I meant to link to this Access Vikings post by Dan Wiederer earlier in the week where Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson and Vikings great Chuck Foreman got into a discussion about whether Peterson should return from his high ankle sprain this Sunday.
Foreman was dead set against it, and even with Peterson now saying he's "80 per cent", I'd be happy to see him sit out against the Lions this Sunday as well. The reason is obvious enough. Why come back when you're not 100 per cent (or close to it), your team is 2-10 and you're playing a squad that's perceived as dirty?
Another week on the sidelines won't hurt the Vikings or Peterson. It also gives the team some more time to see what Toby Gerhart is like as the featured back. (For the record, when Gerhart gets some daylight, I enjoy watching him boll over a defender or three. He punishes defenders.)
I grimace when I hear Peterson talk like he did yesterday in this ESPN 1500 post by Tom Pelissero. But with Pelissero and his colleague Judd Zulgad wondering of late why the Vikings would play Peterson again in a lost season, they have to understand there is more at play here than the common good.
As Peterson points out in Pelissero's piece, he wants to rush for 1,000 yards again and he can't do that on the sidelines in street clothes. There are also monetary reasons why Peterson would want to get back in the lineup. He probably gets bonuses for reaching a 1,000 yards and earning a Pro Bowl berth.
My guess is we will see Peterson suiting up on Sunday. I hope Christian Ponder is feeling up to it as well.
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2 comments:
Another reason Adrian Peterson wants to play is that defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairly are both out. Whoever starts could have a really big day. Minnesota in an upset?
Anon:
Nope.
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