With Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson out due to a knee injury, it was announced Wednesday that Jerick McKinnon will start Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
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The 31-year-old was hurt while being tackled at the end of a run during Sunday’s 17-14 win over Green Bay. According to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, Peterson suffered what’s known as a bucket handle tear of the meniscus, and the expected recovery time following surgery is a minimum of three to four months, and could take as long as six months for a full recovery. Head coach Mike Zimmer spoke Wednesday and wasn’t sure how much time Peterson would miss because he wasn’t certain the surgeon would perform a full fix or a trim of the meniscus. The Vikings will have to play all of (or most of) 2016 without quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, running back Adrian Peterson and left tackle Matt Kalil. “But the thing that’s great about this team is we’re still hungry to get where we want to get”.
A couple of years ago, it seemed unlikely that running back Adrian Peterson would still be playing for the Vikings when the team opened its new stadium. Well, for this year at least, the Vikings have signed Ronnie Hillman, so it looks like Minnesota will roll with McKinnon, Asiata, and Hillman for the remainder of the season.
Regardless, Kalil, who had played all 68 regular-season and playoff games during his first five seasons with the Vikings, will be out for awhile. After the game, Peterson was on crutches with a brace on his knee.”He’s sitting down with the doctors and (athletic trainer Eric Sugarman) and all that stuff”, Zimmer said.
That’s not to say Peterson is necessarily done in Minnesota. The surgery was performed by team physician Dr. Chris Larson, who found there were no additional injuries or issues noted in or surrounding the knee joint during the surgical procedure. And the Vikings probably will need him to be an offensive centerpiece now that so much depends on Bradford and the passing game.
“We’ll find out during the surgery how bad it is”, he told reporters, adding it “could be season ending, could be three weeks, four weeks”. McCarthy, though, called that perhaps overly optimistic, saying a fix likely would sideline Peterson for six or more months.
If it’s on the shorter end, Peterson, 31, could return late in the regular season, which ends January 1, and possibly for the playoffs.
Make a trade: I just don’t see the Vikings trading for a running back.but then again, I didn’t see the Sam Bradford trade coming, either. Peterson was unable to put any weight on his leg as he was carried to the locker room after suffering the injury, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The running backs combined for 1,108 rushing yards in 2014 while Peterson missed 15 games because of National Football League discipline.
“My understanding of what we do as an offense is a lot better than last year”, said Clemmings, who played only right tackle until also working this year on the left.
CHIEFS: Coach Andy Reid called the prognosis of Jamaal Charles “all positive”, increasing the likelihood that the injured running back will get on the field this weekend. “It’s just kind of next man up”.
Can Peterson come back strong from his recent injury like he did in 2012?
“Nobody is going to feel sorry for you”, defensive end Brian Robison said, via the Minnesota Star Tribune.
“You hear plays that sound similar to one ones that [you’ve heard before] but there are still times where it’s going to happen fast and you might forget. You just got to get over it and move on”.
The Browns say they are “aware of the situation”. With Peterson missing the final 15 games because of a child-abuse incident, McKinnon and Asiata replaced him.
From where we sit on Wednesday, though, it’s fair to take note of the flash point approaching on the horizon.
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Howsare, a converted linebacker from Clarion University, was signed as an undrafted free agent past year.
