Adrian Peterson Benching a 'Slap in the Face,' Says Redskins RT Morgan Moses

Washington offensive tackle Morgan Moses said the team's benching of running back Adrian Peterson was a "slap in the face" in a radio interview Monday.

"Any time you've got a Hall of Fame guy that doesn't dress, man, it's a slap in the face," Morgan Moses told The Sports Junkies. 

"And obviously, we've gotta figure out what the reason is. And it's my job as one of the older guys on the offensive line to speak up and say, 'Hey, we need him.' Obviously, you don't put a Hall of Fame guy like that on the sideline. When he's healthy, as well."

Peterson was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career in Sunday's 32-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Derrius Guice got the start at running back, rushing for 18 yards on 10 carries. Washington head coach Jay Gruden indicated it's unlikely Peterson is active for the foreseeable future.

"It'll be week to week," Gruden told reporters. "He's a first- and second-down back, so is Derrius. What do we have, about 20 first downs a game? Probably eight of those are passes, 12 of those might be runs and Derrius can handle those 12.

"We have a game where we think we can run the ball 55 times in the game in the I-formation, then sure, I'll get him up." 

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported several Washington veterans were angry about the fact that Peterson was a healthy scratch. Some reportedly considered him the team's best running back in training camp, and he is coming off a 2018 season in which he rushed for 1,042 yards and seven touchdowns. Guice was a second-round pick in 2018 and missed his entire rookie season because of a torn ACL.

"I think [Peterson] brings a lot to the game. I think he brings a lot to our team," Moses said. "But to have that guy just standing on the sideline is just, it doesn't sit well to guys on the team or the NFL. So I think this is something we need to correct, man, because he is a helluva football player."

It's not a promising sign that Gruden appears to be facing a locker room mutiny after Week 1. The Washington coach was considered to have one of the hottest seats in football, and his decision to start Case Keenum at quarterback over rookie Dwayne Haskins has already ruffled some feathers.

The situation may have sorted itself out, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Monday that Guice is dealing with a knee injury that will cause him to miss time. Peterson will likely go from inactive to the starting lineup for Week 2.