Packers Try to Stop Vikings' Peterson Short of Record
By: Ryan Rodig
Updated: December 28, 2012
I believe it," Peterson said Thursday. "In order to accomplish it, you've got to believe it, you know? Deep down inside, I feel like I'll get it."
Peterson needs 208 yards to break Eric Dickerson's record of 2,105 set in 1984. "AP" rushed for 210 yards on December 2nd against the Packers at Lambeau Field, but Green Bay was without two of its better run-defenders in C.J. Wilson and Clay Matthews.
Packers WR Greg Jennings made headlines recently when he stated he wanted Peterson to break the record, before later clarifying he didn't want him to do so against Green Bay. The Packers defense seems united against allowing that to happen.
"We don't want him to get it on us," defensive tackle B.J. Raji said Thursday. He's had a great year. He's a great player, but you don't want to be that team where he's kind of celebrating on you. We need to make sure that doesn't happen."
Peterson hasn't practiced yet this week due to an abdomen injury, but is expected to play Sunday. The Packers haven't allowed 100 yards rushing in a game since Peterson ran for more than 200 a few weeks back. Green Bay players say it's obvious what the problem was in that game when you watch the film.
"On his big plays we just miss a lot of tackles," Ryan Pickett said. "We just have to do a better job of wrapping him up. We had guys in position, but he's a great back and he breaks a lot of tackles. We have to do better gang-tackling."
"That guy is one of a kind," said CB Tramon Williams this week. "Everyone has to be disciplined in their gaps, even us as corners. It's definitely going to take total team effort to stop him."
"You've got to get 11 guys to the ball when Adrian is running," adds Raji. "You really can't expect one guy to tackle him, even if it's a free guy in the hole."
