Two strengths collide in Denver on Sunday afternoon when the top-ranked defense in the NFL goes up against the league’s No. 1 rusher.
But Adrian Peterson isn’t just the top rusher through three games in 2015. He’s a future Hall of Famer, three-time All-Pro and has twice led the league in rushing over a full season.
Denver’s defensive success hasn’t been as sustained, but is fast on its way. Wade Phillips has unleashed the full power of a unit that last year finished the season third in total defense and allowed less than 80 yards per game rushing.
In 2015, the Broncos are just a shade behind that pace, allowing 82.7 yards per game on the ground through three games. Peterson, meanwhile, has a league-leading 97 yards per game to his name.
Something will have to give when these two collide, as Renaud Notaro addressed on Sunday on the Mile High Sports Show on Mile High Sports AM 1340 and FM 104.3 The Fan.
He’s convinced that Minnesota would have won their opener if they hadn’t held Peterson back against San Francisco. That’s a scary proposition for Denver, as Peterson has seen his yards per carry gradually increase game by game.
Notaro says that Peterson is a generational talent like Eric Dickerson. Stopping him may be easier said than done.
Listen to Notaro’s full analysis of the Broncos and Vikings in the podcast below.
