Vikings’ Peterson is bookies favourite to lead NFL in rushing after return from ban
Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings is favoured by odds makers to lead the National Football League in rushing for a third time next season even though he missed all but one game last season because of an abuse case involving his then fouryear-old son.
Peterson, 30, led the NFL in rushing in 2008 and 2012. After finishing with 2,097 yards rushing in 2012 — the second most in a season in NFL history — he had 1,266 yards in 14 games for the Vikings two years ago.
Peterson was reinstated by the NFL in April and has said he’s regretful for striking his son with a switch. Peterson, who has rushed for 10,190 yards and 86 touchdowns over eight NFL seasons in Minnesota, is listed as a 9-2 favourite to lead the league in rushing next season, according to Las Vegas sports book William Hill.
Reigning NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray is the 6-1 second favourite after signing with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. Murray, who rushed for 1,845 yards last season, became the first running back in 68 years to switch teams after leading the NFL in yardage the previous season.
LeSean McCoy, who joined the Buffalo Bills after leaving the Eagles, is tied at 8-1 with Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks, Arian Foster of the Houston Texans and Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs. Peterson and Lynch are tied, with 11-2 odds, as the co-favourites to lead the NFL in touchdowns.
Quarterback Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts is the 7-2 favourite to lead the NFL in yards passing, according to William Hill.
Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints is second at 11-2 after tying for the league lead a year ago, followed by Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers (6-1), Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos (7-1) and Matt Stafford of the Detroit Lions (8-1).
Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy’s 10-match NFL ban for a domestic violence incident was slashed to four games on Friday following an appeal.
Former NFL executive Harold Henderson, who served as the arbitrator, upheld Hardy’s suspension but cut the punishment imposed for “conduct detrimental to the league” following the incident involving Hardy and his former girlfriend Nicole Holder.
Hardy had been accused of choking Holder and threatening to kill her before throwing her onto a couch covered by shotguns and assault rifles which he claimed were loaded.
Henderson said in a statement on the NFL website that while Hardy’s actions warranted a ban, 10 games was too long compared to suspensions league had imposed before stricter punishments were introduced — when the player’s alleged offences took place.
“The egregious conduct exhibited here is indefensible in the NFL. However, 10 games is simply too much, in my view, of an increase over prior cases without notice such as was done last year, when the ‘baseline’ for discipline in domestic violence or sexual assault cases was announced as a sixgame suspension.”