Peterson says he is finally back on track
Patrick Peterson has acknowledged he hasn’t played his best football this season since returning from a sixgame suspension to start the year.
He’s also admitted he tends to play his best when he’s going up against the best and last Sunday, he found the matchup he’s been waiting for in the Browns’ Odell Beckham Jr. Peterson limited Beckham to just a few receptions when he was shadowing him one-on-one and the Cardinals cornerback finished the game with seven tackles, an interception and three passed defensed — two of which almost also went for interceptions.
Earlier this week, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
It was the first time he’s won the award since 2014.
After his pick in the end zone during the Cardinals’ 38-24 victory, Peterson went over to defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, gave him a hug and said he would never let the coach down again.
“It meant a lot for your defense,” Joseph said Thursday.
“When your best players are playing their best ball, you have a chance to win games and obviously, that was Pat’s best of the year vs. a very good player in OBJ.
“We can see it coming back. Each week he’s gotten better and better, physically. The want-to dimension prep was there and his body just wasn’t ready to be the old Pat Peterson (after returning form the suspension). But obviously, he’s back and hopefully, he can do it again on Sunday (against the Seahawks).”
Peterson said it wasn’t so much getting his legs back under him as much as it was re-learning Joseph’s defensive schematics, which changed drastically from training camp. There were different techniques to master and different spots in coverages he needed to man.
“I think I’m right where I need to be right now,” he said Thursday.
Joseph said even a talented player Peterson can have bad outings when he’s constantly going against the other team’s best receivers and when he’s missed out on so much live action and practice time, adding: “Not to see fastballs for a month and a half and kind of working on your own and watching games on TV … I think the speed of the game was just a lot early on.”
“I’m happy for Patrick because he kept pushing and pushing and he never made excuses, he never complained about not playing his best.”
Drake honored
Running back Kenyan Drake, fresh off a career-high performance against the Browns, was voted the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week for Week 15.
Drake carried the ball 22 times for a career-high 137 yards and four touchdowns during Arizona’s 38-24 victory over Cleveland, which snapped a sixgame losing streak.