Jim Brown: Adrian Peterson could break rushing mark

[Doomsday101]

Emmitt Smith holds the record at 18,355 yards, which he gained during his 15-year career before retiring at 35.

Peterson has 10,115 yards in his first seven seasons. At 29 years old, the 8,241 yards AD needs to break the record could be hard to come by. Father Time tends to drag down running backs in a swift vortex.

According to the Pioneer Press, Smith rushed for 7,121 yards after turning 29 and the previous record-holder, Walter Payton, gained 7,118 after putting that many candles on his cake.

Peterson's average yards per season took a hit last season, falling to 1,445. At that pace he wouldn't pass Smith for just over five and a half seasons (5.7), which would be in 2019, when he's 34.

The 2014 season will give us a better look at whether or not Peterson's nagging injuries and heavy workload will keep him from the record.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...rown-adrian-peterson-could-break-rushing-mark

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Not gonna happen. This is a passing league and teams don't hold onto aging RBs anymore. Only way he breaks it is if they let his yards carry over in the CFL.

 

[Doomsday101]

Not gonna happen. This is a passing league and teams don't hold onto aging RBs anymore. Only way he breaks it is if they let his yards carry over in the CFL.

They do when the RB is as productive as Peterson. It is a passing league yet the SB winner is built around their running game and defense.

 

[DFWJC]

Peterson has taken much more punishment than Emmitt due to his having to face stacked lines his entire career. Just don't see it happening.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

They do when the RB is as productive as Peterson. It is a passing league yet the SB winner is built around their running game and defense.

But will they hold onto him when he becomes just another RB? Even the greats weren't the same in their mid 30's.

 

[Doomsday101]

But will they hold onto him when he becomes just another RB? Even the greats weren't the same in their mid 30's.

It really depend on how much of a drop off we are talking. I don't know if Peterson will or will not break it I do think like most all records someone will and currently Peterson is in the best position to do so.

 

[Doomsday101]

Peterson has taken much more punishment than Emmitt due to his having to face stacked lines his entire career. Just don't see it happening.

I agree I do think it will be difficult for him to do so. Now if Minn can improve in their passing game even if it cost Peterson total carries could benifet him and the team in terms of rushing yardage but as long as he is the sole weapon then it will be hard for him to last long enough to do it.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

It really depend on how much of a drop off we are talking. I don't know if Peterson will or will not break it I do think like most all records someone will and currently Peterson is in the best position to do so.

I look at the state of the sport when it comes to the idea of if any and/or all records will one day be broken. That being said, the state of the game can change. The way I see it, it's become a passing league. I see passing records, receiving records, sack records, interception records, and stuff like that one day being broken. I just can't really see a rushing record being broken. Maybe a single season record, maybe. But not all time. Same as I see it with home runs in baseball. With the crack down on steroids, guys just aren't hitting home runs anymore. I just can't see someone breaking Bonds' 73 in a season or his all time record. I can see a bunch of pitching records being broken since it seems like baseball is going back to small ball. But who knows? Look how much bigger people as a whole have gotten over the last 50 years with what's in our food. Maybe 50 years from now, guys will naturally be huge and even the 9th guy in the lineup will hit 75 home runs a year.

 

[viman96]

No way. AD would need to average 1,648 yds over 5 yrs to tie or 1,373 yds over 6 yrs to tie. Not going to happen.

 

[Phoenix]

Who knows? Records are made to be broken, sure. And the league goes in cycles. AD might not get to the mark, but eventually someone will. Maybe in ten years the league will be back to featuring the running game, fullbacks will be back in fashion, who knows...and perhaps by then there will be an 18 game season, etc.

 

[viman96]

It will take a special RB that can stay healthy for many years in an offense that features the running game to get close to Emmitt. If that RB were in high school right now then Emmitt's record is still safe for another 15-20 yrs.

 

[JD_KaPow]

I just don't think anyone can catch Emmitt from behind. Peterson's going into his age 29 season and needs over 8200 yards. Here are the rushing yard leaders from age 29 on:

Emmitt Smith, 7121
Walter Payton, 7118
John Riggins, 6697
Tony Dorsett, 5724
Marcus Allen, 5261

Only two guys have cracked 7000 and the numbers drop precipitously after Emmitt and Sweetness. Peterson would have to destroy those numbers to catch Emmitt. Ain't gonna happen.

