If I were Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (and I’m not), I would lobby to sign free agent QB Michael Vick.  Why? Because Peterson would break the NFL single-season rushing record with Vick in the backfield.  Don’t take my word for it, see the diagrams and explanations below.

The first diagram below is a stretch play to the right, with Vick at quarterback and Peterson in an off-set I formation. An offense that has Vick at the helm will lead the league in rushing.  That’s a statistical fact.  Add the best running back in the game in Peterson and you have a potential 2,500-yard season.  The impact of Vick on the running game is simple.  The backside DE and OLB on this play have to stay home to protect against Vick coming out the backdoor on a bootleg.  That means the offense gets extra blockers in the running game.

Stretch Play

The second diagram shows a bootleg off the same stretch play, which also puts the defense in a bind because the key is still Peterson. There are open areas in the zone coverage, particularly on the play-action because the defense is frozen for a split second off the snap. That creates one-on-one match ups with the primary receivers — which are the TE and FB/HB — who are running angle routes away from the defenders that are dropping into coverage.

Stretch Bootleg

What say you?

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