Rudolph's breakout year coming?

vike daddy · Joined: 12 Mar 2005 Posts: 66596

The Vikings gushed over Kyle Rudolph when they drafted him in the second round of the 2011 draft. At the time, tight end wasn’t a pressing need – the team already had Jim Kleinsasser and Visanthe Shiancoe. But, a year later, both of them were gone and Rudolph was moving into the role the team envisions for him for going forward – as perhaps the go-to receiver for the Vikings offense.

As a rookie in 2011, Rudolph caught just 26 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. In six games with Donovan McNabb at quarterback, he caught just nine passes and no touchdowns. In 10 games with Christian Ponder as the starter, he caught 17 passes, but three of them went for touchdowns. It was the bright spot of the season for Rudolph, who had three TDs in his final six games, but the fact remained he never caught more than three passes in any game.

In 2012, his second season, Rudolph emerged as a red-zone go-to threat and a much more critical part of the Vikings offense. His receptions more than doubled (from 26 to 53) and his touchdown numbers tripled from three to nine. He became one of the most prolific touchdown scorers in the league and his nine touchdowns represented half of Ponder’s TD passes.

After never catching more than three passes in any game as a rookie, Rudolph caught four or more passes in seven games last season. He made the jump from first year to second year that has been so indicative of the top receivers in the recent history of the game and, as the trend goes, his numbers for 2013 could pop even higher … perhaps much higher.

http://min.scout.com/2/1292790.html
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wcblack34 · Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 9:18 am Post subject:

While I realize that the Pro Bowl is little more than a glorified flag football game, Rudolph's performance was pretty eye-popping. I am hoping that Musgrave and Co. saw that Rudolph could be much, much more than simply a Red-Zone threat and that they use him to stretch the field more.

Bermuda Viking · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 4524 Location: Paget, Bermuda

PrplChilPill · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 7799 Location: SLP, MN

VikeManDan · Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 444 Location: Minnesota

twslhs20 · Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 12:59 pm Post subject:

I truly believe this guy has the same potential to be as good, if not better, than Gronk

The way he bails out Ponder when hes triple covered and still makes handed catches and dives for tipped balls. Ponder forcing it to Rudolph is a big problem, but I can see why he does it. Some of the best hands at the position.
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Joe_is_the_best ^^
Shelby Miller: 5-2 ERA: 1.40 IP: 51.1 H:33 BB: 12 SO: 57 WHIP: 0.88 WAR: 1.5 LOB%: 86.5 FIP: 2.38

VikeManDan · Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 444 Location: Minnesota

twslhs20 · Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 1:06 pm Post subject:

husker_vikes3 · Joined: 18 Aug 2010 Posts: 7839 Location: Omaha, NE

vikes635 · Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 1122 Location: COLD SPRING

He will be a Top five Te statistacaly after seasons end!
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Rip Sean Taylor

PROPS TO Joe_is_the_best for the Sig

Purplexing · Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 8:53 pm Post subject:

He will probably increase his stats, with a few more catches, a hundred or two more yards, and a few more TD receptions.

He doesn't NEED to be a top 5 TE for the Vikings O to succeed. But he could become a top 5 TE in 2013, if not later.

vikes635 · Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 1122 Location: COLD SPRING

Bermuda Viking · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 4524 Location: Paget, Bermuda

vikingsrule · Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 10:56 pm Post subject:

The benefit of having a TE who can make plays down field and down the seam is it will be one less player focused on playing the box or helping out over top on Greg Jennings/Cordarrelle Patterson.
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