When a transcendent talent comes along in sport, the opponent, instead of conceding, must come up with rules, principles or guidelines with the hopes of slowing down, or if lucky, shutting down the force of nature.
The Falcons (6-4), who face the Minnesota Vikings (7-3) and their truly dynamic running back Adrian Peterson at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Georgia Dome, find themselves in this position.
Former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur, who wrote four innovative books on defense, used to talk about using all of his bullets when playing Detroit running back Barry Sanders.
In the NBA, Chuck Daly came up with the “Jordan Rules” with the hopes of slowing Michael Jordan.
Falcons defensive coordinator Richard Smith, who compared Peterson with Sanders, has been preaching to the Falcons’ No. 1-ranked run defense (87.4 yards per game) about what is tantamount to their “Peterson Rules” for this game.
“When you watch him play, he reminds me a little bit of a Barry Sanders,” Smith said. “He’s that good. We have to contain him.”
Smith noted that in the Vikings’ three losses, Peterson is averaging fewer carries than in the seven victories. In the victories, Peterson averaged 24.1 carries and 121.3 yards rushing. In the losses, he averaged 13 carries for 52.3 yards.
“We are hoping to try to keep them down with those numbers,” Smith said.
Smith noted that Vikings like to double-team the defensive tackles and create space in the middle of the field for Peterson, which allows him to use his vision to find gaps in the defense.
Part of the Falcons’ plan is maintain their lanes, not over-pursue and leave space for Peterson to roam.
Even after missing most of last season, Peterson is still capable of churning out the big game. He rushed for 203 yards on 26 carries in a 30-14 win over Oakland on Nov. 15. He missed 15 games in 2014 in the wake of a child-abuse case. He was inactive for one game, missed eight while on the commissioner’s exempt list and six because of an NFL suspension.
“The difference is if he gets out in the open, he can go the distance in terms of your middle safety having a chance tackle him in space,” Smith said. “People have had trouble with him.”
The Falcons must start by recognizing the formation and where Peterson is aligned.
“He’s deep back there,” Smith said. “He’s got great vision. If you’re not right on, he’ll see it and explode through the gap.”
Defensive end Tyson Jackson and defensive tackle Paul Soliai have been stout at the front of the Falcons’ defense.
“Each week presents its own challenges,” Jackson said. “This week one of the biggest challenges that we have is coming out there and stopping that run game.”
Soliai is bracing for the double-team blocks.
“The main thing with me and Tyson is to be consistent and try to make every offensive team that we play one dimensional,” Soliai said. “We want to stop the run and let our rushers rush.”
Strong safety William Moore and free safety Ricardo Allen will play key roles. Moore will drop closer to the line of scrimmage at times, while Allen will have to tackle Peterson if he breaks into the open field.
Gap responsibility is the key part of the Falcons’ “Peterson Rules.”
“Staying in your gap,” Moore said. “Staying in your position, making sure that he can’t cut back. He’s one of those players that if he sees something, he can see it on the far side of the field. He goes to the left, but he can see the right while he’s running. We have to stay contained and keep him in the box.”
Allen is third on the team with 41 tackles behind linebackers Paul Worrilow (64) and Justin Durant (48).
After the Falcons maintain their gaps, they must rally to Peterson and gang tackle.
“You hope that most of your tackles aren’t one-on-one with him because the majority of the time he wins those things,” Allen said. “You just want to play fast as a defense and get off blocks and try to get as many people on him as possible.”
If the “Peterson Rules” work, maybe the Falcons can turn in a game like Shurmur’s defense did in the 1994 playoffs against Sanders, when they held the NFL’s reigning top running back to minus-1 yard on 13 carries.
“It’s a real challenge for us,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “It’s a really disciplined approach.”
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