 

[Doomsday101]

I just don't think anyone can catch Emmitt from behind. Peterson's going into his age 29 season and needs over 8200 yards. Here are the rushing yard leaders from age 29 on:

Emmitt Smith, 7121
Walter Payton, 7118
John Riggins, 6697
Tony Dorsett, 5724
Marcus Allen, 5261

Only two guys have cracked 7000 and the numbers drop precipitously after Emmitt and Sweetness. Peterson would have to destroy those numbers to catch Emmitt. Ain't gonna happen.

Chances are your right to play devils advocate Peterson did post over 2000 yards in 2012 I think if can put together another monster year like that in 2014 he does become a real threat to take it.

 

[OhSnap]

Chances are your right to play devils advocate Peterson did post over 2000 yards in 2012 I think if can put together another monster year like that in 2014 he does become a real threat to take it.

He has to make up ground before his play falls off but it's not impossible. Emmitt also lost a possible 700 yards during the broken collarbone season so AP has to avoid anything like that but the guy runs like he wants it. I got a feeling there will be many who can mathematically break it for a long time to come but will trail off at the end. I thought Tomlinson had the best chance after his first 6 years.

 

[Doomsday101]

He has to make up ground before his play falls off but it's not impossible. Emmitt also lost a possible 700 yards during the broken collarbone season so AP has to avoid anything like that but the guy runs like he wants it. I got a feeling there will be many who can mathematically break it for a long time to come but will trail off at the end. I thought Tomlinson had the best chance after his first 6 years.

I agree any real chance by Peterson he will have to put up big numbers this year and likely the year after as you said before his play starts to tail off.

 

[viman96]

AD has no chance. Has anyone ever averaged 1650 yds 5 straight season in the history of the NFL?? And you think he has a chance at 29+?

 

[big dog cowboy]

Goodell gets his way and we go to a 24 game season Peterson has a chance.

 

[joseephuss]

Who knows? Records are made to be broken, sure. And the league goes in cycles. AD might not get to the mark, but eventually someone will. Maybe in ten years the league will be back to featuring the running game, fullbacks will be back in fashion, who knows...and perhaps by then there will be an 18 game season, etc.

Goodell gets his way and we go to a 24 game season Peterson has a chance.

I think longer seasons would actually hurt a running backs chances. It just gives them more chances for wear and tear on their body during a single season with less off season recovery time. And there is also the dreaded "Curse of 370". While Peterson has never rushed the ball more than 370 times in a single season he has had a couple of years where he had high rushing attempt totals. His two biggest seasons for rushing attempts were in 2008(363 caries) and 2012(248 carries). He underwent dramatic drop offs in his production in 2009 and 2013, respectively. Give him or any other running back two or more regular season games to drive up their season total rushing attempts and I think they would really start to wear down quickly.

http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/football/ffl/story?page=nfldk2k10curseof370

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

AD has no chance. Has anyone ever averaged 1650 yds 5 straight season in the history of the NFL?? And you think he has a chance at 29+?

Agreed.

Also, Peterson is not coming off 3 super bowl wins where the owner is going to dedicate seasons to him "running" to the record.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I think longer seasons would actually hurt a running backs chances. It just gives them more chances for wear and tear on their body during a single season with less off season recovery time. And there is also the dreaded "Curse of 370". While Peterson has never rushed the ball more than 370 times in a single season he has had a couple of years where he had high rushing attempt totals. His two biggest seasons for rushing attempts were in 2008(363 caries) and 2012(248 carries). He underwent dramatic drop offs in his production in 2009 and 2013, respectively. Give him or any other running back two or more regular season games to drive up their season total rushing attempts and I think they would really start to wear down quickly.

http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/football/ffl/story?page=nfldk2k10curseof370

True. But if not for "more" chances/games then Hank Aaron never sniffs Babe Ruth home run record.