The Minnesota Vikings dismantled the San Diego Chargers yesterday, and perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle is running back Adrian Peterson.
Sep 27, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) and San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (28) shake hands after the game at TCF Bank Stadium. The Minnesota Vikings beat the San Diego Chargers 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Following up on a game where the star player fumbled three times, Peterson made the most of his opportunity against the Chargers, registering 20 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns. This makes back-to-back games where the former NFL Most Valuable Player has had triple digit rushing yards and averaged over 4.5 yards per carry. For now, it looks as though the Adrian Peterson of old is back.
And that’s a great thing for the Minnesota Vikings. Peterson’s great game (and, of course, the smothering defense) helped cover up a downright bad performance from young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who completed only 54.2% of his passes and threw one interception while passing for only 121 yards.
If the team wants to be successful in 2015, they’ll need to lean heavily on Adrian Peterson. Luckily for them, Adrian thinks he’s back to playing the way he used to in the past. Peterson was asked about how he was feeling for this game and if he’s officially ‘back’ now. The Pioneer Press caught his response.
"“My legs felt lighter, and just the preparation throughout the week helped with that. But I felt good,” Peterson said. “The body felt good. My mind was in a great place, and, yeah, I think I’m back.”"
At the moment, Adrian Peterson is currently the NFL’s leader in rushing yards for the 2015 season. That could change with tonight’s game between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. If Jamaal Charles can get 109 yards rushing in that game, he’ll take the crown from Peterson for week 3. However, I have the feeling that even if Charles does take the week 3 lead that it won’t be long before Adrian Peterson takes the lead back.
We can watch Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings take on the Broncos from Denver on October 4, 2015. Check your local listings for time, channel, and availability.
Next: Minnesota Vikings 2015 Game By Game Previews
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