The accolades are rolling in. The praise is being heaped. The glory is being given. Adrian Peterson is being called everything from the best rookie running back since Gale Sayers to the second best back in the league- RIGHT NOW. Normally I hate the over-hype and how in today's society we want to label everything the greatest or worst, so when a player has one game suddenly he's the best of all time.
But for AP? Wow. Just wow. Because I live on the left coast, I didn't get to see Peterson torch the Bears at Solider Field (by the way: the Bears D has given up over 400 yards in 3 of their last 4 games- all loses. Might not be just the quarterback that's the problem there). I got home from church (yup early games start here at 10. I know, tell me about it!), already had a text message from Jer that he had a mancrush on AP, and then the highlights started rolling in. 224, 3 TD's, and that long kick return to set up the game winning field goal (thank you Ryan Longwell. Good lord it's nice to have a reliable kicker for a change!). I couldn't believe my eyes. Everything I had ever hoped Peterson could be he was being. The cuts, the jukes and the speed to the outside. Here was the Adrian Peterson Joely and I marvelled about when he tore up the Big 12 as a freshman. Here was the player that showed the "best in the draft" potential. Could this REALLY be the Minnesota Vikings?
I haven't been this excited about a Vike since Randy Moss' rookie year. Sure, we're not going 15-1 this year, but this team has gone from unwatchable to unmissable. AP is must see TV, and I have a feeling the Vikings won't trouble selling out games for much longer.
As for the ridiculous claims of "2nd best back in the league" or best rookie since Barry Sanders or Gale Sayers? Well it's early. 5 games in. Jer might be the only person more excited than me about this kid, but let's not going carving out his hall-of-fame bust quite yet. Peterson did this as a freshman before a high-ankle sprain ruined his sophomore year and a broken collarbone took away half his junior year. The reason he was there at #7 wasn't because of a lack of talent, but a concern about his durability. So let's wait and see, and if you're a fan of football, hope with fingers and toes crossed that he stays healthy so we can watch him carve up defenses for years to come.
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4 comments:
You obviously weren't watching the Vikings game because the commentary was even more absurd then you are discussing. Brian Baldinger kept saying he was the best player to enter the league since LaDainian, maybe since Eric Dickerson. Then, after one of the long touchdown runs, Baldinger came out and said, "Adrian Peterson is the best back in the NFL TODAY." I was super excited about AP's game but it tempered my excitement to have the announcer making such ludicrous claims after five games in his career.
I agree 1,000% with Luke. You would have thought that Baldinger had held AP in his womb for 9 months listening to that guy. And when he dropped the Costas-esque "best back in the league" reference, I just about fell of the couch.
I think what got overlooked on Sunday was the O-line really clicked. Look, get AP into the secondary against a LB or CB and he makes people just look silly... but he's got to get there first.
I agree with both of you on the overhype, AND on the line blocking well. To make those long runs he was definitely getting into the secondary in a hurry.
However, I don't think the "2nd best back in the league" comment is too far off. When I first read that it was from one of the ESPN guys and I had the same reaction you two did. But then he made his argument, and I looked up the rushing stats for this year- and you know what? I'd take AP right now over every back in the league except Tomlinson.
Seriously.
Who would you rather have than AP? Larry Johnson? Those 900 carries the last couple of years are taking its toll. Fast Willie Parker? Joseph Addai? Products of their system. Ronnie Brown? Doing some pretty nice things in Miami, but I still haven't seen him do what AP did to the Bears.
While the best back ever talk is beyond premature, and he's definitely not better than Tomlinson, I DO think AP falls in line right behind him.
Ok so an AOL fantasy sports writer has now referred to AP as the "Purple Jesus."
Is it blasphemy? Probably. Do I love it just the same? Yes. Yes I do,
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