Redskins: 3 standout performers from Week 1 victory over Cardinals

3. RB Adrian Peterson

Peterson did everything he could to prove that he still had something left in the tank in this game. From the start, he ran with great energy, power, and elusive ability as he carved up his former team. It truly was a vintage AP game.

Peterson handled a lion’s share of the carries, 26 overall, and totaled 96 yards and a touchdown. He was able to continually pound the ball up the middle, but he also made a couple of nice runs that were on the longer side. It’s clear that he still has talent, and he definitely knows how to utilize his skill set.

Peterson also was surprisingly a factor in the receiving game. In fact, he led the team in receiving yardage with 70 yards on two catches. Of course, it’s worth noting that most of that yardage came on a 52-yard burst that saw him catch a ball on the sideline, use his burst and speed to get upfield quickly, and break some tackles as he fought for yardage. It was a really impressive play by Peterson.

However, there was one major blemish on Peterson’s night. And it came on that play. At the end of the 52-yard catch, Peterson fumbled and allowed the Cardinals to recover. The Redskins were already up enough that the mistake didn’t matter, but it’s still worth noting that Peterson put the ball on the ground. If that issue continues, Jay Gruden may not be content to give him as much of a workload.

It will be interesting to see if Peterson can keep this going in future weeks. After all, he is a 33-year-old veteran with a lot of carries under his belt. Still, he definitely was a standout on Sunday afternoon, so he deserves praise for his Redskins regular season debut.