PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Brian Westbrook could only smile and shrug when asked if he expected the Philadelphia Eagles to use him more as a blocker this week.
Adrian Peterson doesn’t hear those questions. He’s the main reason the Minnesota Vikings got this far.
The biggest difference between Westbrook and Peterson is this: Westbrook goes into every game wondering how many carries he’ll get, while Peterson knows he’s carrying the load.
If the totals were the same, their stats might be more comparable. Instead, Peterson has a big edge.
Sunday’s NFC wild-card matchup features a team (Minnesota) with the best run defense in the league against one (Philadelphia) that prefers to pass, pass and pass some more.
Does that mean Donovan McNabb will put the ball in the air 50 times and reduce Westbrook to a blocking role?
“I hope not,” Westbrook said Wednesday. “I think we still need to give those guys a challenge and I think we have the guys up front who can give them a challenge. They’ve been very stout against the run, so it’s going to be tough.”
n in which he led the NFL with a franchise-record 2,104 total yards from scrimmage, Westbrook’s production declined this year mainly because he was slowed by injuries. He had 936 yards rushing, 54 catches and set a career high with 14 touchdowns. But his average of 4.0 yards per carry tied for the lowest in his seven-year career, and it was his fewest receptions since 2003.
From one week to the next, it was difficult to determine how the Eagles would use their top weapon. During an 0-2-1 stretch, Westbrook got 13, 14 and 14 carries. Then he ran the ball 55 times for 241 yards the following two games, only to get 12 carries in a 10-3 loss at Washington in Week 16 that almost cost the Eagles a playoff spot.
“I think the scheme a little bit, but probably the biggest part of it is that I’ve been banged up a little bit,” Westbrook said, trying to explain why his touches decreased from 24 1/2 in 2007 to 20 1/2 this year.
Peterson had some advice for Philadelphia’s coaching staff.
“I would give him the ball every down,” he said. “He’s the total package. He’s a guy I loved to watch. He does it all.”
Considering the Vikings were No. 1 against the run this season – they allowed just 76.9 yards on the ground per game and no 100-yard rushers – it’s easy to assume coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will stick to the passing attack.
st because everyone expects them to abandon the run.
“I think Brian is a proud football player and a very good football player, so he’ll take this as a challenge, as they will, trying to stop Brian,” Reid said. “He’s a heck of a player.”
It won’t be too hard to figure out Minnesota’s offensive game plan. Peterson led the NFL with 1,760 yards rushing on 363 carries – 130 more than Westbrook. Vikings coach Brad Childress obviously didn’t inherit Reid’s passing fascination during his time as offensive coordinator in Philadelphia.
Peterson had at least 75 yards rushing in all but one game this season and never had fewer than 17 carries.
“He’s done a great job of taking care of his body,” Childress said. “It’s a high-impact position. He’s got a significant role. He’s taken a licking and kept on ticking.”
Peterson is tough to tackle because he’s an elusive runner who combines power and speed. But Philadelphia’s defense ranked fourth against the run this season, and held him to 70 yards on 20 carries in a victory at Minnesota last year.
“He’s so explosive even when he cuts,” linebacker Akeem Jordan said. “Those special backs, they just vanish.”
Just last year, Westbrook was widely considered the best all-around back in the league. Now most people put that label on Peterson.
myself, not based on somebody’s assessment of him. I think he is a great running back and has done a lot of good things in the league since he’s been here. For me, I worry about myself and about this team winning football games and trying to go out and help this team win.”
Reid called Peterson “if not the best, surely one of the top two runners in the NFL and potentially the MVP.”
The other back in Reid’s top two is Westbrook.
“That’s why I always reserve room for saying that he might be the best or one of the best,” Reid said, “because I’m a little partial to Brian because of the things that he does for our football team.”
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