12/31/12: from Peter King's MMQB:
The whole nine yards. (Stole that from Sam Farmer of the LA Times. More about that later.) Vikes-Pack, 34-34, two-minute warning, fourth quarter, Peterson at 2,060 yards, just 46 from breaking Eric Dickerson's record of 2,105 in a year. Quarterback Christian Ponder throws for 25 (yes, Christian Ponder) to convert a 3rd-and-11. Minnesota's at the Green Bay 48. If you're a Vikings fan, you want both. You want the Wild Card playoff berth. You want the record for Peterson. But he's 46 yards away, and the Vikings are 48 yards from the goal line, needing to kill some time and get in position for a Blair Walsh field goal. That is, unless Peterson can take it to the house.

Peterson through the left guard-tackle hole for seven. Peterson behind rookie left tackle Matt Kalil for four. Peterson stuffed for no gain up the gut. Ball at the Packers 37. Second-and-10, 24 seconds left, and the Vikings want to get a little closer for Walsh, though he'd been perfect from 50 and out this year, 10 for 10. Thirty-seven yards away from the goal line, 35 yards from the record. "I didn't know that,'' Peterson told me later. "When I took the handoff, the only thing going through my mind was Find a hole, make people miss, get to the end zone.

I saw some daylight. And I was fighting for every last yard I could get.'' Peterson juked, sprinted, cut left, juked again and burst forward, until, at the Packers 11, Morgan Burnett hogtied him down. Fifteen seconds left. They unpiled. Peterson got up, quickly for a man who'd just carried for the 34th time with a sore groin and abdomen. Thirteen, 12, 11 ... Would Vikes coach Leslie Frazier, who'd said he'd do nothing out of the ordinary to get Peterson the record, call time and run another play?

Nope. Minnesota called time with three seconds left. Walsh booted the winner from 29 yards out. Minnesota 37, Green Bay 34. Playoffs clinched. With 2,097 yards, Peterson was nine yards from immortality. He didn't know it until Pam Oliver of FOX told him on the field during their post-game interview. "It kinda went through my mind that I didn't get it,'' he said. "Was I surprised? Not really.

 All week there was so much talk about the record, the record, the record. At one point, I just told myself, 'Don't worry about the record. Don't force it. Just play. If it happens, it happens. That can't be our focus. We win, we're in the playoffs.' '' That's what was so great about the chase, and about how Frazier and Peterson treated it. Peterson was removed from the game in Houston last week when he could have gotten some late garbage yards, because he strained something in his abdomen and his groin hurt. If he was going for the record, he could have hidden that and banged ahead, and maybe he'd have gotten the record. But at what cost? Maybe none.

Maybe he'd have been a shell of himself for the playoff game Saturday night at Lambeau. Frazier played it exactly right. If the record was going to happen, it'd have to come within the confines of doing everything to try to win the game. This wasn't going to be some cheap Nykesha Sales kind of record. I told Peterson I liked how he went for the record, but I also liked how he and Frazier didn't do anything to force it. And I asked him, "You said all the right things about how the most important thing was to win the game, but I have to ask, deep down, way deep down, does it hurt that you didn't break the record?'' "Yes,'' he said. "Yes. Yes. The feeling is there. I understand the big picture, but the feeling is there. I wanted this.'' But he knows he has time.

He has 2013. And he said, with a laugh, this was his message for Dickerson, "I'm coming for you.'' One final question: "You've made it pretty impossible for the MVP voters,'' I told him. "You think you've done enough to win it?" "In my heart, I believe I'm the MVP,'' he said. "Whether I win it or not, I feel I'm the MVP.'' Such a tough call. I think it comes down to Manning and Peterson; I dissect the choice below. But Peterson, to me, kept chipping away in December, against a slate of teams we all thought would be Minnesota's Waterloo when December dawned. But in five games this month, Peterson rushed for 861 yards -- which would be 19th in the NFL's rushing standings this season -- and carried the Vikings to a 4-1 record and the playoffs. That's a very strong argument for the award. I wouldn't pretend to argue against Manning, Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. But Peterson was as special as a running back could possibly be in 2012. Read More:

2097 yards rushing for AD

12/30/12: NFL.com posted interview with AD after the game
12/30/12: Adrian Peterson: finished season with 1,019 yards AFTER CONTACT this season
12/30/12: Adrian Peterson: I am trying to qualify for the Olympics Yahoo sports

12/26/12: Adrian Peterson needs 208 yards to break Eric Dickerson's single-season record for most rush yards. He had 210 in 1st meeting w/ GB in 2012

