Will AD get 2000 yards this season?

[stoopified]

This is his stated personal goal for the season.Tell me what you think and why.

Personally, I don't see it.AD is a great player but is splitting time with Taylor at RB and also has one of the worst QBS in the NFL running his offense.Tavaris Jackson makes VY look like a legit NFL QB.

Unless Jackson improves dramatically ,opposing defenses will load up against AD and stop the run.Without a decnt NFL caliber passing attack to bolster the Vikes offense I think AD will have only limited sucess.Under those conditions 1200-1400 yards would be about all that can be expected of AD.I am a big AD fan and Ihope I'm wrong but I just don't see 2000 as a reachable goal.After all it has only been done 4 or so times in NFL history.

[trey]

i just hope he can stay healthy for a full season

[Bone]

I think it is possible but not likely.

[JLEW1818]

I don't think so. I do think he makes the playoffs.

[Theskipster]

No. Just like his sophomore and junior college years, NFL defenses are just going to put 8 guys in the box focused on Peterson. For many of the same reasons colleges did.

[r5TPsooner]

Too injury prone IMHO especially with his running style.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

I believe he can. I don't think 8 in the box can stop him. Only AD can stop AD...

[Bone]

or Chuck Norris

[soonermix]

the biggest hurdle facing ad to getting to 2k yards is injury.
seeing that he is the all time single game rushing leader in nfl history it is certainly within the realm of possibliity

[soonerfan28]

No. Just like his sophomore and junior college years, defenses are just going to put 8 guys in the box focused on Peterson. For many of the same reasons.

Didn't they do that last year? I think they need to trade Taylor. If not this year then next.

[Theskipster]

Didn't they do that last year? I think they need to trade Taylor. If not this year then next.

They stacked 8 and sometimes 9 after the Charger's game and his production took a serious drop for the rest of the year.

[JLEW1818]

He has 1 season under his belt, and so do the defenders playing against AD. He will be one of the leading rushers in the league. You have to look how inconsistent running backs are in the NFL now days.

[douxpaysan]

No, but should have another great year. I believe the QB play will improve and the Vikes will be contending.

[Curly Bill]

It's the kinda deal where it's possible he could get 2,000 but so many things have to work out for him (no bad games, no injuries, etc) that it's not probable.

...and this should have been a pole. :D

[silverwheels]

No, he won't, but he'll still have a great year.

[kbsooner21]

You can't consistently put 8 and 9 guys in the box in the NFL and get away with it imo. The QB play will be much improved, they have a decent WR corps. It'll be tough, no doubt, but it can be done.

[Soonermagik]

NO!!!

Defenses are really going to key in on him this year. The vikes must show they can pass the ball or he is going to have a sophomore slump.

[JDawg2303]

If you look at last year, he was on pace to breaking Eric Dickerson's record and getting 2000....until he got injured. So injury is the big question. It's possible but not likely unless Jackson breaks out which is likely because he showed promise toward the end of last season.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

FWIW I'll get to watch a few games live this year. :D

[stoopified]

You can't consistently put 8 and 9 guys in the box in the NFL and get away with it imo. The QB play will be much improved, they have a decent WR corps. It'll be tough, no doubt, but it can be done.For most teams in the NFL that would be true but when you have one of the worst QBs in the laeague (like Jackson of Minnesota) you can take that chance.

[okieslp]

If the Vikes can get a Defensive Coordinator to believe that they Can and Will throw the ball, then AD has a shot. Otherwise their opponents can save a little on salary and get any one of us to go out and call a game against them. I mean run left, run right, run up the middle. It isn't that difficult when you know the play ;)

That being said, barring a serious injury, I see AD getting a 1,000 easy!

[soonerfan28]

They stacked 8 and sometimes 9 after the Charger's game and his production took a serious drop for the rest of the year.

The Chargers were stacking 8 in the box with Merriman and they still couldn't shut him down.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y3IaMr_S508

[piusbovis]

You also have to consider that he spent his off-season working on blocking. From what I've read it's not entirely fair to blame stacking the box solely on QB play, since AD was mostly taken out for many passing plays because of his blocking. So even TJack aside when AD was in teams knew he was going to run it. With improved blocking he will be on the field for more plays making it a greater gamble to stack the box.

