GLENDALE, Ariz. – Adrian Peterson came to Arizona a few days ago insisting that, at age 32, he still has a lot left to give in the NFL.
On Sunday, it sure looked that way. The four-time All-Pro running back with the Vikings rushed for two touchdowns and 134 yards in his debut with the Cardinals, who held off a furious second-half rally to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-33.
"This is the opportunity I've been waiting for," Peterson said.
Peterson was acquired in a trade with New Orleans on Tuesday, after running for only 81 yards on 27 carries with no touchdowns in four games with the Saints. With his new team, he carried 26 times Sunday and scored on a 27-yard run to cap Arizona's first possession.
The Cardinals offense, and the home crowd, were energized by Peterson's presence. Arizona scored the first 31 points.
"That first drive you could feel it with the fans in the stadium," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "You could kind of see it on the defense's face. It was just a great lift for us."
Peterson added a 1-yard TD run after Tramon Williams' fourth-quarter interception near the goal line, and he also had a 45-yard run nullified by a penalty.
"A couple of times he almost ripped my shoulder out of the joint just handing the ball off to him," Palmer said. "He's just so powerful."
