San Francisco Bolster's Up Their Secondary

With the draft just mere weeks away San Francisco 49'ers coach, Jim Harbaugh can still taste the bitterness of defeat. After losing decisively to the Baltimore Ravens, Harbaugh and San Francisco management upgraded their entire team...and it was already elite.

Nnamdi in San Francisco

To accompany Carlos Rodgers in the backfield, the 49'ers pursued star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. After a lackluster season with the Philadelphia Eagles, he was not revered as such a great pickup. However, the Oakland Raiders faithful know full well what he is capable of when utilized in the correct defensive schemes. Now loaded in the secondary, the 49'ers become an even more dominant team on paper. However, general manager Trent Baalke did not stop there. He pursued a new target for quarterbacks Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick: All-Pro Wide Receiver (fresh off of a super bowl victory) Anquan Boldin.

Boldin adds a great deep target, and can double as a possession receiver making him formidable for opponents to cover. Combined with the incredible hands of Michael Crabtree, the long reach of Randy Moss, and the flashiness of Mario Manningham, Boldin completes a wide receiver corps that other quarterbacks only dream of having.

Given the emergence of a former Oregon standout LeMichael James at running back to spell an aging Frank Gore, the 49'ers give every indication of being completely poised for success. Each position has exceptionally talented newcomers (Kaepernick, Crabtree, James, and more), along with veteran counterparts for mentorship (Patrick Willis, Smith, Moss, and Gore). Look to these relationships to pay huge dividends. One thing is certain: San Francisco fans aren't expecting anything less than the hardware this year.

Why Adrian Peterson Getting Close is Enough

Is 9 yards short of the record a close enough call?

---

In short, yes! The strategies of most NFL teams today are "West Coast Offenses". In other words, the strategy is either touchdown or check down to the running back. This north/south approach relies on a quarterback with an accurate arm, and talented wide receivers. However, all this does is discount the importance of a dynamic running back. Adrian Peterson, however, is one of the few exceptions in the league. He was able to become the centerpiece of the Minnesota Vikings, and waltz his team into a playoff spot. This is atypical of teams today who are reliant on the pass attack.

More importantly, when you compare Eric Dickerson's record to Adrian Peterson's attempt, it is clear that Adrian Peterson came dangerously close to breaking a record in which the odds were stacked against him. Dickerson had roughly 40 more rushing attempts to achieve his monumental number that Peterson did. What does that mean? Peterson, who is one year removed from a debilitating surgery, was one of the most efficient runners in history, averaging six yards per carry. This is a nearly unattainable number over the course of the season, eclipsing even the legendary Jim Brown's average.

With all of these factors taken into account, it is clear that although Peterson fell short in terms of final numbers, true football fans do not discount the performance Peterson put on in 2012. After the game he appeared unaware in his interview that he was only 9 yards from shattering the record. He will play next week against the same team, the Green Bay Packers. He will undoubtedly rush for greater than 9 yards at that time and he will undoubtedly be heralded by many as potentially the greatest running back of all time.