Categories: General News
| On 8 years ago

Adrian Peterson Clinches his Third Career Rushing Title

By Adam Patrick

Image courtesy of Vikings.com

Thanks to Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin only rushing for 48 yards in today’s game against the Carolina Panthers, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will likely be crowned the 2015 NFL rushing champion. The only way that Peterson can lose the title is if he rushes for -17 yards against the Green Bay Packers tonight.

Given that Peterson has never finished a game with a negative amount of rushing yards in his career, it is more than likely that he will win this season’s rushing title. For Peterson, it will be the third time he has led the league in rushing in his nine year NFL career.

It should seem as quite an accomplishment for Peterson who not only missed 15 games in 2014, but will become just the third running back at the age of 30 or older to ever lead the league in rushing. His statistics this year should prove that he is still one of best running backs in the NFL no matter how old he is.

Adam Patrick

Adam has been rooting for the Vikings ever since he saw Randall Cunningham win NFC Special Teams Player of the week in 1997. Since his career sports highlights include 3rd place at 5th Grade Golf Camp and catching a ball during a soccer game (he was not playing goalie), Adam turned to writing. He considers himself a 'Vikings Realist' as he does not shy away from criticizing the purple and gold if necessary. He will not always write about the popular topics, but his goal is to provide readers with content they cannot find anywhere else. Follow him on Twitter @Str8_Cash_Homey

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        • That was fantastic old buddy! Bring on the Seahags, Fran. To be the best you gotta beat the best. This ain't like 09' or 2012...I think we're built to last. They beat us, we are only gonna come back stronger!

          • They say it's very difficult to beat a team twice in the same year. We'll see. Haven't seen any injury reports yet but not really worried about AD. At this point, and against Seattles's D-line, I like Mckinnon better anyway. Damn, I'm going to Hawaii next Monday, so if we win this game, sure hope I can snag a place to watch the game on the island of Molokai!!

  • Skol Vikings, let's win this game,
    Skol Vikings, honor your name,
    Go get that first down,
    Then get a touchdown.
    Rock 'em . . . Sock 'em
    Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
    Go Vikings, run up the score,
    You'll hear us yell for more. . .
    V-I-K-I-N-G-S
    Skol, Vikings, let's go!

        • Sadly I think CP 84 sealed his fate tonight. Him smiling and laughing after his fumble really pissed me off and I'll bet Zim wasn't too happy either

          • I was absolutely livid with Patterson! His celebration in the Seattle game and his sideline middle school actions after his fumble tonight reveal that he does not understand the team concept. It will be interesting to see how that plays out this week.

            Great performance by the defense tonight... really sucked it up being on the field so long. The time of possession in the 4th qtr had to be one of the most lopsided in the history of football. (And how high did Rhodes jump on that last play? He must have some kind of vertical!)

            Division Champs has a nice ring to it - Skol!

          • I watched that last play a few times Coach and I think Barr was the one who knocked the ball down? Great play by one of those two though.

          • Barr was trailing the play and was at the front of the group when the ball was coming down.. Watch closely and you will see that it was Xavier in the middle of the pack that out jumped everyone and was the first to contact the ball, he knocked it down right it front of Barr.

          • Divison Champs. Been a long time since saying that!
            I wouldn't have it any other way but man, it puts us right back into the fire with Seattle coming to town. Hope it's REAL cold, like 0 or lower.
            Richard Sherman hates the cold. . .

          • It really looked like the d line was gassed with about 5 min left to play, and all of a sudden they were invigorated and started getting after Aaron again. Very impressive. My game ball goes to Everson.

          • I knew people were going to get upset over this! Folks, according to Pro Football Reference this was only the second fumble of Patterson's career. Furthermore, his smiling seemed to me to be Patterson forgetting the last play, as players are taught to do when they mess up, which he only marginally did since the fumble was the result of a spectacular play by the kicker and not an egregious failure on Patterson's part.

            Patterson is still one of the best kickoff returners in the league and we have him under contract for one more year. Assuming things don't blow up during the playoffs or off-season, I can live with him in that role paid according to his rookie contract even if he never catches a pass for us again.

          • I respect those perspectives, cka, and I realize that only people on that sideline really know where his head was. My frustration is it again appears that this guy is not a student of the game, and that will eventually overshadow talent. To fumble is one thing, although I would argue it is the last thing he should allow to happen to him in that time and place, and especially from the kicker. But to then act like a clueless teenager (he wasn't just "smiling") while the most important final minutes of the season are taking place on the field is just not acceptable, and I have little doubt it bothered a lot of his teammates.

            There is a certain amount of intensity that is required of a team FB player, and I don't see it being even remotely adequate in Patterson. You can say, "forget the play", but you really shouldn't to that degree. I need to see him as close to the field as possible, watching, encouraging, and hoping like heck he didn't cost us a championship. I really wish we could know Zimmer's thoughts on it.

  • Skol!

    A victory toast derived from when the ancient Vikings drank from the skulls of their vanquished foes.

    Skol fellow Viking fans! .......... and they didn't give Zach Line a single carry.

    If Rhett Ellison is hurt, SpielMullen better send out the bat signal to JeffMetaUniversalPeaceDugan

    • Maybe they'll start feeding Zach Line lutefisk all week, add 40-50 lbs and line him up at TE for Rhett.

  • Lambeau leap becomes the Lambeau SWEEP! Any guess as to when the last time the Pack was swept at home by its division?

      • That thought had occurred to me after the game and I was talking about it with a few other Vikes fans at work on Monday. We all thought that it must have been a while since all three beat the Pack at Lambeau, but I never would have guessed that it was that long ago. Thanks for the info cc.