The Falcons Goal Is To Stop Adrian Peterson This Week

Something has got to give for the Atlanta Falcons this week.

According to research, Atlanta is just 1-2 under Dan Quinn after the buy, which is a total turnaround from Mike Smith who was 6-1 after the buy.

So things may not look so hot for the Falcons this week.

However, they are also playing the Redskins, a team Matt Ryan has never lost to in his career. He’s 4-0.

Something has got to give.

And this is a different Redskins team the Falcons are facing. Instead of the dysfunctional Redskins, the ‘Skins are 5-2 and led by 33 year-old running back Adrian Peterson, who is showing no signs of slowing down.

“No. Not at all. He’s a beast,” Reed said of Peterson. “He’s just one of those special players that come around once in a while. I know he’s a really tough guy. He’s very resilient — work ethic off the charts. He’s come back from a bunch of injuries and outperformed expectations every time. I think he’s still got a lot of gas in the tank, for sure.”

Peterson is the catalyst of offense Last week, he ran for 149 yards against the Giants and is also the main target for quarterback Alex Smith. In each of the five Washington wins, he has at least 96 yards rushing. And he is doing it through an ankle injury.

“It doesn’t surprise me, but it’s impressive nonetheless,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said of Peterson’s success in Year 12. “And I think when you watch him play, you see his ability to jump-cut. We oftentimes think about how big he is (6-1, 220) and how strong he is. But I think what makes him unique is at that size where he can go full speed and then jump-cut to avoid, you know, to extend plays.”

It’s going to be a challenge for Atlanta, who is having problems stopping the run this year. They have had their injury problems on defense and it shows.

Fortunately, the Birds know who Peterson is, having faced him a number of times in the past.

“I know exactly who Adrian is and, playing against him, how tough he can be,” Quinn said. “For us, tackling, our leverage, our pursuit — those are things that we’re really looking to improve.”

It’s either that or the Bye Week Blues will continue for the Atlanta Falcons and coach Dan Quinn.

About the Author

Joe McDonald

Editor-in-Chief
Joe McDonald is the founder and former publisher of NY Sports Day. After selling to i15Media in 2020, he serves as the Editor-in-Chief and responsible for the editorial side of the publication. In the past, Joe was the managing editor of NY Sportscene magazine and assistant editor of Mets Inside Pitch. He has covered the Mets since 2004.

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