Minnesota Vikings RB Toby Gerhart ready to step-in for injured RB Adrian Peterson
Minnesota Vikings running back and best player, Adrian Peterson is still rehabilitating from his torn anterior cruciate ligament and is expected to return back for the start of the new 2012-13 season.
However, the Vikings other running back, Toby Gerhart is preparing himself to step in if in case Peterson fails to recover in time.
Gerhart in an interview to the Star-Tribune on Wednesday at the Vikings training facility said that he is always prepared to step in when needed.
"I'm preparing to be the guy. I try to do that every year. But this year it's a little more prevalent. I'm doing everything I can to be here, work hard, work with the new guys we have coming in. Preparing to be the guy, depending on whether Adrian comes
back."
Peterson’s injury greatly impacted the Vikings last season as they performed poorly in offence. The franchise ended up with a woeful 3-13 record in the 2011-12 season.
Gerhart though believes that the new season provides the perfect opportunity to the team to start on a new slate and he is confident that the players will become much better in the upcoming season.
"It's a new beginning. You can see it by the dedication everybody has out here. The way everybody's working. We feel like we're better than a 3-13 team. We know we're better than that. So we're working hard this offseason to put it behind us. New year,
new slate."
Peterson even with injuries ended up one of the best players in the Vikings line-up. The running back rushed for 970-yards from 208 attempts and scored 12 touchdowns for the franchise.
However, his limited appearances and the struggles of rookie quarterback, Christian Ponder to become comfortable with the team led to some big losses for the franchise.
Gerhart on the other hand rushed for 531-yards from 109 attempts and scored a single touchdown.
This year the Vikings look to be improving after picking some of the best talent available in the 2012 drafts and it seems unlikely that their season will once again be as poor as that of last season.
Hopefully for the Vikings even if Peterson fails to make it in time for the new season Gerhart can carry the playmaking burden for the team.
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