Perhaps the Tennessee Titans believe that only a legend can replace a fellow legend.
Derrick Henry’s legend will be on the backseat for a while after potential season-ending foot surgery.
It’s an unfortunate end to another MVP-caliber season for the reigning Offensive Player of the Year.
He was on track to become the first player in NFL history to have multiple 2,000-yard rushing seasons.
Sadly, the said injury will end his 2021 campaign at 937 yards and ten touchdowns.
As a consolation, the Titans are 6-2 and are three games in front of the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC South title.
However, they must replace the man who is the focal point of their offense.
Enter Adrian Peterson, who yearns to end his career with one final hurrah.
Can Peterson Bring His A-Game All Day?
It’s hard to replace Henry’s worth to the Tennessee offense because nothing else will work without him.
They execute play-action passes with ease due to his threat of breaking out for the big run.
Without a reliable running back, it would be easy for opposing defenses to cover their wide receivers.
The Titans do not believe that Jeremy McNichols and Darrynton Evans could fill the void Henry left.
Peterson won’t match Henry’s production either, but his presence will make the run game a legitimate threat.
At age 36, there will be skepticism about Peterson delivering the yards and the touchdowns.
However, he is excellent in proving doubters wrong throughout his career.
Last season, Peterson managed to have 604 rushing yards and seven scores while splitting time with D’Andre Swift and Kerryon Johnson at the Detroit Lions backfield.
He also resurrected his career in 2018 with the Washington Football Team after everyone thought that he was washed up.
Likewise, he became a member of the 2,000-yard club and was named league MVP a year after he suffered an ACL and MCL tear.
The naysayers will criticize that Peterson won’t be much of a help at all.
Those noises will motivate him to play his best in what might be the final stop of his storied NFL journey.
A Fantastic End To An Iconic Career
Henry will eventually return for the Titans next season, and they might have no use for Peterson beyond 2021.
Therefore, these could be the last games that the future Hall of Famer will play.
It will be a fairy tale ending if he ends up winning the only accolade that eluded him for 15 seasons.
But winning the Super Bowl will be a tall order given how tight the AFC playoff race is shaping up.
For that to happen, things must fall into place during this transition period.
Ryan Tannehill must rediscover his passing accuracy to give opponents more headaches.
The team also hopes for Jones’ speedy recovery to give them more reliable playmakers.
Head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Todd Downing must tweak their offense to keep on winning.
Football lovers would like to see Adrian Peterson do well for Tennessee.
Unfortunately, there will always be roadblocks and plot twists in every story.
The Titans wish that signing Peterson will bring them a happy ending.
That way, he can walk away from the game on a high note.
More must-reads: