In Cards debut, Adrian Peterson sends message from first TD drive on
Oct 15, 2017, 1:24 PM | Updated: Oct 16, 2017, 12:19 pm
Adrian Peterson on the board in Arizona. pic.twitter.com/MblBGQXazq
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) October 15, 2017
First, an eight-yard rumble, dragging tacklers. Two plays later, Adrian Peterson rushed another eight yards.
Eleven more by bouncing to the outside and an 18-yard Carson Palmer pass completion later, and Peterson, in his debut with the Arizona Cardinals for their Week 6 hosting of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, found a hole and burst through it for a 27-yard touchdown.
The Cardinals took a 7-0 lead within in the first four minutes on Sunday thanks to 54 yards by the newcomer running back, who was acquired just this past week from the New Orleans Saints.
Peterson finished the day with 134 yards on 26 carries (5.2 yards per carry) and two touchdowns in the 38-33 Arizona win.
And with that first Arizona drive and the veteran back’s first four touches, Peterson had already eclipsed an individual rushing total by an Arizona back for any of the team’s six games so far this season.
Chris Johnson, who was released as part of the Peterson addition, held that honor with a high of 44 rushing yards in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts.
By the end of the second drive, Peterson had tallied 76 rushing yards on seven carries, coming five yards shy of his 81 total yards on 27 rushes for the Saints. As the Cardinals led 24-0 at halftime, he had 85 yards on 11 totes in the first half for a 7.7 yard-per-carry average.
Peterson eclipsed the 100-yard mark in the third quarter with his 14th carry.