12/22/12: NFL.com puts up the All Day Zone page, enjoy
12/22/12: Awesome interactive graph showing Adrian Peterson and Eric Dickerson

Adrian Peterson will be on "the league' tonight Read More on ESPN
12/20/12: Adrian Peterson vs Arian Foster Sunday
12/20/12: @RapSheet Adrian Peterson understands why Dickerson wants to keep his record: "It's hard to let go. But in my mind, gotta get ready to let go of it."
12/20/12: @SiriusXMNFL Paul Krause @ProFootballHOF , who played 1964-1979, tells us that AdrianPeterson closest to JimBrown that he has ever seen.

12/19/12: ‏@SI_PeterKing Adrian Peterson has more rushing yards in last 7 games than Dallas, Arizona and Jax have this season.
12/19/12: @ESPNStatsInfo Rams Steven Jackson ranks 14th in rushing with 909 yards. That's the same number of yards Adrian Peterson has AFTER CONTACT this season

12/18/12: Voter bias for QBs must cease, Vikings RB Adrian Peterson deserves NFL MVP award my buddy Michael Silver the best NFL writer in the world, agrees with me, Adrian Peterson is the MVP of the NFL
12/18/12: Adrian Peterson's amazing season put into context: He had 909 rushing yards after initial contact. Closest to him? Doug Martin with 572
12/18/12: @jasonkersey Stoops on Adrian Peterson: "When you watched him play, he was different than everybody."
12/18/12 Adrian Peterson will grace the Sports Illustraded Cover, The Year of Adrian Peterson

12/17/12: Gus Johnson on the call of Adrian Peterson's 82 yard touchdown run vs the Rams

12/16/12: @VikingsFootball: Adrian Peterson sporting Zygi's tie! What do you think?

12/16/12: @VikingsFootball: Adrian Peterson celebrating the win by giving out his shoes to kids!

12/16/12: Adrian Peterson just ran for 212 yards and 1 rushing TD, here is the graphic from NFL Redzone on how he compares to Eric Dickerson after 14 games

12/14/12: Woman tweets if Adrian Peterson retweets her she will name her new baby Adrian, Adrian Peterson retweets her, will she name the baby Adrian ? ‏@MaddieJones212 If @AdrianPeterson RTs this i will name my first child adrian Retweeted by Adrian Peterson

12/14/12 via @Si_Vault Andy Gray Adrian Peterson runs through blocking dummies while training for the 2007 NFL Draft:

12/13/12 @JeffDarlington Pretty much defines Vikings' offense: Right now, Adrian Peterson's yards/rush (6.04) is higher than Christian Ponder's yards/pass (5.99)

12/12/12 Adrian Peterson is averaging 3.9 yards per carry AFTER contact this season. That would be good enough for 31st as a total average per rush Via @PFF
12/12/12 Adrian Peterson picks up offensive player of the week
12/12/12: The Passion of Adrian Peterson, or, a Purple Pilgrim's Progress

12/10/12 Adrian Peterson leads Minnesota Vikings past Chicago Bears

12/7/12 @VikingsNow Wow. Here's a stat to gnaw or gag on: Adrian Peterson averages more yards per carry (6.2) than Christian Ponder does per completion (6.0)

Can Adrian Peterson reach 2,000 yards? Peterson needs to average 138.5 yards per game over the Vikings' final four games to reach 2,000. He has averaged 157.8 the past six games; if he continues at that rate, he would finish with 2,077 yards, second-most in league history behind Eric Dickerson's 2,105 in 1984.

11/27/12 Adrian Peterson missed the team bus, Coach Frazier is a little upset with it, but here comes the twitter jokes
" ‏@Andrew_Garda
Adrian Peterson leads the league in yards by a running back. Total DOES NOT include 200 yards spent running after the team bus."

11/15/12 via @ChrisWesseling: Your resistance is futile: Adrian Peterson is averaging 6.3 YPC when defenses stack the box with 8+ defenders. Only Barry Sanders (1997), O.J. Simpson (1973), and Jim Brown (1958, 1963) have matched Peterson's 5.8 YPC + 112.8 yards/game in a season. Better Comeback player, Peyton or Peterson?

