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Adrian Peterson breathes life into Arizona Cardinals run game

Peterson took the Arizona Cardinals stagnant run game and gave it life.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Arizona Cardinals Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

It took six games, but the Arizona Cardinals finally look like a team that can have a balanced offense.

While Adrian Peterson will get much of the credit, deservedly so, it can’t be missed that the offensive line, especially early in the game, asserted a physical will that we have not seen from the 2017 Arizona Cardinals.

The return of D.J. Humphries, Alex Boone and the shift of Earl Watford to right guard proved to be the best combination of talents for the offensive line.

Late in the game we saw the lack of playing time creep in and it was obvious that the Cardinals were fatigued, but that is another story for another day.

Today, the resurgence of the Arizona Cardinals run game is the focus and it started with Adrian Peterson.

Peterson was physical and relentless in the run game.

He was fatigued as well, needing oxygen after two series, but it was because he has not been used as much in one game as he was in one quarter with the Arizona Cardinals. Yet, Peterson just continued to get stronger and stronger as the game went along.

To start the third quarter, Peterson rattled off a nine yard run off the right side, a four yard run up the middle and then a third run up the middle. That set up the horrendously great back shoulder prayer to John Brown.

Peterson in the fourth quarter went for one yard, six yards, lost four yards, then two yards, then 11 yards, then six yards (negated by a hold).

Peterson was a workhorse, he was as strong at the end of the game as he was at the beginning.

It was needed for the Cardinals, it was needed for Peterson. Let’s see if it can continue in London next week.