[jkjsooner]

The odds are against it but ifhe stays healthy he'll get a chance.

If Peterson improves in pass blocking and catching he will be used more on third downs. Last year it took him several games to be the main guy at RB. Taylor will still get his carries but the workload will go a little more to Peterson this year than last I predict.

Peterson's sophomore slump at OU was mainly due to worse QB production, injury, and a much weaker offensive line. QB production should improve and the the Vikes still have a great offensive line.

I believe the Vikes have improved a lot at WR and I keep hearing that Jackson is improving. We'll see.


I wonder how McFadden will do....

[snp]

No but he'll come pretty close if you combine his receiving yards. Only had 19 catches last year for 268 yards for an average of 19 ypg. I could see him doubling that total.

[bosworthsteroidmafia]

I think AD has a great shot at 2000 yds.

Yes, opposing D's will stack the box. However, as others mentioned, he had some of his best games against some of the best run defenses in the league (Chargers, Bears - who stacked the box against him) - so I don't think this means everything. The Viking's O-line is a force.

Although he played a lot by anyone's measure, Peterson began last season splitting time before becoming the clear-cut starter. This year, AD will be the clear starter from day 1. I expect Taylor to spell AD and take some short yardage situations, but by and large, I think AD will get 20-25 carries a game.

I'm still in the camp that thinks AD's injuries have been fluke for the most part. Even this past season, he only missed 2 games after suffering a torn ligament - and he came back right where he left off. Given his ambition, work-ethic and high standards, I can only assume that another off-season in a pro weight-room/conditioning program will render AD as durable as ever. That said, I do acknowledge his track record with injury and it's status as a byproduct of how he plays the game. This could definitely be the largest hurdle in front of a 2,000 yard season.

Tarvaris Jackson is not nearly as bad as his criticisms would make him seem. He showed a lot of improvement over the course of last year and had little to work with. Sidney Rice could easily blossom into a big-play receiver and Berrian will add some stability/consistency to the inexperienced receiving corps. Granted, this is probably the Viking's weakest link, but I think they'll be good enough to keep defenses honest.

Off topic, but I think Jared Allen will make the Vike's D-line one of the best in the game. Pat Williams, Kevin Williams and Jared Allen? That is pretty ridiculous. With Greenway at LB and a healthy RUFUS coming in... Darren Sharper, Winfield and bonghorn griffin in the secondary... not a bad D overall.

Further off-topic, I can't wait to laugh at DMAC and the Raiders. I'm tired of the comparisons. I think McFadden is in for a rude awakening and doesn't possess near the lower-body strength that AD does. When you watch his college highlights, he has so many untouched long runs - and (comparatively) very few broken tackles. He's not a leg's driving, push-the-pile sort of runner. If he doesn't get defenders with his great stiff arm while running fast (which I'll admit he is good at), he seems to go down fairly easily. He reminds me of Jerious Norwood of the ATL Falcons - blistering, freak athlete who breaks a big one in open space every once in a while, but is not a consistently physical runner through the tackles. Reggie Bush also comes to mind.

[JDawg2303]

I also agree about your assessment of Reggie Bush. When the draft is approaching, I kept telling friends and family that Reggie Bush wouldn't make it in the NFL as a RB. He would make a great WR but he's not a NFL-caliber RB. I got laughed at and basically ignored. Guess what? Reggie Bush's success (or lack thereof, marketing not included) is attributed to the pass and Special Teams, not the rush. DMac is the same although slightly better at the rush. Coupled that with being on the Raiders, he's doomed. He may be considered a bust if one of two things happen, the Raiders improve drastically with Russell under center and DMac in the backfield or DMac gets traded to another team (which I doubt will happen). DMac is not the second coming of AD. There's only ONE!!

[JLEW1818]

Mario Williams has giving me a lot more the bush has giving NO.



There's only one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UARRYr292ig

[shaun4411]

peterson would get 1000 even with injury. i definitely see 1500 yards. maybe something close, to tease the 2k mark , like 1850. but not quite 2k. i think he could set the nfl record for most 2k seasons though if he wants.