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Todd Gurley vs. Adrian Peterson: That’s Entertainment
Posted by: Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2015/11/03/todd-gurley-vs-adrian-peterson-thats-entertainment/
Sunday’s game at Minnesota between the Rams and Vikings is intriguing for a number of reasons. Though both teams are in contention for their respective division titles, this contest will have a direct impact on the formative NFC wild-card race. The Vikings have won three in a row to move up to 5-2. The Rams have won three of their last four games to stamp the franchise’s first winning record (4-3) seven games into a season since 2006. This game amounts to a head-to-head credibility check of two improved teams, with the winner getting a bump in status. Moreover, the Rams and Vikings are similar in composition. Both have offenses that struggle to score — and rigid defenses that refuse to yield.
That’s all swell — but c’mon, admit it …
If you’re a casual NFL fan, you’re probably more interested in the matchup of charismatic running backs.
And that’s understandable. For entertainment value, this is hard to resist: Rams rookie Todd Gurley — so often compared to Adrian Peterson — will be running on Peterson’s home turf for the first time. Gurley, quickly having a breakout season, just notched his first national endorsement contract — for Jolly Rancher candy. Hey, Marshawn Lynch can keep his Skittles.
Obviously, Gurley and Peterson won’t be dueling each other. Gurley won’t be tackling Peterson, and AP isn’t going to be playing safety for the Vikings when the Rams break the huddle. The backs’ real matchup is having to wrestle with the other team’s defense. The Vikings will overpopulate the line of scrimmage in an attempt to become the first NFL defense to prove that Gurley is indeed stoppable over four quarters. And NFL defensive coordinators have spent many a sleepless night trying to figure out a plan to prevent Peterson from threatening their job security with one of his huge rushing days.
Of course, none of this matters. We’ll still be tracking the Gurley vs. Peterson yards on Sunday.
The battle of the backs is undoubtedly the feature attraction here.
And they were meant to share this field on Sunday.
The Vikings chose Peterson from Oklahoma with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft and have no regrets, with AP compiling 10,823 rushing yards as part of his total 12,645 yards from scrimmage and 94 career touchdowns. Peterson has been voted to six Pro Bowls and selected first-team All-NFL three times, but he’s been sidetracked by problems on his route to Canton and induction onto the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
There was the 2011 knee injury that cut Peterson’s season to 12 games — followed by a remarkable comeback of 2012, when Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards. There was last year’s controversial suspension handed down by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after Peterson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault for “abusive discipline” of his 4-year-old son.
Peterson didn’t play in the final 15 games of 2014, but he’s made a strong return to reaffirm his elite pedigree among the league’s running backs. Peterson is 3rd in the NFL with 633 yards rushing on an average of 20 carries and 90.4 yards per game.
No question, Peterson is still a prime back. But he reached age 30 earlier this year, a time when runners begin to slow because of age, heavy usage, and bodies that absorb too many collisions.
It’s probably too soon to know, but we may be seeing some signs of that with Peterson. I’ll point to some relevant stats in a couple of minutes.
First, let’s reintroduce Gurley — the late-model version of Peterson.
Like Peterson, Gurley went early on in the NFL draft, with the Rams picking him 10th overall (out of Georgia) in May.
Like Peterson, Gurley stands 6-1 in height — but at 226 pounds is listed nine pounds heavier than Peterson.
Like Peterson, Gurley had to overcome a serious knee injury — and is thriving in the aftermath.
Like Peterson, you can see Gurley’s name high on the NFL leader board. And just as Peterson did in his first NFL season (2007) Gurley is making an instant and dramatic impact as a rookie.
Despite missing the first two regular-season games while his mended knee passed all of the necessary tests, Gurley has zoomed to fifth in the NFL with 575 yards rushing.
Gurley evidently is in a hurry to reach Peterson-level status. Since entering STL’s starting lineup four games ago, Gurley has averaged 142 yards rushing per game, 6.45 yards per carry, and has scored three touchdowns. The Rams are 3-1 since launching Gurley as their starter.
Who does Gurley think he is — Adrian Peterson?
Yeah, maybe so.
The Vikings have noted the similarities.
“This guy, Todd Gurley, he’s special,” Minnesota cornerback Captain Munnerlyn told TwinCities.com. “He’s Adrian Peterson all over again. People don’t realize how big he is. He can hit you with the home-run speed. He’s a young Adrian Peterson, but I like our Adrian Peterson better.
As they should.
Gurley, after all, has four NFL starts to his name.
Gurley has a lot to prove — with his long-term endurance and viability at the top of the list.
Peterson ranks 22nd in NFL history in career rushing yards and is 14th with 89 career rushing touchdowns. Peterson’s career average of 97.5 yards rushing per game has been exceeded by only two NFL backs, and both are legends: Hall of Famers Jim Brown (104.3 yards) and Barry Sanders (99.8 yards.)
