The Arizona Cardinals cornerback was relieved of his special-teams duties before the season, and the team brought in Antonio Cromartie to take pressure off the NFL’s highest paid corner. That’s a formula for success, right?
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Wrong.
Peterson has no interceptions through seven games — he had three at this point both last season and in 2012. Peterson has allowed five touchdowns this season — he allowed three at this point last season, including two Calvin Johnson specials, and just one in 2012.
Perhaps more telling is the 132.7 rating quarterbacks maintain when throwing into Peterson’s coverage — the highest
among Cardinals corners. QBs managed a 91.3 rating against No. 21 last season and a 64.8 rating in 2012.
So what’s the problem? Given Peterson’s modified, less taxing role in the defense, that’s a fantastic question.
Before Cromartie arrived in March, Peterson was asked to cover the opponent’s biggest threat and follow that receiver wherever he lined up. Now Peterson typically stays put on the left side of the defense. The corners’ ability to cover receivers by themselves allows defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to get creative with blitz packages and load guys in the box to stop the run.
“I am a man-to-man guy,” Peterson said after a Week 6 win against the Washington Redskins. “I want to be in your face, I want the best receiver. That’s how I was brought up.”
He’s still primarily playing man, but he’s not always matched up against the opponent’s No. 1 guy. Whether that responsibility presents some sort of discomfort for the Pro Bowler is baffling.
Peterson claims to be “a man-to-man guy,” but he’s been beat on several occasions this season in that coverage. Rueben Randle got himself some in Week 2. DeSean Jackson, who’s no stranger to Peterson’s coverage, made the corner look bad in Week 6. Jeremy Maclin took advantage in Week 8.
The plan, for whatever reason, isn’t working for Peterson. It’s also not working for the Cardinals, who are dead last in passing yards allowed per game.
“It comes with the territory, with being the highest paid cornerback in the league and being recognized as one of the top cornerbacks,” Peterson said earlier this month. “Is that something I might shy away from? Not at all. Is that something I am scared of? Am I worried about the concerns or the criticisms? Not at all. I have a lot of games left to improve, because I do believe I am not playing to the best of my ability right now. That’s definitely going to change.”
So maybe that explains it. He’s just “not playing to the best of (his) ability right now.”
Peterson also claims “that’s going to change,” and now’s as good a time as any, as the Big Red head to Dallas for a big Week 9 NFC battle. Megatron likely will be healthy in two weeks when the Cardinals play host to the Lions. And that’s before four division games in the final six weeks that will decide the crowded NFC East.
Sometimes it’s as simple as “step your game up, man.” That appears to be the case with Peterson in 2014.
