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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Cordarrelle Patterson's electrifying kickoff return ability caused some opponents to avoid kicking to him last season in an effort to minimize his impact.
Patterson, entering his second season with the Minnesota Vikings, is hoping the same doesn't happen this year. He even made a point of telling an opposing coach to kick to him during an impromptu offseason meeting.
At the ESPY awards, Patterson met St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher, who hosts Minnesota this weekend in the first regular-season game. Patterson made an early pitch to get the ball on kickoffs and he hopes he has a chance to open the season with a splash.
"I think about it all the time," Patterson said of taking the first kickoff of the season. "And I always think about when I met coach Fisher at the ESPYs. I told him, 'Just make sure you kick me the ball, man.' And I told him, 'Just be ready.' So I'm ready for that."
"Kick return, that's my game," Patterson said. "We're not going to not put me back there unless coaches feel like I don't need to be back there this drive. So any chance I'm going to get to be back there, I'm going to be back there."
Fisher isn't so sure he'll be kicking to Patterson.
"If you want to create problems for yourself, you give him a returnable ball," Fisher. "The more balls you can kick out of the end zone, the better off you are. We really liked him coming out. Pre-draft we did a private workout where we saw his ability in person."
Does Patterson think Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein, known for his strong leg, will give him a chance?
"I feel like they're going to try to kick it to me," Patterson said. "Their kicker, he's got a big leg, so I feel like he's going to try to kick it out of the end zone. If he don't, I'm going to try to bring it out."
Kalil practicing well ahead of matchup with Quinn: St. Louis defensive end Robert Quinn was second in the NFL with 19 sacks last season. Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil took a step back last season as he played through a knee injury.
The two should match-up plenty on Sunday and Zimmer believes Kalil is practicing well ahead of the game.
"I think he's had his two best days of practice this week," Zimmer said. "He's been very focused, he's been very in-tuned to what he has to get done. Yesterday was the best practice. He looked good to me today from the little bit I could tell. I thought he did well."
Griffen misses practice with illness: Defensive end Everson Griffen, signed to a five-year contract in the offseason to be a starting end for the first time, missed Minnesota's practice Thursday with an illness.
Coach Mike Zimmer said he expects Griffen will be fine for Sunday's game at St. Louis.
Zimmer said rookie linebacker Brandon Watts (knee) is likely out for Sunday's game after not practicing again Thursday. Linebacker Michael Mauti (foot) and fullback Zach Line (ankle) were held out of Thursday's practice.
Follow Brian Hall on Twitter
http://www.foxsports.com/north/story/patterson-to-rams-coach-fisher-kick-me-the-ball-090414
Patterson, entering his second season with the Minnesota Vikings, is hoping the same doesn't happen this year. He even made a point of telling an opposing coach to kick to him during an impromptu offseason meeting.
At the ESPY awards, Patterson met St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher, who hosts Minnesota this weekend in the first regular-season game. Patterson made an early pitch to get the ball on kickoffs and he hopes he has a chance to open the season with a splash.
"I think about it all the time," Patterson said of taking the first kickoff of the season. "And I always think about when I met coach Fisher at the ESPYs. I told him, 'Just make sure you kick me the ball, man.' And I told him, 'Just be ready.' So I'm ready for that."
"Kick return, that's my game," Patterson said. "We're not going to not put me back there unless coaches feel like I don't need to be back there this drive. So any chance I'm going to get to be back there, I'm going to be back there."
Fisher isn't so sure he'll be kicking to Patterson.
"If you want to create problems for yourself, you give him a returnable ball," Fisher. "The more balls you can kick out of the end zone, the better off you are. We really liked him coming out. Pre-draft we did a private workout where we saw his ability in person."
Does Patterson think Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein, known for his strong leg, will give him a chance?
"I feel like they're going to try to kick it to me," Patterson said. "Their kicker, he's got a big leg, so I feel like he's going to try to kick it out of the end zone. If he don't, I'm going to try to bring it out."
Kalil practicing well ahead of matchup with Quinn: St. Louis defensive end Robert Quinn was second in the NFL with 19 sacks last season. Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil took a step back last season as he played through a knee injury.
The two should match-up plenty on Sunday and Zimmer believes Kalil is practicing well ahead of the game.
"I think he's had his two best days of practice this week," Zimmer said. "He's been very focused, he's been very in-tuned to what he has to get done. Yesterday was the best practice. He looked good to me today from the little bit I could tell. I thought he did well."
Griffen misses practice with illness: Defensive end Everson Griffen, signed to a five-year contract in the offseason to be a starting end for the first time, missed Minnesota's practice Thursday with an illness.
Coach Mike Zimmer said he expects Griffen will be fine for Sunday's game at St. Louis.
Zimmer said rookie linebacker Brandon Watts (knee) is likely out for Sunday's game after not practicing again Thursday. Linebacker Michael Mauti (foot) and fullback Zach Line (ankle) were held out of Thursday's practice.
Follow Brian Hall on Twitter
http://www.foxsports.com/north/story/patterson-to-rams-coach-fisher-kick-me-the-ball-090414
