Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Can They Stop Adrian Peterson?

Gerald McCoy, Adrian Clayborn, Brian Price and Michael Bennett better man up on Sunday.

Oh, and a note to Mason Foster: As bad as you think you are, as tough as you think you are, as hard as you think you can hit, you haven't seen anything in college like the Ground Beast coming at you on Sunday.

Yes, the Ground Beast. Is there a better name for Adrian Peterson, No. 28 on the Minnesota Vikings?

The defense will have its hands full and then some.

"I'd give the ball to Adrian Peterson 40 times and dare the defense to stop him," said former Buccaneer Ian Beckles on his morning show Thursday.

Not a bad plan, considering the steller showing by that dynamic fossil, quarterback Donovan McNabb, last week.

The Buccaneer defense will have to do a lot to slow down Peterson, and it may not be possible to stop him.

What needs to be done?

1. Linebackers need to line up correctly. Yes, that means you too, Mason Foster. Coach Raheem Morris cited his linebackers for not lining up properly at times last week against Detroit. Get out of position, and Peterson will make you pay.

2. Tackle properly, tackle well, wrap up. Peterson breaks tackles like no one else. He's that big and that strong.

3. Swarm to the football. Don't assume that the first guy who hits Peterson will be able to bring him down.

And finally, note to Gerald(ine) McCoy, hopefully it won't be too hot for you in the air conditioned dome there in downtown Minneapolis.

Now you may find this hard to imagine, but the last time the Buccaneer defense saw Peterson, Jon Gruden was the coach, Derrick Brooks was still playing linebacker, and Kevin Carter, Jimmy Wilkerson, Gaines Adams and Stylez White were the defensive linemen.

That was the 2008 season. 

Barrett Ruud was the man in the middle, and Peterson put up 85 yards on 19 carries in only three quarters. Somehow, without explanation, the Vikings never gave him the ball in the final quarter.

"He had one or two break out runs in the first half but other than that we kept him pretty much under wraps," Ruud said after the 19-13 Buccaneer win. In fact, that defense had not given up 100 yards rushing to anyone in the first eight weeks that season.

Yes, November 16, 2008.

It wasn't that long ago, really, but it seems like 10 years, doesn't it?

Brooks had six tackles that game, Ruud eight, Adams four, Wilkerson four and Carter three.

Hopefully this coming Sunday, up there in Minnesota, someone from this 2011 defense will step up and have the unmitigated nerve to bring down Adrian Peterson.