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How Will Adrian Peterson’s Return Impact The NFC North?

By Adam Carlson

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The Minnesota Vikings should have the former NFL MVP and rushing leader Adrian Peterson return to the team for the 2015 NFL season.  While that should take a lot of pressure of the team’s passing game, how much of an impact will it make on the opposing defenses in the NFC North?

That was the question posed in a recent roundtable article written by ESPN’s Ben Goessling.  He asked writers for the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears about how big of a difference Adrian Peterson’s presence will make for the Minnesota Vikings offense.

The responses varied wildly.

Nov 24, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Vikings and Packers tied 26-26. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Demovsky answered for the Green Bay Packers.  He referenced Peterson’s near NFL record-breaking year, citing that without a great quarterback, a running back can only take you so far.  That’s especially true when that quarterback is Christian Ponder or, for that Wild Card playoff game, Joe Webb.  He also says that he hasn’t seen enough of Teddy Bridgewater to be confident that he is the leader the Vikings need.  Despite a #32 ranked run defense in 2014, he doesn’t seem to concerned about the Minnesota offense this coming year.

Representing the Chicago Bears, Jeff Dickerson sees things a bit differently.  He sees Adrian Peterson as a “game changer” who will “return with a vengeance”.  He doesn’t see a 2,000 yard rushing season for Peterson, but he believes that the combination of Adrian, Bridgewater and Mike Wallace could pay dividends for the Minnesota Vikings during the 2015 NFL season.

Detroit Lions writer Michael Rothstein questions the physical shape that Adrian Peterson will be in following his long break in action.  He sees the potential for him to claim the throne as the best running back in the NFL and if Bridgewater continues to develop, the Vikings offense could be “multidimensional and much more effective”.

What do you guys think?  It sounds like writers around the NFC North see what Adrian Peterson can do, but don’t believe that inserting him into this new look Vikings offense will make enough of a difference for the rest of the league to take notice.  As a big fan of the direction the team is heading in Minnesota, I hope that other teams and writers around the league are underestimating what the Vikings are capable of.

Next: Minnesota Vikings 2015 Game By Game Previews

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