11/13/12: via: @RapSheet
Just talked to Rusty Hardin about Adrian Peterson. "It's over." Said AD met with grand jury in Houston today. They decided no probable cause.
Lawyer Rusty Hardin, noted #Texans fan, told @AdrianPeterson: "I hope we see you later in the year, that you run for 200 yards... and lose."
I asked lawyer Rusty Hardin if Adrian Peterson would file defamation lawsuit. Said AD is focused on season, will begin to consider in Feb.
Full story

11/12/12: Adrian Peterson leads the NFL in rushin with 1128 yards, after steamrolling to 171 yards rushing yesterday vs the Lions. AD had a 61 yard td run, making that 3 games in a row with a 60+ yard run. AD is on pace for 1,800 yards.
Adrian Peterson accidently slaps a young Vikings fan in the face, when giving high fives after his 61 yard romp

11/6/12: Adrian Peterson leads the NFL in rushing with 957 yards

10/25/12: NFL Films’ Greg Cosell’s reaction to Adrian Peterson’s dominating performance against the Cardinals with eight in the box: “UN-believable. He has an unmatched combination of short-area agility, speed, and power. He’s pretty much right back to being the best back in the league … and the most powerful runner in the NFL.”

10/22/12: Peter King in his MMQB names Adrian Peterson his Player of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota. Kudos to Peterson after a 23-carry, 153-yard rushing, one touchdown performance against the Cardinals (and Arizona is a much better defense than that). The Vikings improved to 5-2, something no one outside the Wilf household saw coming two months ago. And though Christian Ponder is making progress toward becoming a good quarterback long-term, and Percy Harvin has been the most explosive overall skill player in football this year, the dominance Peterson has shown recently shows he's the key weapon for the Vikings, the same way he was before his reconstructive knee surgery 10 months ago. "How much better does it feel? Light years,'' Peterson said Sunday. It shows.
Read more

10/18/12: Adrian Peterson says ankle is more sore than last week, won't practice today but expects to play Sunday. More rest with short week ahead.

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson returns to FedEx Field this Sunday for the first time since his 2011 season ended with a torn ACL he thinks occurred on a hit by Redskins safety DeJon Gomes.

Peterson said Thursday that he felt “99.9 percent” sure that Gomes’ hit had damaged his Achilles when it happened because he “felt three pops” when Gomes made contact. The injury led to surgery and more than nine months of rehab before he returned for the first week of this season. Peterson isn’t showing many signs of lingering problems from the injury, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t interested in dishing out a hit or two on Gomes this weekend.

“Of course, of course,” Peterson said, via Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com. “I’ll make sure I have my shoulders low. He might be trying to go for the ankles. But I’m just going to go out and play ball, have fun.”

Peterson doesn’t think the sprained ankle he suffered in last week’s win over the Titans will slow him down against the Redskins, adding that he’s played through worse ankle injuries during his career. He was able to practice on Thursday, putting him on track to play in a game he thinks will be emotional for him because of what happened last season.

Adrian Peterson says he's not yet full strength, but soon

Adrian Peterson looked sharp, explosive and able to do damage with the ball in his hands.
Via Peter King: Greatness of Adrian Peterson Dept.: He is 27. The Vikings are 52. He is now their all-time leading rusher. Read more
Adrian Peterson had 17 carries for 84 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns yesterday vs. the Jaguars.

“No way” Adrian Peterson doesn’t play on Sunday

Jeremy Fowler of the Pioneer Press is reporting that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has experienced no swelling in his surgically-repaired left knee the day after practices.The team is in the early stages of giving Peterson upper-body contact in practices but no defender is allowed to go low on him.

Fantasy Spin provided by http://www.ffchamps.com
Peterson has his mind set on being ready for Week 1 and it looks like his body is on track as well. He'll have to sustain some hits before we can fully endorse him as a Week 1 option, but fantasy owners should feel comfortable drafting him in the second round.

Adrian Peterson (knee) is expected to be cleared for contact soon, per AP report. Took 18 carries on Monday's practice 8/22/2012

Vikings will hold Adrian Peterson out of the preseason and plan on him playing game 1 8/21/2012

Adrian Peterson told not to make cuts on the repaired knee, but cutting on that knee anyway 8/17/2012

Adrian Peterson close to returning, wants to get hit 8/12/2012

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was taken to the hospital Monday afternoon after an allergic reaction to seafood he ate at lunch.
Peterson was taken to the hospital by ambulance after experiencing shortness of breath and swelling that caused Vikings personnel to call 911. He is back with the team resting in the dorms, according to head coach Leslie Frazier, who was called it a “scary moment.”

