After the 49ers loss, running back Adrian Peterson talked about how "hesitant" he was running the ball out of the shotgun formation. That seems understandable. Starting from a stand-still position seems harder than getting the ball from a running start, especially behind a leaky line.
Peterson had only 10 carries for 31 yards. So obviously all eyes would be not only on how many carries he would get on Sunday against the Lions, but how he would receive the ball on those carries.
So I charted that as part of the Five Extra Points for today's paper. I thought I'd break out that Extra Point here:
This Norv Turner fella has learned a thing or two in 41 years of coaching football. So it's no surprise that he found a nice blend of ways to integrate Adrian Peterson into the offense with carries from the shotgun, I-formation and even one pistol formation. "It definitely worked out," Peterson said after Sunday's 26-16 win over the Lions at TCF Bank on Sunday. "We started off out of the 'I' and made some big plays. Came back out of the gun and completed some passes, so you got the defense on their heels and they don't know what to expect." Peterson ran 13 times for 101 yards (7.8) with no fullback and Teddy Bridgewater under center. He ran six times for 8 yards (1.3) with a fullback and Bridgewater under center, nine times for 27 yards (3.0) out of the shotgun and one time for minus-2 yards when lined up in the pistol formation behind Bridgewater in the shotgun.
From I-formation with no fullback: 13 carries for 101 yards (7.8), one fumble.
From I-formation with the fullback: Six carries for 8 yards (1.3).
From the shotgun: Nine carries for 27 yards (3.0), one fumble.
From the pistol: One carry for minus-2 yards.
(Peterson also had a fumble from the I-formation at the goal line that was negated by a Lions penalty)
