By the Numbers: Adrian Peterson could help Arizona Cardinals run game

Oct 10, 2017, 11:35 AM | Updated: 11:42 am

Arizona Sports

ESPN reporter Dianna Russini reported the Arizona Cardinals have acquired running back Adrian Peterson from the New Orleans Saints for a conditional draft pick.

Trade! The New Orleans Saints have traded Adrian Peterson to the Arizona Cardinals for a conditional pick per sources

— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) October 10, 2017

The Cardinals (2-3) have struggled to run the football all season, and general manager Steve Keim has apparently decided to do something about it.

After rushing for a total of 31 yards in last Sunday’s blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cardinals will enter Week 6 with the worst run game in the NFL.

Peterson’s impact on the Cardinals’ offense could be felt as early as this upcoming Sunday. Arizona will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at University of Phoenix Stadium at 1:05 p.m.

Here are the stats you need to know about the Cardinals run game and Peterson.

2,097

Peterson led the league in yards in yards with 2,097.

Injuries limited him to 153 yards in seven games played over the past two seasons, but he has led the NFL in yards three times (2008, 2012, 2015).

40

The Cardinals rank dead last in the NFL with 259 total rushing yards, 40 yards fewer than the next worst team, the Miami Dolphins (299). In addition, the Cardinals have averaged an NFL worst 51.8 rushing yards per game.

Arizona lost featured tailback David Johnson to injury in Week 1, and his loss has made the Cardinals offense one-dimensional.

2.6

The Cardinals have averaged 2.6 yards per rush attempt through five games, which ranks dead last in the league.

Chris Johnson, Kerwynn Williams and Andre Ellington have traded carries since Johnson went down, and all three of them have proved ineffective. In 45 attempts, Johnson has averaged 2.5 yards per carry, Williams has averaged 1.7 yards in 19 attempts and Ellington has averaged 3.8 yards in 13 attempts.

1

The Cardinals have one rushing touchdown this season. Williams scored from five yards out to give the Cardinals a 7-0 lead in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.

The Miami Dolphins are the only team without a rushing touchdown this season. Arizona finished last season with 20 rushing touchdowns, tied with the Atlanta Falcons for the third most in the NFL.

3

Peterson averaged 3 yards per carry in four games with the Saints.

But, the Saints only gave him the ball 27 times. The 32-year-old Peterson missed the majority of the 2016 season with a torn meniscus in his right knee. In three games, he averaged 1.0 yards per carry for a total of 72 yards.

64

Peterson has not run the ball for a touchdown in his last 64 attempts, but the future Hall of Fame back is three rushing touchdowns away from becoming the ninth player in NFL history with 100 career rushing touchdowns.

11,828

Peterson has the second-most career yards among active running backs with 11,828. Only current Indianapolis Colt and former San Francisco 49ers star Frank Gore has more career yards (13,304).