Patterson to Rams coach Fisher: 'Kick me the ball'
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Cordarrelle Patterson's electrifying kickoff return ability caused some opponents to avoid kicking to him last season in an effort to minimize his impact.
Patterson, entering his second season with the Minnesota Vikings, is hoping the same doesn't happen this year. He even made a point of telling an opposing coach to kick to him during an impromptu offseason meeting.
At the ESPY awards, Patterson met St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher, who hosts Minnesota this weekend in the first regular-season game. Patterson made an early pitch to get the ball on kickoffs and he hopes he has a chance to open the season with a splash.
"I think about it all the time," Patterson said of taking the first kickoff of the season. "And I always think about when I met coach Fisher at the ESPYs. I told him, 'Just make sure you kick me the ball, man.' And I told him, 'Just be ready.' So I'm ready for that."
Patterson had plenty of opposing coaches wary of kicking to him during his rookie season. A first-round draft pick by the Vikings, Patterson's initial impression on the league came as a kickoff returner while he slowly was introduced as a receiver and runner for Minnesota's offense.
He scored his first return touchdown in his second regular-season game and finished as the league-leader with a 32.4-yard kickoff return average last season. Patterson was the only kickoff returner to score two touchdowns.
Patterson's role in the offense will increase this season, but he still plans to be a vital part of the kickoff return game for the Vikings.
"Kick return, that's my game," Patterson said. "We're not going to not put me back there unless coaches feel like I don't need to be back there this drive. So any chance I'm going to get to be back there, I'm going to be back there."
Fisher isn't so sure he'll be kicking to Patterson.
"If you want to create problems for yourself, you give him a returnable ball," Fisher. "The more balls you can kick out of the end zone, the better off you are. We really liked him coming out. Pre-draft we did a private workout where we saw his ability in person."
Does Patterson think Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein, known for his strong leg, will give him a chance?
"I feel like they're going to try to kick it to me," Patterson said. "Their kicker, he's got a big leg, so I feel like he's going to try to kick it out of the end zone. If he don't, I'm going to try to bring it out."
Patterson has shown his willingness to bring out returns, no matter how deep the kick. He set an NFL record last season with 109-yard return against the Green Bay Packers.
A bigger piece in Minnesota's offense now, Patterson -- who scored a touchdown in the final five games last season -- will have his hands on the ball in some manner Sunday.
"I thought about that two days ago, man," Patterson said of his expanding role on offense. "It kind of made me a little nervous. The season opener, now I'm starting, so it's a little pressure that's going to building up in me. I'm just ready for Week 1 to get here, man, to get that little bubble guts out of the way."
Gray and Turner: Offensive coordinator Norv Turner played a part in Minnesota claiming tight end MarQueis Gray off waivers on Sunday.
Gray, a former University of Minnesota player, played under Turner last year in Cleveland. But Gray also has to catch up to some of the changes Turner has made with the Vikings.
"MarQueis, he's got some catching up to do," Turner said. "We've added and adjusted some things. We try to keep growing, so his head's swimming a little bit. But the stuff we did a year ago I think he's comfortable with, so I think we'll just go from there."
Kalil practicing well ahead of matchup with Quinn: St. Louis defensive end Robert Quinn was second in the NFL with 19 sacks last season. Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil took a step back last season as he played through a knee injury.
The two should match-up plenty on Sunday and Zimmer believes Kalil is practicing well ahead of the game.
"I think he's had his two best days of practice this week," Zimmer said. "He's been very focused, he's been very in-tuned to what he has to get done. Yesterday was the best practice. He looked good to me today from the little bit I could tell. I thought he did well."
Griffen misses practice with illness: Defensive end Everson Griffen, signed to a five-year contract in the offseason to be a starting end for the first time, missed Minnesota's practice Thursday with an illness.
Coach Mike Zimmer said he expects Griffen will be fine for Sunday's game at St. Louis.
Zimmer said rookie linebacker Brandon Watts (knee) is likely out for Sunday's game after not practicing again Thursday. Linebacker Michael Mauti (foot) and fullback Zach Line (ankle) were held out of Thursday's practice.
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