Kendricks Can’t Wait to Play Peterson Week One
Joe Johnson
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Training camp is almost here! So, that means that the top daily story will no-longer be 750 words about something a player said… Just a thought/note from the mind of this site’s editor.
So, in case you hadn’t heard… Adrian Peterson no longer plays for the Minnesota Vikings. After a decade or so of the best career, a Vikings running back has ever had, Peterson left for browner pastures in New Orleans after a free agency period where teams showed little interest in the running back whose diminishing skills are really only useful in a certain type of offense. So, because the cosmos are a strange, strange place, of course, Peterson ended up playing for the team that the Vikings are facing the first week of the season. Not only that, that game will be nationally televised thanks to the Monday Night Football crew.
With that game (finally) being within striking distance, the media has begun talking to players on the team about their thoughts on playing against their former teammate. One of those players is Eric Kendricks who was live on NFL Network today talking the Vikings and Adrian Peterson. You can view the video HERE.
First question, how much better can the team be without AP?
Kendricks; AP lead the league in rushing my first year, he’s a physical specimen as well. However, Kendricks pivoted to the new Vikes backfield by saying he’s excited by the new “stable” that has “a lot to prove”. He talked about playing AP in practice and because of that firstpersone experience, Kendricks expects Peterson to excel with the Saints, giving an example of AP running him over in practice. He then says he can’t wait to play him and that essentially that’s the only game on the schedule he remembers.
Talking about the Packers and stopping their division dominance:
Kendricks says they have the players (on paper) that they need to take over the NFC North, but they just need consitency. Being fairly honest for someone that is trained to speak in football speak, he talks about the plays they needed to take advantage of to stop the Pack. The co-host co-signed Kendricks and essentially said that if the Vikes stay healthy, the Packers (and league) are in trouble. I couldn’t agree more. The co-host then goes into the offensive and the work that Spielman has done putting together a decent offensive line and back-field (on paper) and said that he expects to see the Vikings come out and play like they did when they went undefeated before the bye last season. Kendricks finishes by again saying as long as the D stays healthy and consistent, the sky is the limit.
I feel like people are sleeping on the potential this Vikings team has this season, both nationally and locally. I get that last season the hype behind having Teddy and AP going into the season was HUGE and that it’s different now with Bradford and Cook/Murray, but still, we’ve kept our defensive together and added depth while completely overhauling the offense to suit the needs of the league’s most accurate passer in Sam Bradford. So, I’m with Kendricks, the sky is the limit for this squad and I can’t wait to watch/cover it!