When Ken Whisenhunt and Todd Haley formed the offensive super team that ended up taking the Cardinals to the Super Bowl, one of the things they were lauded for was their ability to be creative with the play calling. Whether it was using unseen formations or specific players in different roles, they knew how to get yards outside of the traditional offense.
Whisenhunt and his new offensive coordinator, Mike Miller, gave us a glimpse into that once again on Sunday. In the first half, Patrick Peterson took a wildcat snap from shotgun, faked a handoff and swept to his left, gaining eighteen yards on the ground.
Given his athleticism and rare playmaking ability, we should expect to see more of this.
The Cardinals official website published this article, which had a tidbit in it that I found very interesting:
Kolb thinks the Cardinals will continue to expand the Wildcat package, which means Peterson will be on the field even more.
And, honestly, it makes sense to do that. There isn't a great margin for error and with more practice, it figures to become more effective. It's not something the Cardinals can figure to use all the time, running options and even using him in the passing game, but giving him a snap or two every once in a while is never a bad idea.
Peterson himself seems to be in favor of it. He posted this after their victory over the Patriots on Twitter:
Great team effort today! Had to show the @nfla little of #PatCat our version of the #Wildcat today ha. I'll do whatever to help us win #P2
— Patrick Peterson (@RealPeterson21) September 16, 2012
The only downside to all of it is the risk of injury. That is why Peterson's role in special teams figures to decrease given the need to have him at cornerback.
For now, I like the idea. Give Kevin Kolb a breather, bring Peterson in for a play and see if he can take off for a huge run. If it doesn't work, oh well. If it does, then it will likely go for a decent chunk of yards. That is what happens when you have a playmaker like P2.
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