The toughest DB for Doug Baldwin to separate from? Patrick Peterson

After joining “Brock and Salk” for an 11-minute conversation Tuesday morning, Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin stuck around for “Blue 42.” He switched roles with Brock Huard and answered three football questions, including one that asked him to identify the NFL defender against whom he has had the hardest time gaining separation.

Baldwin’s answer: Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson.

“Right now, if it’s not Richard Sherman on my own team, it’s got to be Patrick Peterson,” Baldwin said. “He causes the most issues for me just because of his athleticism. Any move I give him, even if I do win at the line of scrimmage, he’s so athletic that he can recover so quickly.”

Baldwin’s answer isn’t very surprising. Peterson, after all, has made the Pro Bowl in each of his six seasons and has been named a first-team All-Pro three times. And Baldwin should be as familiar with Peterson as he is with any cornerback in the NFL. They’ve faced each other 12 times, twice in each season since they entered the league together in 2011.

Peterson has two interceptions and Baldwin has two touchdown receptions in those 12 games.

Of course, it’s not as though they’re lining up across from each other on every play or even most plays. In fact, I went back and watched all 19 targets (yes, 19) Baldwin had in the Seahawks’ second meeting against Arizona last season, a 34-31 Cardinals win in Seattle on Christmas Eve. Baldwin caught 13 passes for 171 yards (both career-highs, as were the 19 targets) and a touchdown in that game.

Interestingly, Peterson, by my count, was only lined up across from him on three of those 19 plays, which resulted in three receptions for 51 yards. One of them was a 31-yard catch down the sideline that is captured in the picture atop this post.

Huard also asked Baldwin about the area he’s grown the most since his rookie season as well as his favorite play of his career. You can listen to the segment here.