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.
Showing posts with label Adrian Peterson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adrian Peterson. Show all posts
Adrian Peterson Is Overrated
Yes, AD (All Day and he prefers AD over AP) is a fantasy stud and when you watch him play, it's like magic. Like the first time you heard the Bealtes. Like the first time, whole you were in junior high and you got that... sorry, trying to be more professional. Assuming you're not watching him destroy like like us Bears fans are used to seeing him do, he's very good. From the "intangibles" stand point, he's extremely fast once he gets into the open field, eluding tacklers, and getting past his sub-par offensive line. But this is GOI, who are we to actually judge a player from an "intangibles" standpoint. We judge players by statistics. Which is why AD is overrated.
First though, more intangibles. AD is not an every down back. Sure, he does wonders normally on the second and first downs, but if you're supposed to be the best, why aren't you in on every down? Which means that 1) AD is a poor blocker and 2) AD is a poor pass catcher. In today's NFL, it takes more than running with the ball to be considered the best running back. You need to do everything. When LT was in his prime, he was able to not only run (amazingly) and catch the ball, but he was in on every down and even threw about 3 TDs per year. Guys like Chris Johnson, Ray Rice, DeAngelo Williams and even Steve Slaton and Matt Forte are able to catch and block as well as run. These guys, when playing, also play every down (sure Williams loses carries to Jonathan Stewart and Slaton now is losing carries to Ryan Moats and Chris Brown, but none of those back ups are considered "third down backs" like Chester Taylor, AD's back up, is). Peterson also fumbles like crazy. Turnovers are the single biggest factor to why teams win games and AD is prone to helping out the other team. Chris Colinsworth pointed out in last Sunday's game, when the Vikings schlacked the Bears, that most coaches would pull their RB if they fumbled as often as AD does. So yes, to Peterson's credit he has the ability, as Colinsworth pointed out, to stay in the because his talent outwieghs his proneness to fumble. But still, if you want to be considered the best back, like people think of AD, you need to better. In 2.5 years, AD has fumbled a whooping 19 times. AD leads all RBs this year with 6 rushing fumbles and is second only to Matt Cassel's seven this year. But if if you take away all that, AD is still overrated.
His run blocking offensive line has never been the greatest, which gives a big check mark to AD for him being able to do what he does, and he still is an amazing runner. Just not the best. He has a career 5.0 YPC, which is amazing. But if we're considering him as the best back in the game, that's just OK. This year, AD only ranks 13th in YPC behind greats like Chris Johnson, DeAngelo Williams, Michael Turner and Frank Gore. And as footballoutsiders.com shows, AD is just good. He ranks 9th in DYAR and 15th in DVOA. Guys that are better than him in both categories: Steven Jackson (1st in both), Chris Johnson (2nd in both), DeAngelo Williams (3rd and 7th respectively), Ryan Grant (4th and 10th respectively), and Michael Turner (5th and 8th respectively).
Not to reign ALL over AD's parade because he is t-2nd in TDs, 2nd in rushes over 20 yards, 3rd in YPG, and first in first downs, but if you want to be considered the best back right now you have to do MORE than that.
So for the four of you who voted AD as the best NFC RB over Turner, Williams, and Jackson, I hope this post changed your mind.
First though, more intangibles. AD is not an every down back. Sure, he does wonders normally on the second and first downs, but if you're supposed to be the best, why aren't you in on every down? Which means that 1) AD is a poor blocker and 2) AD is a poor pass catcher. In today's NFL, it takes more than running with the ball to be considered the best running back. You need to do everything. When LT was in his prime, he was able to not only run (amazingly) and catch the ball, but he was in on every down and even threw about 3 TDs per year. Guys like Chris Johnson, Ray Rice, DeAngelo Williams and even Steve Slaton and Matt Forte are able to catch and block as well as run. These guys, when playing, also play every down (sure Williams loses carries to Jonathan Stewart and Slaton now is losing carries to Ryan Moats and Chris Brown, but none of those back ups are considered "third down backs" like Chester Taylor, AD's back up, is). Peterson also fumbles like crazy. Turnovers are the single biggest factor to why teams win games and AD is prone to helping out the other team. Chris Colinsworth pointed out in last Sunday's game, when the Vikings schlacked the Bears, that most coaches would pull their RB if they fumbled as often as AD does. So yes, to Peterson's credit he has the ability, as Colinsworth pointed out, to stay in the because his talent outwieghs his proneness to fumble. But still, if you want to be considered the best back, like people think of AD, you need to better. In 2.5 years, AD has fumbled a whooping 19 times. AD leads all RBs this year with 6 rushing fumbles and is second only to Matt Cassel's seven this year. But if if you take away all that, AD is still overrated.
His run blocking offensive line has never been the greatest, which gives a big check mark to AD for him being able to do what he does, and he still is an amazing runner. Just not the best. He has a career 5.0 YPC, which is amazing. But if we're considering him as the best back in the game, that's just OK. This year, AD only ranks 13th in YPC behind greats like Chris Johnson, DeAngelo Williams, Michael Turner and Frank Gore. And as footballoutsiders.com shows, AD is just good. He ranks 9th in DYAR and 15th in DVOA. Guys that are better than him in both categories: Steven Jackson (1st in both), Chris Johnson (2nd in both), DeAngelo Williams (3rd and 7th respectively), Ryan Grant (4th and 10th respectively), and Michael Turner (5th and 8th respectively).
Not to reign ALL over AD's parade because he is t-2nd in TDs, 2nd in rushes over 20 yards, 3rd in YPG, and first in first downs, but if you want to be considered the best back right now you have to do MORE than that.
So for the four of you who voted AD as the best NFC RB over Turner, Williams, and Jackson, I hope this post changed your mind.
