Vikings receivers try to catch up to expectations

There were four points ringing in Jarius Wright's ear this week due to the "unlimited" amount of times he's heard them from Vikings coach Mike Zimmer and receivers coach George Stewart.

"We've got to get into the route, we've got to win the transition, we've got to get out of the route and extend for the ball," Zimmer said, the words rolling off his tongue as if it were a prepared statement.

It's been the point of emphasis this week for the receivers, who haven't produced as expected as the Vikings attempt to establish themselves offensively on Sunday against the Bills.

"If we use them to our advantage, they definitely will work," Wright said.

Only one wide receiver has more than 100 receiving yards in a game this season, and it's not Greg Jennings or Cordarrelle Patterson. Wright, who was projected as the team's fourth wide receiver through training camp, had 132 yards against the Falcons in Week 3 and had the most impact among wideouts over the last three weeks.

Yes, the same Wright we all questioned how he would fit in this offense after a quiet preseason. He was tabbed as the temporary third receiver as Jerome Simpson served his suspension, which later became permanent once the Vikings cut him.

"I wouldn't say a security blanket but adding another playmaker to our offense," said Wright of his recent production. "We have a lot of playmakers on offense, and I think I definitely add another playmaker to our offense and deep down the field threat."

Zimmer felt the emphasis was needed to establish the mind-set for the unit that has played with three quarterbacks — Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder and rookie Teddy Bridgewater — in six games. Jennings has the only touchdown catch by a receiver this season, which is the second-fewest in the NFL by a receiving unit.

The Vikings also lead the NFL with 16 drops this season, per Stats Inc., after ranking sixth in that category last year.

The drops don't concern Zimmer and Stewart more than the process. They said they feel members of the unit have good hands, but they need to strive repeatedly to accomplish the four points Zimmer and Stewart hammered into their heads this week.

"It's like being a parent," Stewart said. "If you emphasize to your children about looking both ways before they cross the street, they're going to do it. Coaching is like that; you get what you emphasize."

There was a defensive emphasis last week on stopping the run, which Zimmer felt paid off against the Lions, who had 100 rushing yards on 28 carries. He's hoping the same will happen for some of the young receivers on the team.

"I'm not getting open, and it feels like everybody else isn't getting open," Patterson said. "So we're going to take it personally. It just feels like they're not really trusting us right now so we've got to go in and just show them what we're all about it and make everybody start believing in us and maybe we'll get more touches and things will change around here."

Through six weeks though, Stewart feels the unit is still on schedule. Jennings is the seasoned veteran of the group, but there's a big gap between him and the other four receivers. Wright has the second-most experience, and he's in his third season.

Stewart hopes the constant reminders will resonate with the young receivers, from Patterson to Adam Thielen.

"When you try a new recipe, you've got to taste it to see what it tastes like," Stewart said. "We'll see after Sunday whether that recipe that we have utilized this week will give us an opportunity to win on Sunday."