Chapter 733 The so-called genius
After completing the milestone game of 1,000 yards in the season, Peterson once again stood under the spotlight of the media. After two terrible years, no one expected that Peterson would be able to come back and be at the top of the league. Excellent performance in the duel.
Just when Peterson was on the verge of being forgotten, the best and best running back in the league in the past decade has returned to the public eye.
From Bell's strike to Peterson's return, the ups and downs of running backs this season do occupy an important position in the regular season.
However, what I never expected was that Peterson, who was filled with emotion and grief, faced the frenzy of media pursuit and interception from three levels inside and outside, and his first sentence was actually:
"Thanks Levi."
Buzz buzz, buzz buzz, the reporters were all stunned.
But Peterson didn't.
“Levi is my role model and my inspiration.”
"Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. I mean, you guys should see what he does and people should stop taking Levi for granted just because he's a running back."
"He always performs consistently, he always steps forward when the team needs to break the deadlock and reverse the situation. He is always learning, improving and fighting. It is a pleasure to watch him play, he is a smart kid, His reading of the game and his use of tactics opened up new possibilities for running backs.”
"If I remember correctly, Levi's test results for Derek Vondrick were very good, and now he also applies his intelligence to the game. This is an ability that no other running back in the league has, and it is something that other running backs need. Looking up requires the ability to learn.”
Gurley & Elliott & Buckley: Thanks, I'm offended.
"I have to admit, watching him play brings a lot of inspiration. More than admiration, admiration."
"So, you should stop your biases and learn to appreciate the variety and excitement that running backs bring to the game."
There is no doubt that Levi is the hottest player in the league, but reporters did not expect to hear such high praise from Peterson.
Moreover, Peterson mentioned an important point, a very, very special point:
Vonderick test.
For a long time, the running back's Vondrick test has not been taken seriously. This is related to the stereotype passed down by the league. People often use running backs as human shields and siege engines. Strength and confrontation are the core. In simple terms, It's just a blood cow, it doesn't need any agility or spirit.
Facts have proven this. Over the past three decades, the Vondrick Test average of running backs has always been one of the lowest among all positions on the team.
In fact, the running back position has made great progress since the turn of the millennium. With the Hall of Fame legend Tomlinson as the watershed, running backs have gradually become more diverse. They not only rely on strength to rush, but also speed, agility, change of direction, etc. The role of other abilities is becoming more and more significant; in recent years, he has begun to be responsible for catching the ball.
In other words, the running back's position in the tactical system has changed. He is no longer just a blood cow.
Naturally, running backs can't just run the ball all the time. They need to learn the playbook, cooperate with teammates, read the defense, etc.
Peterson didn't say it, and people didn't notice it. Like the elephant in the room, Levi's Vondrick test results had long been forgotten; but now, because of Peterson, the memory is like a tide, and eyes are quickly on it. A glance at running backs' Vondrick test scores.
etc!
Leonard Fournette!
One of the 2016 NCAA running back troika, he was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft. He has been compared with Levi and McCaffrey since entering the league. Last season He performed well, but was locked out by the Kansas City Chiefs in the American League finals.
This season, Levi and McCaffrey are shining stars, and the new generation of running backs are shining, but Fournette has fallen into a slump and suffered a season-ending injury after eight games, the third injury in two years; but before the injury , Fournette seems to have hit the rookie wall and his performance is unsatisfactory.
Thinking carefully about it, in sharp contrast to Levi and McCaffrey, Fournette's running of the ball has always been rigid and clumsy, lacking changes and progress. How should this be explained? High EQ: Retro.
Low EQ: Stupid.
Is it because Fournette can't understand the playbook and can only choose to run the ball in a dull way?
Looking at Fournette's Vonderrick test again, it seems that the answer has finally been found:
11 points.
Two fried dough sticks.
Although the running back's testing average for Vondrick was only 17 points; Fournette was well below average. Looking at McCaffrey's test results again, he scored 21 points, which has even reached the baseline for quarterbacks. The answer slowly emerged like this.
This is the reason?
Fournette, who was recovering, was inexplicably covered in arrows, but he couldn't say anything: Thank you, Peterson, I really appreciate your whole family.
Assuming that this is the answer, then a perfect score on the Fengdrick test is no longer a simple resume embellishment for Levi.
Brush brush brush.
Eyes swarmed towards Levi, pushing him to a whole new level like never before.
Facts also proved that Peterson was right——
Or rather, the data proves it.
Although running backs have emerged in an all-round way throughout the season, and their wonderful performances have emerged one after another, showing a blooming scene that is completely different from that of quarterbacks; however, Levi still successfully stood out in the fierce competition.
In a dominating way.
Looking purely at the number of running yards, Levi's performance was slightly lower than last season's 1,888 yards, but his 1,667 yards were still too strong to say anything, becoming the league's running yard leader for the second consecutive season.
Re-election!
The league was exclaiming. This is the first time a player has been able to accomplish such a feat since running back Tomlinson won the running yards title in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Top running backs have come and gone. But no one has been able to replicate this magical performance, until now.
And, that's not all.
In addition to retaining the running yardage leader, Levi has completed 16 running touchdowns this season. He has topped the honor of running touchdowns for the second consecutive year. He perfectly copied and pasted the glory written by Tomlinson eleven years ago. For two consecutive years He became the league's No. 1 running back with his dominant performance this season.
But the point is, it's hard to believe that this is only the first two seasons of Levi's career.
In other words, debut is the peak, and logically speaking, the next step can only be downhill, but he never expected that Levi would continue to stand at the top and roar.
If there is anything that makes all this even more incredible, it is that for two consecutive seasons, Levi has only played fifteen games. With one game less, he still easily kills and writes records.
Crazier than Tomlinson.
Involuntarily, people are reminded of the words of Burns, the current running backs coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the former running backs coach of the University of Alabama.
"He's a genius."
(End of chapter)