Originally posted on 12/30/2012:

I love what Barry Sanders had to say about going for 2000 yds (not the record): "It's hard" - and I've never seen a more humbled look in his eye when he said it - almost as if it was frightening to him. Barry wasn't even talking about the record for yards/season. 2k yards is an unreal accomplishment and only the best of the best can do it, and all 7 are 'amazing' backs - heck, even all time greats like Tomlinson, Wally P, Jim Brown - they never did it.

What Peterson did this year is 1 of the ALL TIME great performances for stats in the history of the game - not to mention his impact on a really inconsistent squad with enough talent to win, but a bottom 5 QB (Joe Webb is a superior QB, without question, but he wasn't a 12th overall pick). I always thought that Terrell Davis' 2k season was the best of all time - because he barely played 2nd halves of games that year. Yes, he had more carries than AP did this year - but the fact is, he didn't even care about the number and was content to be taken out of games.... But what AP did this year, essentially carrying the Viqueens into the playoffs, was one of the most impressive things I've ever seen, not even counting what he had to do to get his knee ready to play.

What Peterson has done this year makes him easily the MVP of the league. Musgrave FINALLY had a good offensive gameplan to get AP touches AND abuse play-action. There were games this year that Musgrave had 1 or 2 play-action passes the WHOLE game. He's a shit offensive coordinator. Not Bevel bad in MN, but TERRIBLE (how do you not play action with the best back in the league?). In spite of that, AP made mustard out of shit sandwiches. The guy is unreal. Is he the best back I've ever seen? Hard to say. But insane he can run for so many yards behind a 'meh' offensive line. Yeah, they have a very solid/strong C, a young, but possibly very strong LT, a 'meh' RT and 2 REALLY inconsistent G linemen. It reminds me of the lines Barry Sanders ran behind earlier in his career.

I think the real achievement is the Viqueens are in the playoffs - behind one of the all time great seasons put together by one of the all time great running backs. Very impressive. That's more impressive than going after a compiler record. To me, in the NFL, production>stats. Running for a first down when it's 3rd and 3 is way more valuable than 15 yards on a 3rd and 16 play. AP's stats are mostly production, and if you watch the tape, you'll see what he's done is more impressive than just the numbers. The guy is just a beast. He's had more productive runs than any back I've seen since Terrell Davis. To me, there really isn't a higher compliment. TD was the best back in the league in a time with Barry, Emmitt and Faulk - all HOF players.