As the regular season passes halfway we've picked out some key stories from the week's NFL action for you below.
Heroes of the week:
Adrian Peterson rolls back the years
Adrian Peterson has been one of the standout running backs in the NFL during his 11-year career to date. The last couple of season have seen him niggled with injuries but he was given a fresh start by the Arizona Cardinals when they drafted him on Tuesday of last week.
He looked every inch the AP of old, running for 134 yards and 2 TDs from 26 carries.
After a sticky start to the season with the Saints, it was a pleasure to see him scampering through defensive gaps like a wayward hare once more. He easily earns a spot on our heroes board for this week.
Chicago Bears continue in imaginative vein
The Bears have been creative in their play-calling on a couple of occasions already this season, including last week when the successful completed a nifty trick play for a two-point conversion as well as a punt-fake TD pass from Pat O’Donnell.
They had something up their sleeve for this week’s opposition, the Ravens, too.
Rookie running back Tarik Cohen picked up a toss from his quarter back Mitch Trubisky before trying out his own arm for a change and completing a halfback pass to Zach Miller for his first ever TD pass.
Bear’s coach John Fox rates as one of our heroes for this week for adding a little suspense to his play calling this season.
Villain of the week:
Anthony Barr injures Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers lasted scarcely half way into the first quarter of the Packer’s game against the Vikings before being carted off with an injury.
Scampering out of the pocket before getting a pass away, he was hit late by Viking's linebacker Anthony Barr and crumpled up on the ground. As it turned out the injury was one he’d had before - a broken collarbone - and it might well rule him out of the rest of the season.
His replacement will be the inexperienced Brett Hundley and Rodger’s injury might well have put paid to the Packer’s divisional and Super Bowl hopes, even at this early stage.
Anthony Barr picks up a villains tag this week for diluting the pool of potential championship winners in the league.
