On Sunday, Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will match wits with Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner. With a guy like Adrian Peterson on the roster for Minnesota, there could be less matching of wits and more smashing of faces.
“He is physical,” Phillips told reporters on Thursday. “We’ve got to play physical, too. We think we’re physical, too. That’s why you play the games.”
Phillips sees Peterson as one of the best tailbacks to ever play the game.
“He’s in that Hall of Fame class,” Phillips said. “I was lucky to be around Earl Campbell when he started and he’s the same kind of runner. He’s so powerful and so fast. He’s the leading rusher in the league right now. He didn’t play last year and he only made 30 yards in the first game. That just shows you what he can do.”
For Turner, the question becomes when he’ll give the ball to Peterson, and when Turner will instead dial up play-action passes. In Week One, Turner did too much of the latter -- and lost. In Week Two and Week Three, Turner opted for the former, and they won both games.
At some point, Turner and the Vikings will need more than rushing attempts to prevail. That could start this weekend in Denver.