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Is Adrian Peterson a Lock for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year?

Written by Rolando Cruz

Sunday, 11 November 2007

{mosimage} If there were any doubts on who will be the 2007 Offensive Rookie of the Year in the NFL, those doubts were all dispelled this past weekend when Adrian Peterson romped through the San Diego Charger defense for a new NFL single game rushing record. Peterson, who chalked up his second 200 yard rushing game this year, ran for 296 yards on 30 carries and scored 3 times. With an average of 129 yards a game, the Viking's rookie is on pace for a 2,000 yard season, which would shatter the rookie rushing mark set by Eric Dickerson in 1983, when he ran for 1,808 yards.

Yet as good as Peterson is there were question marks about his durability when the Minnesota Vikings made the Oklahoma junior the 7^th overall pick in 2007 NFL Draft. After all, Adrian's history of injuries in college raised a few red flags among NFL Draft pundits. What's more, the 6-1, 220 lbs back was said to run too upright, presenting to tempting a target for defenders to hit. They said he would absorb too much punishment running that way, much the same way Earl Campbell or Eddie George absorbed too much punishment during their spectacular NFL careers.

Still, there were plenty of upsides of course, and the upsides seem to far outweigh the risks in the eyes of the Minnesota Vikings, who went ahead and drafted the best back the franchise has had since the days Chuck Foreman. Among his stellar attributes, the powerfully built Peterson has great balance and vision to run between the tackles. He is patient enough to let the hole in front of him develop and then use his quickness and breakaway speed (he runs a 40 in 4.47) to accelerate through. His speed also allows him to bounce runs outside and beat defenders to the edge. As an added bonus Peterson has a pair of soft hands, which like LaDainian Tomlinson, make him an affective weapon in the Viking's passing game.

Coming of age as soon as running mate Chester Taylor went down with an injury during the first game of the season, Peterson went on to gain 169 yards from scrimmage his first outing. The game included a spectacular 60-yard touchdown run after catching a short swing out pass. Juggling the ball as he accelerated past the flat-footed Falcon defense, that spectacular run should have been taken as an omen by the rest of the league for what was yet to come. Four games later Peterson tore through the Chicago Bears defense for a Viking's single game rushing record of 224 yards. As if that was not enough, Adrian added additional yardage on receptions and kickoff returns, to top out at over 300 total yards for the game.

At the halfway mark of the season, the incomparable rookie has already tallied 1,036 yards rushing, and added 9 touchdowns along the way. His performance thus far would easily make him the runaway winner of the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award, even if never carried the ball again this year. In fact, were Tom Brady not in the midst of a record setting season, you could bet that Adrian Peterson would have a shot at the league MVP as well. Some things though, are best left for another season.

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Lloyds Apple said:

	Well, AP has torn his lateral collateral ligament. If I'm the Vikings, I sit Peterson the rest of the season and draft players who compliment his game. Then, I cross my fingers that he'll be healthy for a few years.
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