterson has averaged only 2.6 catches and 31.4 yards per game with just a single touchdown.
The tape says the imprecision is as much on Patterson as it is on Bridgewater.
On Sunday, the rookie quarterback completed just one pass to Patterson for nine yards. Reviewing the receiver's seven first-half targets against Washington helps show why the connection is still such a work in progress.
Target No. 1: Incomplete, short left
Facing 3rd-and-long on the offense's first series, the Vikings attempted to manufacture a touch for Patterson and potentially steal a first down. But Bridgewater's throw to the bubble screen had to be maneuvered around the leaping defender, and Patterson couldn't make the catch above his head. He had blockers in front and likely only needed to make safety Brandon Meriweather miss to turn the play into a big gain.
Target No. 2: Incomplete, short left
The play right before the deep miss (coming up next) was a mostly forgettable incompletion, but also one that highlights how far Patterson has to go as a receiver. The call was a simple five-yard hitch route off a play-action fake. It's a rather elementary timing route that asks the quarterback to execute the fake, turn and fire to the near sideline.
The play fails when Patterson is extremely slow at the top of his route. There is a window to make the completion, but Patterson doesn't come back to attack the football and the window quickly closes. Bridgewater has to throw slightly outside to avoid the cornerback crashing down. Effort and execution were both lacking and the play went for nothing.
These are the kinds of micro things as a receiver that make a difference on the macro scale. When Zimmer talks about precision, he's likely touching on plays such as this one.
Target No. 3: Incomplete, deep left
The big miss. The Vikings received a Pop Warner-like coverage breakdown and could do nothing with it. The Washington cornerback released Patterson deep to a safety who wasn't there. Yet Bridgewater's pass sailed a yard or two over the head of a wide-open Patterson, who immediately showed frustration that the play wasn't completed.
Zimmer initially believed the sun was a factor. But he corrected himself Monday, stating Patterson straightened out his route after the coverage breakdown while Bridgewater assumed he would stay more inside. The result of the miscommunication was a narrow miss.
Blame can be placed in each corner.
Bridgewater simply cannot overthrow such a wide-open receiver, regardless of the on-the-fly route change. A quarterback in that situation has to give his receiver a chance to catch the football, even if that means under-throwing the attempt.
Then again, the effort from Patterson to go get the ball wasn't at all obvious. In fact, Zimmer said he could have done a better job of going after the attempt.
Target No. 4: Complete for nine yards, short left
The Vikings beat a Washington blitz with a quick slant against man-to-man coverage.
Credit where credit is due: Patterson allowed himself a clean release to the inside and was able to shield the cornerback off his back hip to make the reception. A strong route and better body control at the point of attack helped make the completion.
Target No. 5: Incomplete, deep middle
Patterson can't be blamed for missing his fifth target.
Given a free release, he showed off some shake at the top of his route, initially beating rookie cornerback Bashaud Breeland to the inside off the deep post. There was enough separation that Bridgewater should have had a mostly easy throw. But it's certainly possible his first deep played into his second, and he undershot Patterson instead of leading him into the space. Breeland was able to make up the ground and knock away the attempt.
Target No. 6: Incomplete, right
The Vikings ran almost the identical play to Patterson's second target. Off the run fake, Bridgewater wheeled and fired a 10-yard hook to Patterson near the right sideline.
But once again, there wasn't the "this ball is mine" attitude from the receiver, and Breeland was able to get underneath and disrupt the attempt. Patterson needs to be cleaner out of his break, better with his body to shield the cornerback and more aggressive in coming back to get the football.
The little things are lacking from Patterson's game. The NFL demands precision on every snap. Without much question, the best receivers in the game make this play 10 times out of 10.
Target No. 7: Incomplete, deep left
Everything about Patterson's last target screams laziness. For a receiver running the 9-route (go-route), Patterson did not explode off the line and hardly appeared at top speed well into the process. Maybe he recognized the off coverage and assumed he wasn't a realistic target. Cornerback David Amerson opened his hips and ran stride-for-stride with his man without much issue.
The eventual throw from Bridgewater was to Patterson's outside shoulder, away from the cornerback's inside leverage. But Patterson still attempted to work back inside, then briefly lost the football and was unable to make a real effort at making the catch. Meanwhile, Amerson nearly hauled in an uncontested interception. Only an iffy ruling prevented a turnover.
Patterson didn't start or end the route well. He gave up on the route early and gave up on it again as the ball was being delivered. He then didn't see another target the rest of the afternoon, finishing the game with one catch for nine yards.
In the end, Minnesota's rookie quarterback made a couple shaky throws that could have changed the narrative. If Patterson catches three passes for 100-plus yards and two scores on Sunday, no one is talking today about his struggles. But even those missed deep shots would have only masked the underlying issues.
Bottom line: Patterson is still a major work in progress as a route-runner, and it's not at all unfair to criticize his effort in going to get the football when the opportunities are there.
Many have been disappointed with Minnesota's week-to-week ability (or inability) to get Patterson the football, but it's clear that offensive coordinator Norv Turner wants to develop his second-year receiver as an eventual No. 1 option. There should still be more manufactured touches for a guy with his natural running ability, but Patterson will be nothing more than a gadget player until he becomes more precise and aggressive about the important areas of playing the position.
Bridgewater also needs to be better, but the stats don't lie about Patterson. In fact, they appear to link up nicely. His numbers are inefficient, and his game as a second-year receiver remains imprecise. Both realities will remain until the second part of the equation is rectified.
Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report.
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