Zimmer praises Thielen: 'He's probably as good a route runner as we have'

[purplefaithful]

Third-and-15. Otherwise known as time for Adam Thielen to make a play.
Still sounds a little weird, doesn’t it?
“People just kind of look at this kid, Division II player from Mankato, and they don’t think he’s as talented as anyone else out there,” Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said after Sunday’s 30-16 win over the Browns at Twickenham Stadium. “And he is.”
On that ninth snap, Thielen got open and Case Keenum found him for a 17-yard gain. Four snaps later, the lead was cut in half, 6-3.
“He sets routes up really good,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said of Thielen’s savvy third-down play. “He leans one way and then goes the other way. He’s probably as good a route runner as we have.”
Thielen finished with five catches for 98 yards, including an 18-yard score that was followed by a crowd-pleasing celebration in which he slid on his knees, a la the soccer stars he loves to watch.
http://www.startribune.com/vikings-coach...454005943/

[Guest]

Anyone else remember when the (KC?) starting DB's didn't want to bother to line-up against AT in TC?  I think it was a season or 2 ago...

[Guest]

I remember at least one poster whining about his contract extension...

[Guest]

@"BarrNone55" said:
I remember at least one poster whining about his contract extension...

I remember more than one...  sometimes fans don't want to believe what their eyes are seeing.  Before he broke out last season, I said he'd catch 100 balls per season if he were on the Patriots.  Guess I don't look like such a homer now, do I???

BOOM

[Guest]

@purplefaithful said:
Anyone else remember when the (KC?) starting DB's didn't want to bother to line-up against AT in TC?  I think it was a season or 2 ago...

I was thinking it was the Bengals when the Vikings went down to have combined practices in Cincy.

[Guest]

It was the Bengals and Pac Man 'POS' Jones. 

Now if the officials would just start treating him fairly, or even favorably, like they do other top WR's.

[Guest]

Watch him play and look at the numbers.  He's the most productive, sure handed WR on the roster.  AT is just a great against all the odds story you love to hear about; especially the fact he's from Detroit Lakes.  It's awesome. B)

[Guest]

As far as I'm concerned if teams want to keep on underestimating Thielen that's fine with me. They will regret it.
This is the thing I LOVE about AT--every opponent thus far this year watching film on us before the game KNOWS Thielen is the #1 target (especially with Diggs out the past couple of weeks)....and yet, he still hangs up yards on them....that tells me all I need to know about that kid. He's damn good.

[Guest]

Diggs and AT are fantastic route runners. Both have awesome hands too. Just wish AT would catch more TDs.

[Guest]

@Neptizzle said:
Diggs and AT are fantastic route runners. Both have awesome hands too. Just wish AT would catch more TDs.

Thielen preys on zone defenses,  those holes in the zone get much smaller in the red zone and require a QB with more of an arm and better accuracy than what we get with Keenum.