So I argue that Brad Childress is right to limit Adrian Peterson to around 20 touches a game. But that doesn't matter, because you don't like me and I don't like you ("I like you." "Fine, you like me, but I don't like you." "Maybe you'd like me if you got to know me."). So don't bother with what I think.
Reuben Frank of SI writes "No rush to use Peterson: Vikings' Childress careful not to burn out rookie." Frank writes of other rookie RBs that have been overused and worn out, and suggests Brad Childress is doing the right thing for the good of the franchise by not selfishly thinking short-term and using up Peterson's ability. It's a sound argument.
You should also take note of what Dr. Z writes in this week's "Power Rankings": "Walter Payton ran angry. So did Emmitt Smith. Adrian Peterson runs angry. And he also has a lightning change of direction and more speed than anyone chasing him has. This is a rare package the Vikes have here. I just hope they don't screw it up." I would suggest one way the Vikes could screw it up is by giving Adrian Peterson 350+ carries as a rookie.
Adrian Peterson is special. Quite possibly all-time great special. He's certainly one of the top running backs in the league right now, and the Vikings' best offensive player, so he should get the ball to help the team win now. But 20-25 touches gives him that chance, and another 10-20 carries for Chester Taylor still helps the Vikings and helps Adrian Peterson stay fresh for a game, for a season, for a career. Herm Edwards rode Larry Johnson for a record 416 carries last season (with another 41 catches); Johnson then stunk in a playoff game and doesn't look the same this season. We can't have that with Adrian Peterson: he's too important.
There's still room for complaint. If Peterson starts getting significantly less than 20 touches a game (as he did against Green Bay), we should wonder what's going on. If Peterson is coming out of the game in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line (as he did against Kansas City and Green Bay), we should wonder what's going on. But if Peterson continues to share carries with Chester Taylor? That's just good football.
well stated. Resting Peterson in non-crucial situations with the more than adequate Taylor is good personnel use.
ReplyDeleteProblem is that Childress may not know what that means.
Your most explosive AND best player should be on the field 90% of the time... Chilli is too stupid to figure out that he doesn't need the ball every play or maybe use him as a decoy or possibly some play action passes?? Bootlegs....??
ReplyDeleteOh yea those probably aren't allowed in this KAO..
Chilldress is an idiot..
FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!!!
FCN! guy should be the next Vikings coach, because he knows everything about coaching in the NFL.
ReplyDeleteHire FCN! Guy NOW!!!!
"Your most explosive AND best player should be on the field 90% of the time"
ReplyDeleteSo he should play every snap of offense and defense and sit out special teams?
Chilli sucks and is an idiot and you guys just don't have the balls to admit what is obvious to anybody who has a clue. 21 regular season games and nothing changes...
ReplyDeleteFIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
And jrod if you are really that dumb... I feel for you..
ReplyDeleteFIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!!!
FCN! Guy. Nice sexist remark. What courage now only comes from those who have testicles?
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with things Childress does at times, but the constant criticism without giving him any credit gets tiresome. The thing that I disagreed with the most was the last drive in Chicago when he called a play-action pass on 2nd and 5. That kind of call by the O-Coordinator just invites turnover and quick loss by 3 points.
It's a figure of speech numb nuts...opps there I go again .... ha... Yea Chilli is not a play caller... along with other things.
ReplyDeleteFIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!!!!
Appreciate the insults. Always nice to have a reader insulting other readers.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious. FCN! guy you want to tell us a little about yourself.
ReplyDeleteAre you a teenager, 34 year old single male, married 50 year old. Help us understand your extreme anger that is directed at the coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
I wish I would have known you when Tice was the coach. If you think Childress is an idiot, I would have loved to hear what you had to say about Tice.
Pacifist Viking, you are completely right about this. Everyone else, Childress might be a terrible coach, or he might turn out to be fine. But using AP (AD) this way is the right move, and is immaterial in determining what kind of coach Childress is.
ReplyDeleteFCN, we are Vikings fans because we're better than everyone else. Don't make ad hominem attacks.
Question: Anyone know the rookie rushing stats for Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and Walter Payton?
ReplyDeleteWalter Payton- 13 games, 196 carries, 679 yds rush, 7 tds, 33 rec, 213 yds rec (avg 15 carries a game).
ReplyDeleteBarry Sanders- 15 games, 280 carries, 1470 yds, 14 tds, 24 rec, 282 yds rec (avg 19 carries a game)
Emmitt Smith- 16 games, 241 carries, 937 yds, 11 tds, 24 rec, 228 yds rec (avg 15 carries a game)
Adrian Peterson- 5 games, 96 carries, 607 yds, 4 tds, 10 rec, 175 yds rec, 1 rec td (avg 19 carries a game)
Projecting out Peterson's numbers over 16 games here are his stats:
307 carries, 1942 yds, 13 tds, 32 rec, 560 rec yds, 3 rec tds
I think it is more likely Peterson will end up with around 1450 yds rushing with 11 tds and around 300 carries. If he were on the field for 90% of the offensive plays and estimating around 30 rushes as a team per game, he would have 27 carries a game which would give him 297 more carries this year for a grand total of 393 carries. If the Vikings did that he would be burnt out by his 2nd or 3rd year. And if FCN! guy is right about Childress, why waste your best talent for a coach who isn't going to get you to the Super Bowl anyway.
If Childress was selfish he would start Peterson and overuse him since he gives him the best opportunity to win, but suprisingly Childress is looking out for the team in the long run. How dare he.
holy hitter, I suspect FCN! guy actually wants the Vikings to run more than 30 times per game, so with his desire for Peterson to be on the field for 90% of the snaps, he wants Peterson to have about 450 rushes this year. I thnk FCN! guy is actually a Packers fan.
ReplyDeleteAlso, look at the article at Football Outsiders regarding which stats NFL coaches value most, to gain insight was to why Childress may be smart in having Peterson return kicks, while limiting his rushes to about 20 per game. What's more valuable and more wearing; having Peterson return a kick to the 45, or having Peterson help move the ball from the 22 to the 45?
ReplyDeleteFCN guy is the dumbest person ever to contribute to a site! For him to have the only correct opinion in the world shows he is a genius! (Or the biggest no nuts dumb ass ever seen)
ReplyDeleteHoly Hitter asks about him. Don't ask. He has limited timeo n the computer either at home with mom and dad or at the institution.