There are many reasons young receivers often take a little longer to develop once they get to the NFL.

Route running is the primary one.

There is virtually no freelancing by receivers at the NFL level. Defenses typically are too powerful and fast to hold off long enough for a quarterback to wait for a receiver to run a sloppy route.

Most of the time, the quarterback has thrown to a spot before the receiver makes his cut to get to that spot. If the receiver consistently doesn't get to the right spot at the right time, well, what would you do as the quarterback?

Right. You'd throw it to someone else.

This describes the fall of Vikings receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. But the good news is Patterson's attitude isn't an issue with the team. He simply hasn't learned what he needs to learn quickly enough. But with offensive coordinator Norv Turner expected to return, next year would be the first time Patterson has been in the same offense in back-to-back seasons at the major college or NFL level.

Meanwhile, give the Vikings credit for scrambling to acquire Charles Johnson off the Browns' practice squad earlier this season. In the past three weeks, Johnson has played all but five offensive snaps while catching 11 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown.

"He's got some naturalness as a receiver, he's grown up as a receiver, he's an excellent route runner," Turner said. "He's a guy that I think has very good upside."

THIRD-AND-2

Three observations

• The Buccaneers are 0-5 in a division with three other teams that are a combined 16-25-1.

• Like defense? The Packers have scored 52 touchdowns, 22 more than the Lions, but Detroit is atop the NFC North based on the head-to-head tiebreaker.

• Turnovers, smurnovers. The Eagles are minus-9 in turnover ratio, but own a 9-5 record and the fourth-highest scoring offense.

Two predictions

• Further complicating the mess in Chicago, the Bears will upset the Lions with Jimmy Clausen at QB.

• The victory over Green Bay won't feel as good when the Bills lose at Oakland to fall to 8-7.

MARK CRAIG