The Vikings are setting Adrian Peterson loose. They might re-sign him, but he’ll have the opportunity to sign with other teams. And with or without Peterson, Minnesota needs substantial improvement in its running game.
Minnesota’s rushing attack was remarkably bad last year, averaging a league-low 75 yards per game. They didn’t get notable tailback play, and their blocking was remarkably bad.
This was surprising, given that Minnesota normally runs the ball well (with the offensive line being more of a strength).
Comparing the last two years, Minnesota’s rushing offense suffered the biggest declines in the league in all of the major categories. They ran for 1,006 fewer yards. They averaged 1.49 fewer yards per carry. And they scored 9 fewer rushing touchdowns.
Last in all of those categories.
Minnesota has some other notable pieces. Kyle Rudolph is one of the better tight ends, and Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen are probably an above-average pair of wide receivers. When Teddy Bridgewater gets healthy, they’ll have two starter-caliber quarterbacks (Sam Bradford isn’t great, but he set an NFL record for completion percentage last year).
But running game needs to be fixed.
RUSHING YARDS, LAST TWO YEARS | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | 2015 | 2016 | Diff |
Tennessee | 1,485 | 2,187 | 702 |
Dallas | 1,890 | 2,396 | 506 |
San Francisco | 1,544 | 2,019 | 475 |
New England | 1,404 | 1,872 | 468 |
Oakland | 1,457 | 1,922 | 465 |
Miami | 1,496 | 1,824 | 328 |
Atlanta | 1,606 | 1,928 | 322 |
New Orleans | 1,491 | 1,742 | 251 |
Buffalo | 2,432 | 2,630 | 198 |
Indianapolis | 1,438 | 1,628 | 190 |
Cleveland | 1,529 | 1,712 | 183 |
Jacksonville | 1,473 | 1,631 | 158 |
San Diego | 1,358 | 1,510 | 152 |
Washington | 1,566 | 1,696 | 130 |
Houston | 1,731 | 1,859 | 128 |
Philadelphia | 1,743 | 1,813 | 70 |
Pittsburgh | 1,724 | 1,760 | 36 |
Baltimore | 1,478 | 1,463 | -15 |
Detroit | 1,335 | 1,310 | -25 |
Cincinnati | 1,805 | 1,769 | -36 |
NY Jets | 1,868 | 1,802 | -66 |
Chicago | 1,854 | 1,735 | -119 |
Green Bay | 1,850 | 1,701 | -149 |
Arizona | 1,917 | 1,732 | -185 |
NY Giants | 1,609 | 1,412 | -197 |
Denver | 1,718 | 1,484 | -234 |
Kansas City | 2,044 | 1,748 | -296 |
Carolina | 2,282 | 1,814 | -468 |
Tampa Bay | 2,162 | 1,616 | -546 |
Seattle | 2,268 | 1,591 | -677 |
Los Angeles | 1,956 | 1,252 | -704 |
Minnesota | 2,211 | 1,205 | -1,006 |
RUSHING AVERAGE LAST TWO YEARS | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | 2015 | 2016 | Diff |
Cleveland | 4.02 | 4.89 | .87 |
Washington | 3.65 | 4.47 | .82 |
Atlanta | 3.82 | 4.58 | .76 |
Chicago | 3.96 | 4.57 | .60 |
Tennessee | 4.00 | 4.59 | .59 |
Buffalo | 4.78 | 5.35 | .57 |
New Orleans | 3.76 | 4.31 | .56 |
Oakland | 3.94 | 4.43 | .49 |
San Francisco | 3.96 | 4.41 | .45 |
Houston | 3.67 | 4.08 | .41 |
Indianapolis | 3.63 | 3.98 | .35 |
San Diego | 3.46 | 3.79 | .34 |
Green Bay | 4.24 | 4.55 | .31 |
New England | 3.67 | 3.88 | .22 |
Philadelphia | 3.94 | 4.14 | .20 |
Dallas | 4.63 | 4.80 | .17 |
Miami | 4.35 | 4.50 | .15 |
NY Jets | 4.17 | 4.31 | .14 |
Baltimore | 3.86 | 3.99 | .13 |
Cincinnati | 3.87 | 3.97 | .10 |
Arizona | 4.24 | 4.34 | .10 |
Jacksonville | 4.16 | 4.16 | .00 |
Detroit | 3.77 | 3.74 | -.03 |
Pittsburgh | 4.44 | 4.30 | -.14 |
Carolina | 4.34 | 4.00 | -.33 |
NY Giants | 3.99 | 3.55 | -.44 |
Kansas City | 4.69 | 4.24 | -.45 |
Denver | 4.18 | 3.62 | -.56 |
Seattle | 4.54 | 3.95 | -.59 |
Tampa Bay | 4.75 | 3.57 | -1.18 |
Los Angeles | 4.56 | 3.34 | -1.22 |
Minnesota | 4.66 | 3.17 | -1.49 |
RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS LAST TWO YEARS | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | 2015 | 2016 | Diff |
Dallas | 8 | 24 | 16 |
Oakland | 7 | 17 | 10 |
Buffalo | 19 | 29 | 10 |
San Francisco | 7 | 15 | 8 |
Cleveland | 5 | 13 | 8 |
Washington | 9 | 17 | 8 |
Atlanta | 13 | 20 | 7 |
Indianapolis | 6 | 13 | 7 |
San Diego | 4 | 10 | 6 |
New England | 14 | 19 | 5 |
Arizona | 16 | 20 | 4 |
Miami | 11 | 14 | 3 |
Jacksonville | 5 | 8 | 3 |
Green Bay | 8 | 11 | 3 |
Seattle | 10 | 13 | 3 |
Baltimore | 8 | 10 | 2 |
Detroit | 7 | 9 | 2 |
New Orleans | 16 | 17 | 1 |
Houston | 7 | 8 | 1 |
Philadelphia | 15 | 16 | 1 |
NY Giants | 5 | 6 | 1 |
Cincinnati | 18 | 17 | -1 |
NY Jets | 11 | 10 | -1 |
Denver | 13 | 11 | -2 |
Pittsburgh | 16 | 13 | -3 |
Chicago | 13 | 10 | -3 |
Carolina | 19 | 16 | -3 |
Kansas City | 19 | 15 | -4 |
Tampa Bay | 12 | 8 | -4 |
Los Angeles | 16 | 9 | -7 |
Minnesota | 18 | 9 | -9 |
—Ian Allan