Calling Cordarrelle Patterson a wide receiver should be done for categorization purposes only. The second-year player shined in the Minnesota Vikings’ new offense, racking up 176 all-purpose yards–102 rushing yards, 26 receiving and 48 return yards–and proved that he is a dynamic weapon not unlike Percy Harvin.
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According to ESPN’s Ben Goessling, the Vikings plan for Patterson was executed perfectly in the team’s 34-6 win over the St. Louis Rams.
"“The Vikings believed Patterson had many of the same skills as Harvin — perhaps not as strong or shifty but taller, with equal top-end speed and maybe even better vision. When they spent three picks to trade up and take Patterson in the first round of the 2013 draft, it was with an eye toward filling the void created by the departure of the talented and temperamental Harvin."
Patterson recieved the ball on a pitch in the third quarter and outran the entire Rams defense.
It is quite obvious that the old coaching staff of Leslie Frazier and Bill Musgrave didn’t know how to best use Patterson’s talents. New offensive coordinator Norv Turner, however, figured it out really quick.
"“Turner had already designed 10 plays for the receiver less than a month after he became the Vikings’ offensive coordinator, general manager Rick Spielman said at the NFL scouting combine, and as the Vikings push forward with a more aggressive offense, Patterson will be at the center of the attack.”"
Right now, running back Adrian Peterson still figures to be the focus of the Vikings offense. At 29 years old, Peterson had 21 carries for 75 yards, touching the ball more times than all the Vikings receivers combined. This is still a team dedicated to running the ball.
However, quantity isn’t everything. Peterson is mostly a between the tackles runner, and using him to set up quality plays for Patterson should be a theme for the rest of the Vikings season.