The Minnesota Vikings had high hopes for Mike Wallace when the team sent a fifth-round pick to Miami for him.
They had envisioned the speedy wide receiver teaming up with Teddy Bridgewater to anchor a downfield passing attack to complement Adrian Peterson.
But through the season’s first 10 games, it hasn’t happened quite like that. Wallace has just 28 catches for 318 yards and one touchdown. Over the last four contests, he has just two catches and has been held without one twice – including Sunday’s game against Green Bay.
As ESPN’s Ben Goessling notes, Wallace is on pace to finish with his fewest catches since his rookie season and the fewest yards of his career.
“You always want to do well, but I never get in a hole mentally,” Wallace told the Pioneer Press Monday. “Everybody has bad stretches. I just try to stay positive. If I let negativity creep in, it’s going to be a long six games. I’m staying positive and something will happen.”
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer didn’t seem too worried about Wallace’s production either.
Asked if concerned on Mike Wallace having just 2 catches in last 4 games, Mike Zimmer brushed it off and said he's concerned about #Vikings
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) November 23, 2015
But that doesn’t mean it won’t get going for Wallace with six games remaining.
“That’s something that we’re going to continue to work on and it can go both ways,” said Bridgewater. “We get to practice this week and everything that we need to clean up, we’re going to try and make sure we do that.”
While Wallace and Bridgewater haven’t been able to connect, Bridgewater and rookie receiver Stefon Diggs have put up bigger numbers in fewer opportunities. Diggs wasn’t active for Minnesota’s first three games, but now has 36 catches for 573 yards and two touchdowns.