But as we mentioned earlier, Peterson is 30.
Gurley is 21.
Gurley already is chasing Peterson in the ways that he can. Gurley, for instance, is trending to become the first NFL back to average at least 6 yards per rushing attempt since Peterson in 2012.
“Obviously a big physical guy that has great acceleration and vision,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said of Gurley. “We’re going to have to make sure we have a lot of people at the ball … he runs with violence.”
The sample size isn’t enough to fill one of Gurley’s Jolly Rancher candy bags. But Gurley has outperformed Peterson in some illuminating categories so far this season. As usual, I went to Pro Football Focus to check the data that shows more detailed information on a running back’s effectiveness in eluding tacklers — and in gaining yards after contact.
— Pro Football Focus gives a “Breakaway Percentage ” rating to each back. It’s simply calculated: of a running back’s total rushing yards, what percentage of the yards came on runs of 15+ yards? The answer: Gurley has nine runs of 15+ yards which has accounted for 57.2 percent of his rushing total. Peterson has eight rushes of 15+ yards, and a Breakaway Percentage of 42.5 percent. Gurley and Peterson rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the league in breakaway percentage.
— Pro Football Focus gives an “Elusive Rating” to each back. The quickie explanation from PFF: “The elusive rating boils down to a runner’s success beyond the point of being helped by his blockers.” Gurley ranks 8th among NFL backs with an elusive rating of 57.1. And Peterson is 20th with an elusive rating of 32.0. That number is notable because Peterson hasn’t had an elusive-rating score less than 45.5 in a season. Peterson’s 2015 elusive rating, at least to this stage, is a big drop from his career norm.
— Pro Football Focus charts yards gained after contact by the defense. Gurley is averaging 3.13 yards after contact this season, which ranks sixth. Peterson is down on the list, ranking 23rd among backs with an average of 2.16 yards after contact. Peterson has never averaged less than 2.92 yards after contact during a season.
I’m personally more interested in seeing if the Rams are ready to go on the road and drag home a win against a surging Minnesota team that’s on the rise, trailing first-place Green Bay (6-1) by a game in the NFC North standings.
Agreed, Gurley vs. Peterson is an enticing draw. It’s fantasy football.
Peterson will be fired up to show the rookie a little something: that the NFL’s top running back still resides — and presides — in Minnesota. Maybe so. Maybe not.
Either way, Gurley is coming
Thanks for reading …
–Bernie
Posted by: Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2015/11/03/todd-gurley-vs-adrian-peterson-thats-entertainment/
Sunday’s game at Minnesota between the Rams and Vikings is intriguing for a number of reasons. Though both teams are in contention for their respective division titles, this contest will have a direct impact on the formative NFC wild-card race. The Vikings have won three in a row to move up to 5-2. The Rams have won three of their last four games to stamp the franchise’s first winning record (4-3) seven games into a season since 2006. This game amounts to a head-to-head credibility check of two improved teams, with the winner getting a bump in status. Moreover, the Rams and Vikings are similar in composition. Both have offenses that struggle to score — and rigid defenses that refuse to yield.
That’s all swell — but c’mon, admit it …
If you’re a casual NFL fan, you’re probably more interested in the matchup of charismatic running backs.
And that’s understandable. For entertainment value, this is hard to resist: Rams rookie Todd Gurley — so often compared to Adrian Peterson — will be running on Peterson’s home turf for the first time. Gurley, quickly having a breakout season, just notched his first national endorsement contract — for Jolly Rancher candy. Hey, Marshawn Lynch can keep his Skittles.
Obviously, Gurley and Peterson won’t be dueling each other. Gurley won’t be tackling Peterson, and AP isn’t going to be playing safety for the Vikings when the Rams break the huddle. The backs’ real matchup is having to wrestle with the other team’s defense. The Vikings will overpopulate the line of scrimmage in an attempt to become the first NFL defense to prove that Gurley is indeed stoppable over four quarters. And NFL defensive coordinators have spent many a sleepless night trying to figure out a plan to prevent Peterson from threatening their job security with one of his huge rushing days.
Of course, none of this matters. We’ll still be tracking the Gurley vs. Peterson yards on Sunday.
The battle of the backs is undoubtedly the feature attraction here.
And they were meant to share this field on Sunday.
The Vikings chose Peterson from Oklahoma with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft and have no regrets, with AP compiling 10,823 rushing yards as part of his total 12,645 yards from scrimmage and 94 career touchdowns. Peterson has been voted to six Pro Bowls and selected first-team All-NFL three times, but he’s been sidetracked by problems on his route to Canton and induction onto the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
There was the 2011 knee injury that cut Peterson’s season to 12 games — followed by a remarkable comeback of 2012, when Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards. There was last year’s controversial suspension handed down by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after Peterson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault for “abusive discipline” of his 4-year-old son.
