Arizona Cardinals rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson is quickly becoming a star. He spent pretty much the entire week on Sports Center every hour thanks to his walk-off punt return touchdown against the Rams. It was the third of the season for young Patrick and by far his best.
While the punt returns have caught the public eye, it remains to be seen if the league's officials have yet to see enough of Peterson to give him the benefit of the doubt that other veteran cornerbacks seem to get. At least that's the feeling of Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton who doesn't want Peterson to change anything about the way he's playing the game despite a high number of penalties he's been called for.
"Hopefully the league will look and he gets the same amount of respect, eventually, as the guy in New York, as the guy in Philadelphia and they just don't call those type things," Horton said.
"It's kind of like 'Jordan Rule'. You start to understand that this kid is good and he's going to be on a guy because he's so good and tight coverage and he's just there all the time. They are probably not used to a young guy like that."
Peterson has seven penalties in his last four games. The guy in New York, Darrelle Revis, has two this season. The guy in Philadelphia, Nnamdi Asomugha, has four.
Speed kills
Not that this is a surprise, but what makes the Eagles so dangerous according to Horton is their speed at all the skill positions on offense. The defensive key is to stop the Eagles from making big plays.
"(Michael Vick) has this rare speed, unless you've played this guy you see it on film and think, 'I can get there' -- you don't. He's a challenge. You just understand he's going to get out every once in a while," Horton said.
For more on this game, visit Revenge of the Birds.