Adrian Peterson feels Eddie Lacy's pain
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- If anyone knows what Eddie Lacy has gone through the last couple of weeks, it's Adrian Peterson.
Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings' star running back, has spent most of his NFL career dealing with defenses that game plan to stop him, which is exactly what Lacy, the Green Bay Packers' rookie running back, has faced the last two games.
Without starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who hasn't played since his Nov. 4 broken collarbone, Lacy has found things much more difficult. As we noted on Monday, in the last two games, the Packers have faced seven or more defenders in the box nearly twice as often in the last two games, according to ESPN Stats & Information, as they did in the first eight, when opposing defensive coordinators had to prepare for Rodgers and the Packers' prolific passing game.
Rarely in his seven-year NFL career with the Vikings has Peterson had the luxury of playing with a top-tier quarterback. Perhaps only in 2009, when Brett Favre had the better of his two seasons with the Vikings, did Peterson have that.
He certainly doesn't have it this year, when the Vikings have used three different quarterbacks (Christian Ponder, Matt Cassel and Josh Freeman).
"When you're not really passing the ball that well, teams can focus on the run, especially when you're a run-first team," Peterson said Wednesday during a conference call with reporters at Lambeau Field. "So it makes it difficult when the quarterback play is not up to par."
While the Packers have been pleased with the play of backup quarterback Scott Tolzien, who will make his second straight start on Sunday against the Vikings, so far he hasn't convinced opposing defensive coordinators to sit back and play coverage.
Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings' star running back, has spent most of his NFL career dealing with defenses that game plan to stop him, which is exactly what Lacy, the Green Bay Packers' rookie running back, has faced the last two games.
Without starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who hasn't played since his Nov. 4 broken collarbone, Lacy has found things much more difficult. As we noted on Monday, in the last two games, the Packers have faced seven or more defenders in the box nearly twice as often in the last two games, according to ESPN Stats & Information, as they did in the first eight, when opposing defensive coordinators had to prepare for Rodgers and the Packers' prolific passing game.
Rarely in his seven-year NFL career with the Vikings has Peterson had the luxury of playing with a top-tier quarterback. Perhaps only in 2009, when Brett Favre had the better of his two seasons with the Vikings, did Peterson have that.
He certainly doesn't have it this year, when the Vikings have used three different quarterbacks (Christian Ponder, Matt Cassel and Josh Freeman).
"When you're not really passing the ball that well, teams can focus on the run, especially when you're a run-first team," Peterson said Wednesday during a conference call with reporters at Lambeau Field. "So it makes it difficult when the quarterback play is not up to par."
While the Packers have been pleased with the play of backup quarterback Scott Tolzien, who will make his second straight start on Sunday against the Vikings, so far he hasn't convinced opposing defensive coordinators to sit back and play coverage.
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