Peterson didn’t play in the final 15 games of 2014, but he’s made a strong return to reaffirm his elite pedigree among the league’s running backs. Peterson is 3rd in the NFL with 633 yards rushing on an average of 20 carries and 90.4 yards per game.
No question, Peterson is still a prime back. But he reached age 30 earlier this year, a time when runners begin to slow because of age, heavy usage, and bodies that absorb too many collisions.
It’s probably too soon to know, but we may be seeing some signs of that with Peterson. I’ll point to some relevant stats in a couple of minutes.
First, let’s reintroduce Gurley — the late-model version of Peterson.
Like Peterson, Gurley went early on in the NFL draft, with the Rams picking him 10th overall (out of Georgia) in May.
Like Peterson, Gurley stands 6-1 in height — but at 226 pounds is listed nine pounds heavier than Peterson.
Like Peterson, Gurley had to overcome a serious knee injury — and is thriving in the aftermath.
Like Peterson, you can see Gurley’s name high on the NFL leader board. And just as Peterson did in his first NFL season (2007) Gurley is making an instant and dramatic impact as a rookie.
Despite missing the first two regular-season games while his mended knee passed all of the necessary tests, Gurley has zoomed to fifth in the NFL with 575 yards rushing.
Gurley evidently is in a hurry to reach Peterson-level status. Since entering STL’s starting lineup four games ago, Gurley has averaged 142 yards rushing per game, 6.45 yards per carry, and has scored three touchdowns. The Rams are 3-1 since launching Gurley as their starter.
Who does Gurley think he is — Adrian Peterson?
Yeah, maybe so.
The Vikings have noted the similarities.
“This guy, Todd Gurley, he’s special,” Minnesota cornerback Captain Munnerlyn told TwinCities.com. “He’s Adrian Peterson all over again. People don’t realize how big he is. He can hit you with the home-run speed. He’s a young Adrian Peterson, but I like our Adrian Peterson better.
As they should.
Gurley, after all, has four NFL starts to his name.
Gurley has a lot to prove — with his long-term endurance and viability at the top of the list.
Peterson ranks 22nd in NFL history in career rushing yards and is 14th with 89 career rushing touchdowns. Peterson’s career average of 97.5 yards rushing per game has been exceeded by only two NFL backs, and both are legends: Hall of Famers Jim Brown (104.3 yards) and Barry Sanders (99.8 yards.)
But as we mentioned earlier, Peterson is 30.
Gurley is 21.
Gurley already is chasing Peterson in the ways that he can. Gurley, for instance, is trending to become the first NFL back to average at least 6 yards per rushing attempt since Peterson in 2012.
“Obviously a big physical guy that has great acceleration and vision,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said of Gurley. “We’re going to have to make sure we have a lot of people at the ball … he runs with violence.”
The sample size isn’t enough to fill one of Gurley’s Jolly Rancher candy bags. But Gurley has outperformed Peterson in some illuminating categories so far this season. As usual, I went to Pro Football Focus to check the data that shows more detailed information on a running back’s effectiveness in eluding tacklers — and in gaining yards after contact.
— Pro Football Focus gives a “Breakaway Percentage ” rating to each back. It’s simply calculated: of a running back’s total rushing yards, what percentage of the yards came on runs of 15+ yards? The answer: Gurley has nine runs of 15+ yards which has accounted for 57.2 percent of his rushing total. Peterson has eight rushes of 15+ yards, and a Breakaway Percentage of 42.5 percent. Gurley and Peterson rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the league in breakaway percentage.
— Pro Football Focus gives an “Elusive Rating” to each back. The quickie explanation from PFF: “The elusive rating boils down to a runner’s success beyond the point of being helped by his blockers.” Gurley ranks 8th among NFL backs with an elusive rating of 57.1. And Peterson is 20th with an elusive rating of 32.0. That number is notable because Peterson hasn’t had an elusive-rating score less than 45.5 in a season. Peterson’s 2015 elusive rating, at least to this stage, is a big drop from his career norm.
— Pro Football Focus charts yards gained after contact by the defense. Gurley is averaging 3.13 yards after contact this season, which ranks sixth. Peterson is down on the list, ranking 23rd among backs with an average of 2.16 yards after contact. Peterson has never averaged less than 2.92 yards after contact during a season.
I’m personally more interested in seeing if the Rams are ready to go on the road and drag home a win against a surging Minnesota team that’s on the rise, trailing first-place Green Bay (6-1) by a game in the NFC North standings.
Agreed, Gurley vs. Peterson is an enticing draw. It’s fantasy football.
Peterson will be fired up to show the rookie a little something: that the NFL’s top running back still resides — and presides — in Minnesota. Maybe so. Maybe not.
Either way, Gurley is coming
Thanks for reading …
–Bernie
