Peterson impresses teammates in first start since 2003
Steady if not spectacular, Adrian Peterson performed as well as could be expected Sunday in the career backup's first start at running back since 2003.
Pressed into a starting role for only the second time as a professional following last week's season-ending injury to starter Cedric Benson, the versatile sixth-year player from Georgia Southern gained 149 total yards from scrimmage in a 21-16 loss to the New York Giants at Soldier Field.
Peterson ran 22 times for 67 yards and caught 7 passes from Rex Grossman for 82 yards.
Those totals for receptions and receiving yards went down as personal single-game bests, but milestones were of little solace to the veteran tailback following a loss that made the defending NFC champs longshots to return to the playoffs.
"That's on the side. That doesn't matter," Peterson said of his statistics. "We got beat so honestly that don't even matter."
Peterson's sub-100-yard rushing day resembled previous results this season from Benson in a rushing attack that entered Sunday's game ranked 30th in the NFL. Peterson averaged 3.0 yards per carry on his 22 totes, less than Benson's season average of 3.4 yards per attempt on 196 carries.
"We didn't do anything differently," Bears center Olin Kreutz said of blocking for Peterson instead of Benson. "He's a good, hard runner."
What bothered Peterson was the futility of the offense as a whole in the second half. Like the entire unit, his output dropped after halftime.
Peterson finished the first half with 71 receiving yards, a large chunk of which came on the Bears' first play from scrimmage when quarterback Rex Grossman spotted him coming out of the backfield late on a wheel pattern for a 29-yard passing play.
The reception was 8 yards shy of Peterson's career-long, 37-yard grab against Green Bay last year on New Year's Eve.
But in the second half, Peterson caught just 3 short passes for 11 yards and managed just 29 yards rushing on 11 attempts, a decrease he said had far more to do with the Giants making plays than him becoming fatigued.
"We had the game in control throughout and couldn't finish," Peterson said. "I am in shape and stay in shape year round, so getting extra carries didn't make it tough on me at all."
Offensive coordinator Ron Turner said of Peterson, "I thought he played well, as he always does."
Color Peterson's teammates impressed, too.
"I think he played pretty good -- running game, passing game and protection," Bears tight end Desmond Clark said. "We know what to expect out of Adrian. He ran the ball hard, made some crucial first downs for us and he fights for the extra yard.
"That's what we've come to expect out of him. He stepped in and filled in like we thought he would. He had a successful game out there."