Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Mike Wallace admitted to reporters Thursday that Norv Turner’s offense wasn’t “quite as vertical” as he thought it would be, but the wide receiver doesn’t appear to be bothered by it – because they’re winning.
“We’re productive,” Wallace told 1500 ESPN Wednesday. “We’re scoring points and winning football games. So, even if it’s not the offense I thought it was, it’s productive and we’re winning.”
Wallace leads the team in catches with 26 and targets with 38, but he is still on pace for a career lows in average yards and touchdowns.
But he tells 1500 ESPN that he started to get a better feel for just how many receivers could contribute – exemplified when 11 players caught a pass in last week’s win at Detroit.
It doesn’t sound like the Vikings are disappointed in what they have gotten from Wallace either.
“I think Mike [Wallace] has been outstanding,” Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner said during his Thursday press conference. “He’s a guy that defenses got to account for. We have a number of guys that you have to line up and you have to account for them.”
To Turner’s point, five different Vikings receivers have caught passes longer than Wallace’s longest of 22 yards, but Wallace has played on 308 of the 400 offensive snaps so far this year – far more than any other wide receiver.
“Obviously, you want to do things, Pro Bowls, and things like that,” Wallace said. “But sometimes you have to do your part, do your job, and when your number is called, just make plays.”
