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Adrian Peterson has a new team
The Seattle Seahawks have made a final decision on the status of running back Adrian Peterson against the San Francisco 49ers.
Just days after he was signed by the team’s practice squad, the 36-year-old will put on the suit against the Niners on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“The Seahawks will activate Adrian Peterson off the practice team for Sunday’s game against the 49ers, according to the source,” says Fowler. “Wasting little time putting it to work.”
Peterson was hired on Wednesday, December 1. The urgency to move Peterson into the lineup shows not only how the Seahawks are truly in “win now yes or yes” mode, but also how decimated their running pool is.
Starting running back Chris Carson has been out since Week 5 with a neck injury and is now off-season. Alex Collins has stepped in as a starter in his absence and has struggled drastically. The 27-year-old has rushed 101 times for 395 yards with just 3.9 yards per carry.
The Seahawks rank 25th in carries with 92.5 yards per game. While the running game clearly needs to be improved, especially considering Russell Wilson’s struggles, it is a big question mark whether or not relying on a 36-year-old to pull it off will.
The Seahawks have to win yes or yes
Ian Rapoport de NFL Network reported Thursday, December 2, that Pete Carroll’s reasoning for signing Peterson was because the Seahawks are in “yes or yes” mode.
“The answer [de Carroll] it was along the same lines as ‘He helps us win now,’ ”Rapoport said. “That’s the way the Seahawks are, hiring Adrian Peterson to come in and give their running game a little shake-up. Obviously, they’ve lost Chris Carson to a season-ending neck injury and they really struggled to get the ball around a bit. “
Peterson played in three games and started in two of them for the Tennessee Titans before being released just before their Week 12 game against the New England Patriots. He rushed for just 82 yards on 27 carries (3.0 yards per carry).
Not to mention how the former NFL MVP didn’t make it to training camp, preseason, or the first few games of the year. He wasn’t signed by the Titans until early November.
At 3-8, the Seahawks are desperate for a win to salvage their slim playoff hopes. Signing and playing Peterson could be seen as a sign of that desperation.
Why did the Seahawks sign Peterson?
While the hiring of the 36-year-old running back drew attention in the league, Carroll explained to journalists why he signed the last remaining non-specialist from the 2007 NFL Draft: his work ethic.
“It’s a big part just because it’s a rare opportunity for our guys to see someone like that, who has that kind of experience but represents so much more than just the numbers and the stats and all of that,” Carroll said. “He has always been an extraordinary competitor. It was so obvious. It was really an encouragement for a group of guys, young people in particular. He takes gambling seriously. It is not here just to show. He is here to come here and try to help us win a game. “
Peterson occupies the fifth place of all time on the rushing yards list (14,902). In fact, he is within attacking distance of Barry Sanders with 15,269 yards for fourth place. Yet despite his accomplishments, Peterson has never advanced to a Super Bowl. In fact, the last time he won a playoff game was during the 2009 season when the Minnesota Vikings advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
Despite the Seahawks’ dismal current record, they will rely on Peterson to hopefully lead them to the postseason.
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