Minnesota Vikings: Will Adrian Peterson Win a Super Bowl?
By Nick Ziegler
Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings has been one of the best running backs in the NFL, but success in the playoffs has eluded him so far.
The Minnesota Vikings took a big step forward last season, as they were able to win the NFC North and made it into the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Vikings lost a tough game in the first round of the playoffs to the Seattle Seahawks.
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Despite being eliminated in the Wild Card Round last season, Adrian Peterson is confident that the Vikings have a good chance to win a Super Bowl this season.
“We are going to have a good chance to win it this year — win everything,” Peterson told Peter King of TheMMQB.com. “Sit back and watch. Sit back and watch. You can be like, ‘I thought you guys were at least a couple of years away.’ Nope. You sit back and watch, this year.”
Peterson has had a great career so far, as he has totaled over 11,000 rushing yards in his career with an MVP in 2012. The great individual career by Peterson will get him into the Hall of Fame one day, but he is focused on raising a Lombardi Trophy.
“I don’t spend too much time thinking about [winning another rushing title],” Peterson said to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. “But it’s a seed planted in my brain, and it’s sticking there. Everything in me is championship, championship and then breaking records. It’s a part of me. I am pushing myself to the max to win a Super Bowl, and then to break Emmitt’s [all-time rushing] record and Eric Dickerson’s [single-season rushing] record. It is my everyday life, what I think of every day. Mostly it’s that Super Bowl. Then the whole world will remember you.”
Peterson is over 30-years-old now, which is generally the beginning of the end for running backs, but Peterson has always been a different breed.
“Not to be cocky or anything, but I know, at 31, my end is going to be better than my beginning,” Peterson told King. “One thing I know, and will remain true: These young guys will never outwork me. I put my body through the grind. . . . I don’t get into the 30-year-old running back thing, that you’re done at 30. I am getting stronger with age.”
The Vikings should certainly be back in the playoffs in 2016 barring any significant injuries, but they will need more than just Peterson to win a Super Bowl. The development of Teddy Bridgewater will be key for the Vikings in 2016, as if he improves a bit, they can go all the way.
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As great as Peterson has been in the regular season for the Vikings, he hasn’t had that same success in the postseason in his career. In five playoff games, Peterson has totaled 412 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, and surprisingly low 3.6 yards per carry average.
2016 will be a great opportunity for Peterson to win a Super Bowl, as even though he doesn’t want to admit it, he won’t be an explosive running back forever.