If AP Can't Do It, No One Can

[blstoker]

Emmitt Smith claims that if AP can't break the career rushing records, then no one will, or at least not for a long time. AP needs 1336 yards rushing per season for the next 5 years to break Smith's record before he turns 36. The task is made even more daunting by the fact that he will need to gain 2000 yards more than any player has ever run for after the age of 31 (which he turns next month) in NFL History, just to get close.

As for the career TDs, that's a bit more doable. He's 67 behind Smith - but John Riggins showed that you could score TDs at an advanced age (62 after he turned 31).

So, will AP defy age, or will he fall short?

 

[Arizona_Sting]

David Johnson will break it one day. #SaveThisPostFor2026

 

[eaglesnut]

A shame the league decided to cost him a year.

 

[eaglesnut]

I believe

 

[jarntt]

A shame AP decided to bloody his son and cost himself a year

 

[ducky]

I highly, highly doubt Peterson breaks the rushing record.

He still need 6500+ yards to get the rushing record. That is 6 really good seasons of football.

Peterson is a physical freak. But I doubt his body holds up for that. And IMO Peterson, unlike Emmitt, is going to hang up the cleats if he turns into a below average RB. He just doesn't have the mentality IMO to be a RB only getting 150-200 carries a year.

 

[sonnyblack65]

David Johnson will break it one day. #SaveThisPostFor2026

Or maybe Gurley if he can stay healthy and last

 

[eaglesnut]

That is complete bullshit.

The league decided 100% what was going to happen to him after the fact. AP only made the decision to discipline his kid. You can pass judgement on that if you would like to. And the league did decide to pass judgement on it. But the league decided to cost him a year, just as I said above. My sentence was completely aligned with reality, no fix needed.

 

[eaglesnut]

I highly, highly doubt Peterson breaks the rushing record.

He still need 6500+ yards to get the rushing record. That is 6 really good seasons of football.

Peterson is a physical freak. But I doubt his body holds up for that. And IMO Peterson, unlike Emmitt, is going to hang up the cleats if he turns into a below average RB. He just doesn't have the mentality IMO to be a RB only getting 150-200 carries a year.

Peterson had 1500 last year. He did that while putting up a better YPC than his 24-year-old season.

Peterson has only played in 5 playoff games which helps him two ways here. One, he doesn't have all those extra games of hits like someone like Emmitt had. Two, he has more reason to hang on at the end playing for a contender as part of a RBBC and experiencing a deep playoff run.

 

[ducky]

Peterson had 1500 last year. He did that while putting up a better YPC than his 24-year-old season.

Peterson has only played in 5 playoff games which helps him two ways here. One, he doesn't have all those extra games of hits like someone like Emmitt had. Two, he has more reason to hang on at the end playing for a contender as part of a RBBC and experiencing a deep playoff run.

I just don't believe that Peterson has the mentality to be in a RBBC situation. When it happens (and it might happen sooner rather than later depending on health), IMO it will be his final season. Peterson already last year started to make a few comments that let's you know even he sees an end for himself. I do think the whole suspension situation took a little bit of his passion for the league out of him.

As far as what Peterson did this year: He was better this last season than at any point in his career. He finally is starting to read blocks and learning patience as a runner. Before this season he was pretty poor at all that and was elite based on nothing other than just an unbelievable combination of athletic ability.

But with the way he runs and all the hits he takes, I just don't see how he can maintain elite level running. His type of running can only be truly effective if he maintains the speed he has right now. And each hit he takes from here on out takes just a little of that speed away. And he just isn't the type of heady, smart RB that sees the football field at an elite level where he will still be effective once his elite level athletic ability starts to go away.

But the dude is a superfreak. So maybe he does age different than the vast majority of RB's. But thinking he wont succumb to the rigors of his position like other RB's have is pretty wishful thinking.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

Emmitt Smith claims that if AP can't break the career rushing records, then no one will, or at least not for a long time. AP needs 1336 yards rushing per season for the next 5 years to break Smith's record before he turns 36. The task is made even more daunting by the fact that he will need to gain 2000 yards more than any player has ever run for after the age of 31 (which he turns next month) in NFL History, just to get close.

As for the career TDs, that's a bit more doable. He's 67 behind Smith - but John Riggins showed that you could score TDs at an advanced age (62 after he turned 31).

So, will AP defy age, or will he fall short?

If he wasn't a child beater, he would have had a better chance.

 

[Davis_Mike]

I am going to go with NO. I don't see him averaging enough yards over that time frame to pass Emmitt. He would need to have large yardage seasons of the next two, to even get this discussion going.

 

[Clayton]

Probably a 30% chance at breaking the TD record and a 10% chance at the yardage record.

Emmitt was blessed with loads of talent and the ideal scenario. I doubt a passing league will ever have his numbers broken.

 

[Fencer]

That is complete bullshit.

The league decided 100% what was going to happen to him after the fact. AP only made the decision to discipline his kid. You can pass judgement on that if you would like to. And the league did decide to pass judgement on it. But the league decided to cost him a year, just as I said above. My sentence was completely aligned with reality, no fix needed.

You were both right.

The league is arbitrary and capricious in its discipline. However, this was a case of the blind squirrel finding an acorn. Peterson got approximately what he deserved

 

[Brutal]

What a shame Barry Sanders retired when he did, I struggle with Emmitt Smith being the rushing king.

No way AP breaks the record or anyone else for a long long time.

 

[Malibu]

Will he take care of his kids that he doesn't see is the bigger concern. Peterson is trash and no hero.

 

[RobToxin]

Emmitt is right that future backs will have a near impossible task of breaking his record.

Due to the changing in football to make it a more pass-first game coupled with the short shelf life of backs in run-heavy offenses, I'd be thoroughly shocked to see anyone other than AP even threaten his record, at least in my lifetime.

 

[Win TWINS!!!]

Will he take care of his kids that he doesn't see is the bigger concern. Peterson is trash and no hero.

This isn't about being a hero...

 

[Win TWINS!!!]

That is complete bullshit.

The league decided 100% what was going to happen to him after the fact. AP only made the decision to discipline his kid. You can pass judgement on that if you would like to. And the league did decide to pass judgement on it. But the league decided to cost him a year, just as I said above. My sentence was completely aligned with reality, no fix needed.

I'm not here to pass judgement, but I'd say the sentiment was 50-50 nationwide, as far as whether he was wrong or not. I disagree with how he scolded his children, but I also can't equate it to any experiences in my lifetime. I wasn't raised like him, so....


BUT - you also can't fault the league here. Sponsors were threatening to pull $$$. AP put the league behind the proverbial 8-ball. He was arrogant and aloof in the days and weeks after it came to light. Maybe if he'd been more contrite, who knows if he might have gotten different treatment.

 

[Win TWINS!!!]

I am going to go with NO. I don't see him averaging enough yards over that time frame to pass Emmitt. He would need to have large yardage seasons of the next two, to even get this discussion going.

Even if he popped off 1700 each of the next 2 seasons (something he's only done 2 other times), he'd still need to average nearly 1100 over the following next 3 to get there.

Not saying it's impossible, but I'd put it at about 30% he gets there.