Minnesota Vikings RB Toby Gerhart said he thinks RB Adrian Peterson (knee) will be ready to play in Week 1. "I think (Adrian Peterson) will (play in the opener)," Gerhart said. "You can never be surprised with Adrian. The way he comes to work every day, the way he pushes himself - he was flying around, straight-line speed, moving out there, racing Percy up the hill, doing conditioning stuff ... I haven't seen him in a couple weeks now, but I'm sure he's continued to make leaps and bounds in progress, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's ready. You can never count Adrian out."

via @RapSheet At #Vikings OTAs, Adrian Peterson did rehab, racing Percy Harvin & playing in sand 5/30/12

Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend 5/26/12

Adrian Peterson calls himself “50-50″ for training camp 5/17/12

Adrian Peterson tweets a pic of his knee May 15, 2012

"So I think my legs are sexy well leg in this shot! I know it looks as if I grew up kicking oak trees" via @AdrianPeterson

Adrian Peterson at the OU Spring Game today (4/14/12)

Pics from SoonerSports.com

Adrian Peterson Pledges $1 Million to OU Athletics - Way to Go AD!!!!!

Frazier confirmed Adrian Peterson did begin running last week. Went well. Right on schedule. #Vikings 4/3/12

Andy Hart of Patriots Football Weekly "Trent Richardson is the best RB prospect since Peterson"

Reading t-nation.com and saw an Adrian Peterson mention
"While anaerobic training is what makes athletes like sprinters and running backs get so lean and muscular, most of us are just regular exercise enthusiasts, not pro athletes, meaning we can't expect to train – or look – like Adrian Peterson." Link

 Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings (knee): Minnesota’s superstar running back suffered a gruesome injury when he took a helmet on his left knee, which caused his leg to bent awkwardly. Peterson tore both the ACL and MCL in his knee.

Carroll: There’s going to be a lot of ink and pixels burned on this, perhaps the biggest injury of the season. Yes, bigger than Peyton Manning. Peterson, in theory, is in the prime of his career, just as important to his team’s future, and also signed long term. Players come back from ACL surgery all the time — Wes Welker, Carson Palmer, and Edgerrin James are good comps here. Welker came back in eight months and without issue from a similar injury; Palmer also had a severe traumatic O’Donoghue’s Triad (which is the combo of ACL, MCL, and meniscus damage) and came back; James is a positional and physical comp, and while he didn’t come back to the theoretical 100 percent, he did come back and play well for a number of years at a high level.

It’s hard to separate age and wear from the effects of the surgery, which is to say, ignore the surgery. Ignore the ligaments. The key is the amount of cartilage damage Peterson suffered. He should be on the normal 8-to-12 month rehab scheduler, which would have him back anywhere from training camp to mid-season 2012.

Who takes Peterson’s spot?: For the Vikings’ final game of the season, it’ll be Toby Gerhart. How Minnesota proceeds into 2012 depends on Peterson’s rehab timetable.

Adrian Peterson suffered a torn ACL and MCL and no timetable has been set for his return, More info

Listen to Adrian Peteron on Jimmy Traina's Hot Clicks Podcast       Follow Jimmy Traina

Injured Adrian Peterson plans quick return  

Adrian Peterson in the new Assasin's Creed Commerciial

Adrian Peterson faces most eight man fronts in league 11/03/11

Adrian Peterson comes home for food distribution 11/02/11

Adrian Peterson on Jay Glazer's The After Party after the Carolina game in 2011

Vikings' plan to use Adrian Peterson as a receiver might finally come to pass 10/28/11

Adrian Peterson leads the NFL in Rushing with 712 yards, Maurice Jones-Dew is second with 677.

Adrian Peterson sees opportunity vs. Bears

Adrian Peterson is the number running back this weekend in fantasy 10/13/11

Why is Vikings’ RB Adrian Peterson so Great? 10/12/11

Adrian Peterson was at practice today (9/29/11) so for those fantasy owners, start him

Adrian Peterson missed practice today (9/28/11) Sore Calf

From Katie Dowd on Mike Silver's Blog "Adrian Peterson's Dad Gives the Vikings The Business"

Updated the Stats page, And my boy Mike Silver thinks Darren McFadden might be better than Adrian Peterson
If you want to tweet with Mike he's @MikeSilver

Adrian Peterson stunned Sidney Rice is gone: "I CAN'T Believe the Vikings let my boy Sidney Rice get away!" the All-Pro halfback posted on Twitter late Wednesday night. "I didn't think we wouldn't be playing together this year! WOW!"

