During the 2015 season, I percolated the following #hottaek: Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater would be better off if running back Adrian Peterson weren’t on the team.
The basis for the argument was simple. With an offense that centers on Peterson carrying the load, Bridgewater isn’t running the show. Which delays the development of his ability to do so.
Visiting with Vikings coach Mike Zimmer on the Scouting Combine set of PFT Live on NBC Sports Radio, I cautiously ran the #hottaek by Zimmer. And his reaction wasn’t what I thought it would be.
“There is a little bit of Adrian and Teddy and the offense kind of molding together,” Zimmer said. “I do think that you have a fair assessment on that but I don’t believe that he can’t take charge because Adrian’s there. It was a little work in progress having Adrian for the first time and Teddy and, you know, it’s not a bad problem to have. It’s just something that we as coaches have to work through to get the right kind of combination of everything. What can Adrian do well out of the gun let’s say and what can Teddy do well under the center? And so it’s that small combination of things that we can put together as coaches and how we can help this team become better.”
It’s not unprecedented for a great running back to coexist with a great passing game, but it’s rare. Marshall Faulk as a member of the Greatest Show on Turf may be the last time that both a quarterback (Kurt Warner) and a running back both performed at a ridiculously high level at the same time.
For the Vikings, that could happen with the addition of a few high-end offensive linemen. Watch the interview to see what Zimmer is looking for in his offensive linemen. If he gets it, the Vikings could be ready to make a run at their first Super Bowl appearance since 1976 -- and their first Super Bowl win ever.