Don’t blame Norv

By the end of Norv Turner’s time in Minnesota, a certain perception of him as a coach who relied too heavily on the deep ball to Sam Bradford’s peril didn’t really match the reality. It’s not like Bradford was asked under Turner to stand back and pass the ball like Ben Roethlisberger. The truth is, Bradford is among the NFL’s leaders in short passes, with an average depth per throw of 7.5 yards. That may not change under interim offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.

By the numbers through seven games

17

Percent of attempts behind the line

55

Percent of attempts 0-9 yards

17

Percent of attempts 10-19 yards

12

Percent of attempts 20-plus yards