Adrian Peterson Stats

To call Adrian Peterson’s statistics good would be an understatement. To call them anything less than awe-inspiring would be to insult the "slobber-knocking" hits he delivers to defenders. He delivers hits with power not seen since Jim Brown with the grace of Walter Payton. Running backs simply do not do the things Adrian Peterson does. His hands are so strong that he sprained the fingers of more than one journalist or non-football playing human just by shaking it. Though he had seven fumbles in 200 and nine in 2008, you can gather that the football is just trying to escape from his titan-esque grasp from sheer pain and the fear of the next impact with an un-witting defender.

1. Small sample size. In only four years in the NFL, Peterson has rushed for 5782 yards with an average of 4.8 yards per carry. Only once in his short career has he not rushed for at least 1,300 and that was in 2010 when he missed that mark by two yards. He also has rushed for 52 touchdowns in his four years in the league. It is hard to convey Adrian Peterson’s open field explosiveness. To get an idea of what he is able to do in the open field, consider that he has 52 rushes for 20+ yards, 14 of 40+ yards, a career high 80-yard touchdown run rushing and a 63-yard return receiving. In his rookie year of 2007, he even returned a kick 53 yards.

2. Strong hands. Though Adrian Peterson is not known for his receiving skills, he has become a dependable receiver out of the backfield for the Minnesota Vikings. With wheel routes and screens, the Vikings offense has been diverse and formidable during Peterson’s tenure. Peterson has 1,170 receiving yards to go along with his 5000+ yards on the ground and two receiving touchdowns as well. Though Adrian Peterson’s statistics do not reflect his blocking ability, he is considered an above average blocker and smart when it comes to picking up the blitz.

3. Awards. Peterson won the 2008 NFL Pro Bowl MVP and was also named the 2007 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. He also owns the single game rushing mark with a staggering 296 yards and has the most 200 yard game by a rookie for two 200-yard performances in 2007.