Adrian Peterson has a fumbling problem. The Vikings are trying not to make a big deal out of it but you know they have to be as worried as the fans are frustrated. This guy’s the face, feet, hands and hope of the franchise, and we can’t have him turning into Cedric Benson. According to a report by Rick Alonzo of the Pioneer-Press, AD himself realizes the gravity of the situation and has been working diligently on his ball-handling. One trick he’s been using is to carry a ball around with him wherever he goes “to get a better feel of the ball or whatnot” as he himself explained. And his defensive teammates have been helping by trying to strip him, both in practice and when he’s just walking around cradling his ball. “It’s all mental,” Peterson said of the situation. Well, yes…it’s starting to sound pretty mental. Maybe next he could try toting an egg wherever he goes and pretending it’s a baby, just like he was in home ec. Break the egg and you flunk.
To be serious for a second…I really hope this doesn’t prove that the fumbling issue has been getting into Adrian’s head. I mean, it’s cool that they’re trying to make a little joke of it, clowning around trying to knock the ball out of Adrian’s grip while he’s just walking down the hallway or getting lunch or whatever – but sometimes, joking about something just proves how much it’s bothering you. It’s called whistling through the graveyard. I’d be happier if I knew Adrian wasn’t doing anything to work on his fumbling – cause that would mean it wasn’t playing games with his brain. (By the way…when guys walk up to Adrian and randomly pop his ball – how often does he drop it? Just curious about that.)