The Pros and Cons Of Adrian Peterson to the Saints
When news broke out of Adrian Peterson joining Drew Brees in the Big Easy, there have been a lot of takes on the move. Some think it is a great move. Others? Not so much. To me, if it pays off for New Orleans it will PAY OFF. If it doesn't, this will be a disaster, thus contributing to New Orleans continuing their freefall from the NFL ranks.
To me, if you look at the NFC South the last couple of years, the Saints are the one team that there isn't a lot of Hope Springs Eternal like you have with Atlanta and Tampa Bay or had (and possibly still have) in Carolina. Yes, Drew Brees is probably still "elite" and on that same level as we think of Rodgers and even Brady and is probably going down as the best gunslinger QB in NFL history. However, when you look past Brees, what does New Orleans have? Nothing.
If you look at the run game with Mark Ingram and Tim Hightower it has been consistently inconsistent over the time. You see flashes of brilliance from Ingram, who was the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, but he is either dinged up or doesn't show up when the Saints need him to. HIghtower is a solid backup but not necessarily a guy you want having the bulk of the carries.
And of course, there is the defense. The much maligned Saints defense has really been the team's albatross since 2010 and has never been the same since Bounty-Gate happened. It is one of the worst defenses we've seen constantly put up over this time. I get New Orleans likes to fling the ball around which means less time of possession on the offense and it wears on a defense. It will wear thin on any defense really.
So I am going to look at the key positives for the Saints of getting Adrian Peterson.
1. Defenses have to be mindful when to blitz Brees. Teams in the last few seasons have jumped after New Orleans and pressuring Brees on a constant basis. He still looks like Brees, but even he has looked human at times. With Peterson there, it will keep teams honest and blitzing him will have to be wise choices.
2. Saints may use ball control offense more. One thing that really hurt the Saints the last few years is with a lack of a run game, Brees had to pass in 4th quarters when they had leads. Incompletions and Interceptions were a result. Now the Saints do not have that problem. Added to it, if the Saints find strength with the running game it can keep their defense, that has been a disaster, on the sideline. It means for the Saints defense they will be a little more rested and possibly make a few stops they haven't been able to make the last few seasons. So in a way, if this pans out, this signing actually helps the defense.
3. Both Peterson and Ingram can share the load. Both are getting up there in age for running backs. That's a duh comment, but neither one can really shoulder the load at this point given their injury histories (Yes, you DO have to take that into account). But if one is doing their thing and the defenses prepare for that, the other comes in and it is a bit different of a style to handle. It will create more havoc for defenses.
Now, of course there are skeptics of this move and I do look at it as well.
1. Small Sample Size Or A Sign Of Things To Come? Peterson only played 3 games in 2016. He was injured in the 2nd game against Green Bay and then played against Indianapolis in Week 14. Before the injury, Peterson had only 50 yards on 31 rushes in Week 1 v. Tennessee and Week 2 vs. Green Bay (1.61 Yds/Att). Granted it was only two weeks. And the game he came back, 6 rushes on 22 carries (3.67 Yds/Att). A little more reasonable, but well below his rushing average of 4.9 per attempt. If this is the taste of the future, the Saints will be no better than having Ingram/Hightower.
2. Old Man at Running Back: Peterson is 32. In running back years, that is equivalent to being a 40 year old pitcher in baseball (or close to that). It means perhaps you can still contribute, but your best days are long gone. Saints fans may argue to look at Darren Sproles and how he has survived over time. Sproles survived in part because he was NEVER a #1 back at any point in his career. He backed Tomlinson, Ingram, and McCoy over his time. Sproles has played more games obviously, but has only garnered 1/4th of the rushes Peterson has over their careers. We're not talking anymore of Adrian Peterson 2012 or even 2013. We're talking of a guy who has a lot of mileage over the time. Not bashing him, but the age IS a factor.
3. Injury prone? Goes with all the years of taking hits. And I think Peterson is one of the most strongly built backs in NFL history if not the strongest. That said, taking a couple of hits at this time really does not bode well.
4. The Saints are Still the Least Talented Team in the NFC South. Sorry Saints fans, but you look at what is happening in Atlanta and Tampa Bay, they are both far more talented than New Orleans while Carolina's issues are really of between the ears among a couple of their players (and yes, they are far more talented as well). Even adding Peterson to the division will not propel the Saints over the Bucs and Falcons, not with that they're capable of doing offensively. Granted the NFL is a crazy league and things change from year to year, but still.
Overall, I do think the Saints solidified the run game, which will help, but the questions of the defense and being in a division with Matt Ryan, Cam Newton (when his mind is in the right place), and Jameis Winston at quarterback while having to fend off the likes of Julio Jones, Mike Evans, and Kelvin Benjamin as well. It is still going to be the Saints trying to win shootouts. But unless they draft better on the defensive side, getting Peterson does not return them to Super Bowl status.
-Fan in the Obstructed Seat
