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Jarius Wright on Vikings' rise: 'Everybody's embracing their role'
The Minnesota Vikings have taken over control in the NFC North in large part due to the prowess of Adrian Peterson, who currently leads the NFL in rushing.
Through 12 weeks, the Vikings are first in rushing yards and rushing average, second in rushing touchdowns and third in rushing attempts. Peterson, at age 30, has a league-high 237 carries (26 more than Carolina’s Jonathan Stewart) for 1,164 yards (126 more than Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin).
All that rushing has made the passing game an afterthought in the Vikings offense. Some receivers might grumble about such a reality, but Minnesota’s Jarius Wright—who signed a four-year contract extension back in September—isn’t one of them.
“Everybody’s embracing their role,” Wright said, via ESPN. “It probably is [hard] at first, but you just have to buy into the system. You have to realize the coaches have the best plan — this is what they do, and we go out there and execute it.”
The Vikings currently ranks 31st in passing attempts, passing yards and passing touchdowns this season. Wright has just 19 catches for 257 yards and no touchdowns, while Mike Wallace (who the Vikings traded for this offseason) and Charles Johnson (Minnesota’s third most productive receiver last season) have just 37 combined receptions this season. Cordarrelle Patterson, a former first-round pick, has just four total touches on offense.
Numbers don’t mean as much when a team is winning.
The Vikings are 8-3 and in control of their destiny. Minnesota has won six of its last seven games, and if the season ended today, the Vikings would be hosting a playoff game.
The team’s winning formula has been locked in by head coach Mike Zimmer. Minnesota wants to run the football with Peterson and play lights out defense. If quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has to throw the football 40 times in a game, something has gone terribly wrong in the winning script.
In fact, the Vikings are 6-0 when Bridgewater throws for less than 200 yards this season.
“I’ve always preached the team and I know they’re not always getting all the catches that they want to get, but they understand we’re pretty good running the football, and they’re a part of it as well,” Zimmer said.
The Vikings are winning their way. And their players have embraced what it takes to get it done.
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