Zimmer: Vikings need to get Adrian Peterson more space, ‘run him into a few less bodies’
By Mike Dyce
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson had a “down season” after his 2,000 yard rushing campaign, of course by any other back it was an exceptional season. New Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer wants to get Peterson some more space to run though.
“He’s such a great player, a hall of fame player, one of the best ever,’’ Zimmer said Tuesday in an interview with ESPN at the NFL owners’ meetings in Orlando, via the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I think you always got to use those kind of guys. We’d like to run him into a few less bodies, so there’s not 11 of them meeting him at the (line of scrimmage).’’
“That’s part of the thing, opening the field up, spreading the ball out a little bit. Getting him the ball in space. I’m watching a game the other day and the two safeties just kept creeping closer and closer. This guy is getting hit a lot. He’s a fantastic runner. If we can get him space, he can do a lot of damage.’’