These are the words that former Giants RB Tiki Barber uttered when talking about quote unquote, the best back in the game. It's been well documented that AD loved to cough up the ball and fumbles. A LOT. This year, Peterson led all running backs in fumbles. The same in 2008 and still coughed up the ball a fair amount is rookie year in 07 as well.
Fumbling was the major criticism I had of Peterson for what's preventing him from being considered the best running back in the game. In real life, as of now, I would take both Chris Johnson and Ray Rice ahead of AD and would have to think real hard about if I wanted MJD over AD. This should be a no-brainer; it should be Adrian Peterson hands down with his ability to make people miss and his break away speed. But because of his fumbling (and his lack of ability to catch the ball- but who really cares if you're as good of a runner as AD is), Peterson is still only top five.
There are obvious ways to addressing a fumbling problem. This isn't like baseball where you try to teach a player about how to walk more, this problem can be solved. Hell, Tiki had this problem early in his career (which I think makes this criticism much more valid). Last year, when Rashard Mendenhall has a fumbling problem in pre-season, his head coach Mike Tomlin forced Mendenhalll to walk around with a football at all times while his fellow teammates would try and knock the ball out of Mendenhall's hands. If a player did knock it out, Mendenhall would be punished.
But the easiest way for Peterson to stop fumbling is by changing the way he holds on to the ball. Right now, AD holds the ball away low and away from his body- making it significantly easier for defenders to strip the ball. Tiki suggests what is known as the "high-and-tight" style. Besides the obvious sexual innuendos I could make right now, this approach is pretty basic. You hold the ball up on your chest and close to your body. This makes it harder for defenders to strip the ball.
However, the best and the most constant way RBs hold on to the ball is that the hold on to the ball with your forearm. Hold on one end of the ball in your palm, place the other end against your bicep, and hold one side against your forearm. Doing this places pressure on multiple parts of your arm keeping the ball in place. Doing this allows allows flexibility in your movement because you can still swing your arms. Doing so also places enough pressure that makes it very difficult for defenders to knock the ball out of your hands, for even if they do hit and make contact with the ball, they will likely not knock the ball out of the ball carriers hands. (I swear I saw this on Sports Science I just can't find the clip where they do so. If you find it, please let me know)
There are clearly easy and doable solutions for Adrian Peterson to stop his fumbling problem and making him an even better back.
I never understood how Tiki was able to hold the ball like he did. I doubt too many guys can pull that off.
ReplyDeleteHis problem is taking the ball away from his body when running. It seems instinctual hence hard to change. When I play hockey and get knocked to the ground, I always instinctively let go of the stick on the way down, probably to protect myself from the fall. I've tried to hold onto it, but just cant do it. Peterson may have a similar problem
Adrian does "instictively" hold the ball away from his body and that's the problem. I'm sure it's not going to be easy to change this style, but a change is absolutely possible and necessary.
ReplyDeleteThere are certain things in sports that you flat out just can't change. You can't force a baseball player to have a better eye. You can't force a RB to gain better vision to hit a hole.
But stopping a fumbling problem is something that can be done. Sure it may be hard, but there's no time like the present to change things.