Relentless Pursuit

ESPN commentator Dave Pasch was practically picking his jaw up off the floor, his glasses shattered on the table in disbelief.

Adrian Peterson, the NFL Minnesota Vikings running back, needs no introduction. Even though he hasn't officially retired, his place in the Hall of Fame is already reserved. He's often in discussions as one of the greatest running backs of all time.

Running backs come in all styles and types, and Peterson is known for one thing:

Explosive power and sudden change of direction.

These were Peterson's signature moves. He excelled at using his explosive power and quick cuts to throw defenders off balance, finding tiny gaps in the defense and accelerating through them, breaking free for more yards.

Peterson wasn't afraid of contact, nor was he intimidated by crowded defenses.

His ability to calmly assess dense defensive formations, pick them apart, and find openings is among the best in NFL history.

This player, who flawlessly combined natural talent with football intelligence, earned the 2012 season MVP award, and it was no fluke.

It's also why many people consider him a contender for the title of greatest running back in history—he didn't need a perfect offensive line to change the course of a game.

He's a once-in-a-decade, or even once-in-a-generation, talent.

Even now, NFL rookies modeled after Peterson appear every season, but none have reached his level.

And now?

Pasch couldn't believe his eyes. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but this number 23... there was something about him... he kind of looked like Peterson.

A stiff-arm, a juke, and a spin.

Such complex and advanced moves, yet Lance executed them with effortless grace. Not only did he shake off Foster's tackle, but he also opened up a lane for himself, using a linebacker as a shield against the approaching defensive lineman.

It was all in one fluid motion!

And then, he was off.

Lance sprinted to the left, but just as his foot hit the ground, he changed direction—

One tackle.

Two tackles.

Three tackles.

In a matter of seconds, Lance had dodged tackles coming from three different directions—left, right, and behind.

The outstretched arms of the defenders, like ghosts from the depths of the underworld, clawed at Lance but were all left grasping air as his rapid footwork sent them flying past him.

But then—

Whack.

A fourth tackle—

In such tight quarters, Lance's room to maneuver had finally run out. A heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

It was Foster.

Gritting his teeth, Foster planted his left foot and spun around like a ballerina, somehow managing to reach out his right hand and smack Lance's shoulder hard.

He had him!

Foster had caught hold of Lance's shoulder, his weight and power dragging Lance down like a collapsing mountain.

"Ah! Aghhh!"

Foster applied as much pressure as he could, feeling Lance's shoulder drop beneath his grip. But just as it seemed Lance would go down, he dropped even lower, escaping Foster's grasp with a swift crouch.

Foster tried to grab him again, but he was too slow.

Lance grunted. His shoulder had been pushed down hard, throwing off his balance. His knees buckled, and it seemed like he was about to fall. Foster's tackle had been brutal, leaving Lance no room to breathe.

But Lance reacted instinctively, dropping even faster than Foster could have imagined, shedding his grip and leaving him behind.

Staggering. Bouncing.

Lance was just a hair away from being taken down—

But then, his left hand reached for the ground.

He planted his hand, using the ground to steady himself, absorbing the shock in his wrist and using his core strength to stay upright.

It wasn't over.

It wasn't over!

Lance clung to his willpower, refusing to go down.

He remembered Clark's words: in football, a fall or a touch on the ground didn't mean the play was dead. The ball carrier was only down if their knees touched the ground. So, as long as only his hand touched, and he could get back up, the play continued.

Of course, it was up to the referees to decide, but according to the rulebook, he wasn't done yet.

So the play wasn't over.

Even though his muscles screamed in pain and his insides felt like they were being torn apart, Lance didn't give up. His fighting spirit burned brighter than ever.

With a burst of core strength, Lance, like a toy that refused to tip over, got back on his feet. Before he could regain his balance, waves of pressure from all sides were closing in on him again.

The winds howled, danger approaching from every direction.

In his ears, Lance could almost hear Bateman's distant shout.

"Run, Lance, run!"

Time seemed to slow down.

Amidst the chaos, Lance staggered forward, his body tilting uncontrollably. He leaned into his fall, using his momentum to push off and keep his legs moving.

Step.

Push.

Step.

Power.

Step.

Run.

One foot after the other, Lance sprinted forward, like Forrest Gump breaking free of his leg braces. From wobbling and staggering, he suddenly found himself running with open arms, embracing freedom.

A quick left, dodging the defender closing in from the side.

A faint right, feeling the wind from a missed tackle brush past his face.

A final leap forward, his legs accelerating once more.

But just as he hit his stride, he saw safety Robinson coming at him from the front.

Still off balance and unable to engage in a head-on collision, Lance took a long step forward to gain some space and then stopped in front of Robinson—

A fake to the left.

A feint to the right.

His center of gravity shifted erratically, making it hard for Robinson to gauge his next move.

Robinson inched forward, then made his move—diving to the right!

But Lance had only hesitated for a moment, and as soon as Robinson committed, he stepped to the left and sprinted past him.

Another change of direction!

In a split second, Lance's agility and tight control of his body's movements allowed him to completely dodge Robinson's tackle, leaving him in the dust.

Calm. Collected. Alert.

Lance had shaken off Robinson.

"Oh my God!"

Pasch was speechless.

"Robinson missed!"

"Robinson's sure-thing tackle just completely missed. Number 23 used a quick juke to dodge Robinson's hit."

"Warning! Red Team's in trouble."

"Foster! Foster hasn't given up yet! Despite losing his balance, he somehow caught up again and is diving toward Lance's back."

One wave after another.

The Red Team's defense was relentless, their pursuit never-ending.

"Oh!"

"Jesus Christ!"

"Foster just threw his entire weight into Lance's back. Foster's risking it all, biting down and going all out to stop number 23."

"It's a hit—a hit like getting slammed by a truck."

"Lance just got knocked forward."

"Oh my God!"

Pasch didn't even realize it, but his heart was racing. He could feel his pulse rising in his throat, making it hard to breathe.

Unconsciously, he'd left his seat and was now standing, his blood pumping as he watched number 23 on the field.

"Wait!"

"Wait! Number 23 is moving forward. He hasn't given up, he's using Foster's hit as momentum to push forward."

"This is unbelievable! What am I witnessing? Oh my God, Peterson! It's like I'm watching another Peterson miracle at Bryant-Denny Stadium."

"Number 23 is back on his feet. Despite the chaos and hits, his speed is picking up again. Number 23 is running!"

"Incredible!"