Adrian Peterson, Rashard Mendenhall Should Follow Cautious Path of Stephen Strasburg in Return From Injury

Adrian Peterson has been arguably the best running back in
all of football for the past five seasons. But a torn ACL in a Christmas Eve
showdown with the Redskins last year suddenly brought that title into question.

A little over eight months later, though, Peterson was back
on the field for the Vikings on Sunday and he was focused on returning to his
All-Pro form. But with so much riding on the legs of A.P. in Minnesota, the
Vikings may need to take pointers from the Washington Nationals to keep their
star intact.

This baseball season, Stephen Strasburg has been a major
reason behind the Nationals' rise to prominence in the National League. But while
the Nats make a strong push toward the World Series, boasting the best record
in MLB, they will unfortunately be without the ace of their pitching staff for
the stretch run.

Strasburg underwent Tommy John surgery in August of 2010,
and after throwing just 24 innings last season he entered 2012 with the
anticipation of taking on a full workload. But at just 24 years old and with
his best years on the mound still ahead of him, the Nationals decided to put a
160-innings cap on their young ace.

On Saturday, after one of his worst starts of the year, the
Nats decided that 159 1/3 innings was just enough to shut Strasburg down
for the remainder of the season. The Vikings would be wise to use a similar strategy with their
own franchise cornerstone.

Less than 24 hours after Strasburg's season officially
ended, Peterson took the field in the Metrodome for the Vikings season opener.
Much like Strasburg's first appearance of the year — a seven inning, five hit
gem — Peterson wasn't perfect but he definitely lived up to the lofty
expectations.

Peterson carried the ball 17 times for 84 yards and a pair
of touchdowns as the Vikings thwarted the Jaguars 26-23 in an overtime
thriller. His numbers on the day were notable enough, but it was the
ferocity and power with which Peterson ran the ball that was truly the most
impressive part of his return.

The success of Peterson's return to the field should offer
the Vikings hope that he is ready for the full workload ahead of him this
season. But they wouldn't be wise to act upon it, at least not yet.

Rashard Mendenhall also suffered a torn ACL that ended his
2011 season. He sustained the injury a week after Peterson, during the Steelers'
New Year's Day season finale in Cleveland. But while Mendenhall also looks
ready to return to game action and take on a full workload on Sunday night, it
appears that Pittsburgh's front office is taking the more cautious approach and
ensuring his long-term health over the team's short-term gain.

The Steelers approach with Mendenhall is similar to what the
Nats have done with Strasburg, and it may ultimately be the right move for the
young tailback. Easing Mendenhall back into the high impact action could limit
the risk of re-injuring his right knee or having him overcompensate for the
injury and risking injury elsewhere. The same strategy could be beneficial for
the Vikings in their handling of Peterson as well.

Strategically, using the cautious methods that the Nationals
imposed on Strasburg doesn't mean that either running back should have a "carries
limit" or "yards limit," per say. That would be asinine, as the risk of
reinjuring a rotator cuff by throwing 100 mph fastballs is more likely than
that of an ACL tear with another jaunt to the outside. But limiting the backs
work early could be of benefit in the long run.

As the season goes on, the injured limbs of each tailback
will only grow stronger and more sustainable. The only hope is that their hefty
workloads don't bring on another season-ending injury before then.

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