Adrian Peterson, already the hottest celebrity in this town, was accommodating autograph seekers at last Friday night’s Timberwolves game. Neither those seeking the wondrous one’s signature, nor anyone else on the planet, had any idea that less than 48 hours later the 22-year-old rookie from the University of Oklahoma would set a single game NFL rushing record at the Metrodome against a San Diego defense that was giving up less than 100 yards per game rushing.
Peterson ran over, through and by the Chargers for 296 yards, breaking Jamal Lewis’ record of 295 yards set in 2003 playing for Baltimore. Peterson’s one for the Hall of Fame day included touchdown runs of 46 and 64 yards. Hello, Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson, Jim Brown and any other NFL immortal ball carriers not included here.
Peterson has demonstrated in just eight games, half a season, that unless injury or accident stops him, he’s on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, packing a resume that will put him in the company of the NFL’s greatest running backs ever. He has stormed into the world’s best football league as if he were still playing in Norman, Oklahoma, or even his high school home town of Palestine, Texas. He leads the NFL in rushing with 1,036 yards, about 300 yards more than runner-up Willie Parker of Pittsburgh. Among fellow rookies, Marshawn Lynch of Buffalo is next with 696 yards. At Oklahoma Peterson had six games during a three year career where he ran for over 200 yards. With the Vikings he already has two 200 plus yard games, an NFL record for a rookie.
If Peterson doubles his 1,036 yards in the next eight games and finishes with 2,072 he will break two NFL season rushing records held by Dickerson. In 1983 Dickerson rushed for 1,808 yards as a rookie. The next season he set the NFL rushing record for one season with 2,105. (Note: among Smith, Payton, Sanders and Brown, only Sanders gained more than 1,000 yards as a rookie rushing for 1,470 yards.)
Peterson’s speed and strength enable him to do the extraordinary, breaking tackles, creating openings and running past defenders, while leaving looks of amazement on all concerned. Yes, there is some skilled blocking by the Vikings’ offensive linemen and receivers but Peterson’s gifted running makes the blocking often look better than it is. What a luxury for coach Brad Childress, who is 5-13 in his last 18 games, to have Peterson leading an offense that has often been challenged to produce more than a touchdown or two per game.
Final word to those autograph seekers from the Timbe