Adrian Peterson might have something left in the tank as he starts playing for the Saints tonight against his old team in the Vikings. He wants to have the revenge that he thinks he is due because the Vikings did him wrong, but that would be a bad idea. Football is already a violent game, and an older guy who is throwing his body around the field all game is not exactly safe. We should consider what can be done with the Saints offense if Peterson is good, and we must consider what happens if he fights for revenge.
Revenge is deadly
Revenge is deadly because it causes you problems as you hunt for it.
If you are a fan of James Bond movies, my favorite is "For Your Eyes Only," and James advises the heroine that when you set out on revenge you dig two graves. Now, this is not as serious as a James Bond movie where everything is life or death, but it could be the difference between ending a career and going out in style. Peterson can wear his body out without being very productive if he runs angry all the time because that never works. There are many great angry runners who only lasted a couple years in the league, and Peterson will likely get hurt if he spends all season looking for revenge.
The Saints stink
Brees and Peterson are the best players on the Saints, and it is very hard for us to trust the Saints because they are simply not very well coached.
They have not been managed properly, and their roster is not very strong. Sean Payton would have to change the offense to get Peterson to fit in, but this offense feels a bit like a brick wall that Peterson will have to run through if he wants to fit in. It is a bit like a hazing ritual where he must run plays that he is not accustomed to because that is just how they do it in new orleans.
I would expect the Saints to tell Peterson that he can go somewhere else if he does not like it, and that could turn out very badly for them because they need him to be on board with the message every day.
The Vikings got better
The Vikings got better, and they will prove that when they beat the Saints tonight. However, we could be completely shocked when we see the Saints win this game.
I cannot expect anything to go the way we thought when the season started. There were so many surprises from the Chiefs to the Jaguars. The teams that are playing well were not lauded for their consistency or potential, and we were all wrong. I would like to see these guys in New Orleans play well, but I have no faith right now.
