When Adrian Peterson suffered a gruesome torn ACL at the tail end of a lost Vikings 2011 season, it appeared that yet another star running back would be headed into a disappointing slump at an early juncture in his career.
But the former Sooner is optimistic that he will return.....well sooner than most experts project. "With the experts, I'm sure 90 or 95 percent of the time, they're right with their estimates," said a convalescing Peterson. "Some guys you can't put the traditional timetable on. Some guys are different. I just happen to feel I'm one of those guys."
Because of the extensive length of time it can take to recover from ACL injuries, players that suffer them are often not quite the same for up to a year or more after the initial incident. Therefore, an entire offseason, even one as lengthy as the NFL's, was not expected to be enough for a player that went down during a Week 16 matchup.
Peterson has been the exception to a disheartening trend amongst NFL rushers. Since entering the league in 2007, Peterson has averaged over a 1,000 yards a season. The only year in which he didn't eclipse a grand was this past season. Still, he came within 30 yards of the mark despite only seeing action in 12 games.
But there is obvious concern among Vikings faithful that such a brutal injury could not only shorten Peterson's 2012 campaign, but could also push him into that growing group of running backs that encounter a steep decline earlier than expected. The answer to that question could very easily decide the Viking's season. Peterson is confident that nine months of recovery will do the job, but that is far from a certainty.
It is still unclear if Peterson will actually be able to take the field for the season opener on September 9th. Even if he is ready to play, there is no guarantee that he'd be at his usual level of performance.
The Vikings could certainly use him, as Christian Ponder's development is far from over. In 2009, Minnesota was only one victory away from an NFC Championship. Two seasons later they were unable to notch four wins.
They will begin the 2012 season against Jacksonville, who is also a struggling club at the mercy of an inexperienced young QB.