It’s impossible to erase a play from the final box score, but the Denver Broncos have to feel pretty confident in the fact that if they had that option they would have held Adrian Peterson to under 50 yards rushing.
They didn’t, and his 48-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-one was a major factor in the game. But Denver otherwise shut down the future Hall of Fame running back, allowing him to gain just 81 yards on 16 carries.
Minus the big run, Peterson would have averaged just 2.2 yards per carry on the day.
No doubt defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will still spend plenty of time reviewing film on the play that allowed Peterson to go for a game-changing score, but he has to be happy with his defense’s performance against the run otherwise. In total, Minnesota went for just 113 yards on the day.
As the game unfolded, the team at Mile High Sports (as well as the Denver media at-large) was keeping a close eye on how the defense stopped Peterson, and offering their analysis along the way.
For those keeping count. Peterson 2 carries/11 yards.
— Steve Cox (@SteveCoxDenver) October 4, 2015
Adrian Peterson, so damn good at recognizing the hole. Broncos just doing a great job plugging it quickly. #broncos #vikings
— Les Shapiro (@LesShapiro) October 4, 2015
Wade has figured out how to make Adrian Peterson an average running back. . . That's not an easy trick. . .
— Gil Whiteley, Now and Then (@Gilfest) October 4, 2015
Adrian Peterson has 34 yards rushing into the 4th quarter. @Broncos defense is the real deal. #MINvsDEN
— Lionel Bienvenu (@lionelbienvenu) October 4, 2015
Adrian Peterson untouched.
UNTOUCHED.
48 yards. All DAY. #MINvsDEN http://t.co/iV9KUmESzS— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2015
On 4th and 1, Adrian Peterson wasn't even touched. Took it 48 yards for a touchdown. #Vikings 17 #Broncos 20 extra point pending.
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) October 4, 2015
So many Broncos in the box, nobody on the 2nd level. As soon as A.P. got past the line, he was home free. It's a game now.
— Les Shapiro (@LesShapiro) October 4, 2015
Well delete that last tweet about holding Adrian Peterson in check. he just busted one 48 yards to the end zone. oops. 20-17. #MINvsDEN
— Lionel Bienvenu (@lionelbienvenu) October 4, 2015
You can't wipe it off the books, but take away the TD run and Denver held Peterson to 2.2 yards per carry on 15 attempts. #MINvsDEN
— Casey Light (@lightonhisfeet) October 5, 2015
That was the end of the action on Twitter about Peterson, but the game unfolded with an even bigger play to end things. Check it out HERE.