YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES

Global Search

vikings/nfl

Before joining our Access Vikings team, Dan Wiederer covered Atlantic Coast Conference basketball for the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer and was named North Carolina's top sports columnist in 2010. His previous reporting experience includes covering the Chicago Bears. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.


Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.


Examining Peterson first-half season numbers

Posted by: Chip Scoggins under Vikings, Darrell Bevell, Vikings offense, Vikings players, Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, Darrell Bevell Updated: November 5, 2009 - 7:49 AM

  • share

    email

Brett Favre has received a lot attention and credit – and rightfully so – for the Vikings 7-1 record at the halfway point of the season. Some have wondered how Favre’s presence and the subsequent improvement in the passing game have affected Adrian Peterson’s workload.

Peterson won the NFL rushing title last season with 1,760 yards and through eight games this season, his numbers are on par with his production at this point in 2008.
 
Peterson had 823 yards rushing on 170 carries in the first eight games last season. He has rushed for 784 yards on 163 carries this season.
 
He averaged 21.25 carries per game in the first eight games last season; he’s averaging 20.3 carries this season.
 
He averaged 4.84 yards per carry in the first half last season; he’s averaging 4.8 yards per carry this season.
 
He had six touchdown runs at this point last season; he has nine now.
 
The only real difference is how Peterson is being used in the passing game. A year ago, he had only 12 catches for 65 yards. He currently 19 catches for 189 yards.
 
The coaching staff seems to have more confidence in Peterson’s receiving skills and ability to handle the third-down role.
 
“I think that he is a threat any time he handles the ball, whether you throw it to him or hand it to him,” offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said last week. “Obviously he is a huge threat. He is a physical runner. He’s got great speed, and he’s strong. We continually try to work him in there in the pass game, get him more balls catching it as well. Sometimes when you can get him a pass he gets more air obviously to be able to run on while he is out there.”
 
Peterson, who is tied for second in the NFL in rushing, said after Sunday’s victory at Green Bay that he feels good physically but that the bye came at a perfect time.
 
“I feel good,” he said. “You have the normal wear and tear that comes each week. But overall I feel good. No serious injuries. Thank God for that. Now I get a week to rest.”
 
 
 

older post

Allen makes list of dirtiest players

newer post

Big gift from Madieu

  • 40

  • Comments

  • share

    email

from the homepage

ADVERTISEMENT

recent posts

Post By Category

Vikings (2558) AFC (58)
Bears (274) Ex-Vikings (27)
Football on TV (36) Lions (200)
NFC (944) NFL draft (169)
NFL post-season (23) Packers (308)
Super Bowl (156) Vikings coaches (45)
Vikings defense (181) Vikings fans (86)
Vikings injury report (221) Vikings management (22)
Vikings off the field (223) Vikings offense (279)
Vikings quarterbacks (212) Vikings road games (57)
Vikings rookies (11) Vikings roster moves (23)
Vikings special teams (16) Vikings training camp (112)
Injury report (246) Off the field (81)
On the road (47) Quarterbacks (222)
Rookies (46) Roster moves (12)
The draft (165) Trade talk (1)
Vikings players (643) Adrian Peterson (527)
Anthony Herrera (152) Antoine Winfield (282)
Ben Leber (94) Bernard Berrian (211)
Bobby Wade (16) Brad Childress (623)
Brett Favre (783) Brian Robison (90)
Bryant McKinnie (104) Cedric Griffin (184)
Chad Greenway (115) Chester Taylor (78)
Chris Kluwe (57) Darrell Bevell (106)
E.J. Henderson (171) Heath Farwell (48)
Jared Allen (223) John Sullivan (152)
Kevin Williams (150) Leslie Frazier (518)
Madieu Williams (75) Pat Williams (144)
Percy Harvin (457) Phil Loadholt (104)
Ray Edwards (168) Ryan Longwell (111)
Sage Rosenfels (89) Sidney Rice (259)
Steve Hutchinson (178) Tarvaris Jackson (162)
Tyrell Johnson (144) Visanthe Shiancoe (212)
Brad Childress (627) Darrell Bevell (107)
Leslie Frazier (521)

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Connect with twitter Connect with facebook Connect with Rssfeed

Links

inside the StarTribune

help

Star Tribune offers digital subscriptions

entertainment

In Oscar nods, oldies are goodies

vita.mn

Vita.mn's 2012 Hotness search

investigators

A showcase of Minnesota’s best investigative reporting

Home

Lottery: Get the latest results

Home

Download our prep boys and girls hockey apps