A meeting between Adrian Peterson and his lifelong hero, NBA legend Reggie Milller, stops the Vikings RB in his tracks.

Adrian Peterson, 2004, runs wild vs Oregon, I was at that game

Adrian in an ESPYS commercial

Adrian Peterson was revaled to the the 3rd best player the NFL, as voted by the players. Tom Brady took the top spot, and Peyton Manning came in second.

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson during a portrait session at the NFL Network Studio on July 3, in Culver City, Ca. (Gary A. Vasquez/NFL)

Adrian Peterson apologizes for missing youth football camp - kspr.com

Sorry, No Adrian Peterson at the Adrian Peterson Football Camp
Adrian Peterson is being featured on the NFL Top 100 program and will not be able to attend this week’s camp. Although we are saddened to hear that he won’t be able to attend his camp, we congratulate Adrian on the honor. Since we learned the news, ProCamps has been working around the clock to maintain a program that still provides a first-class experience to all campers and allows interaction with various Sooner stars. All-time Sooner greats Mark Clayton, DeMarco Murray, and Jason White will serve as special guest hosts at camp.

Adrian Peterson to host NFL Camp in Tyler, Texas
Adrian Peterson will conduct a Football FUNdamentals camp on June 18 at 8 a.m. at the intramural fields on the UT Tyler Campus. The camp is open to boys and girls age 7-14.

Adrian Peterson participated Tuesday in a SportsNation chat during a visit to ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn. ESPN found two of his answers particularly interesting.

Adrian Peterson Day is June 11, 2011 in Palestine, Texas. The parade will begin at 10 a.m., with a day full of events to follow at Reagan Park, including volleyball, softball, basketball and more. more info here

ADRIAN PETERSON TO HOST FOOTBALL CAMP

The Friday following Adrian Peterson Day the NFL All-Pro running back will be back in Palestine to teach some of the youth of the area some skills.

Peterson is hosting his first-ever football camp at Palestine High School on June 17, with two sessions running.

A session for kids ages 7 years old through 10 will begin registration from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., with camp to follow from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

A second session for kids ages 11 through 14 will register from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., with the camp running from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The cost of the camp is $5, and each camper will receive a t-shirt and picture both signed by Peterson, as well as the opportunity to win prizes during contests.

Another camp will be held June 18 at the University of Texas at Tyler, beginning at 8 a.m. registration for the younger group.

For more information on either camp, contact Steve Eudey at 903-922-0313, or via e-mail at steveeudey@hotmail.com.

Adrian Peterson quietly makes amends

In Kigali, Rwanda Adrian Peterson Larry Fitzgerald & Chris Wells."We are excited 2 fit a lot of kids w/ hearing aids this week!"

New McFarlane Toys Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson Joins Pros 4 Vets
“I could not put it better than to borrow from the Pros 4 Vets motto: I’m ready to fight for them because they fought for us”

January 30, 2011

Adrian Peterson Sets Record For Career Pro Bowl Rushing Touchdowns
14 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown. Thats 4 career Pro Bowl touchdowns which is an NFL record!

NFL coach, who had just watched film of Hight Shchool DE, Jadeveon Clowney, raved: "Wow! Always thought Adrian Peterson was only true frosh that looked physically ready for NFL straight from HS... Reminds me of Pierre-Paul from USF but much more violent and explosive. .. I'd take for us right now!!"

Adrian Peterson Hosting Super Bowl Celebrity Poker Tournament

Dallas area residents, and those traveling to Dallas, if you like sports, and you love BBQ, consider visiting my favorite Dallas BBQ sports bar and when tailgating or need BBQ catered, you can have Dallas BBQ catering also Super Bowl Catering Dallas. If you are traveling to Dallas for the Super Bowl and need a house to rent, Super Bowl Home rental

Adrian Peterson would be among NFL’s biggest lockout losers

Adrian Peterson 1 on 1 in Prime Time: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier is promising a physical, run-first, power offense featuring his best player, Adrian Peterson. But it may be instructive to note that there are zero teams that qualified for the postseason that have based their offensive success around a single, star running back. Instead, this year's playoffs feature the new-age NFL offensive model: passing teams able to run the ball effectively with multiple backs, teams for whom having a star quarterback is far more vital than having a star at running back. Ten of the top 30 rushers are in the playoffs. Maybe a better way to put it is that eight teams in the playoffs have a rusher in the top 30, because the Chiefs and Jets each have two rushers in the top 30. The NFL's leading rusher, Arian Foster of Houston, didn't make it to the playoffs. Four of the NFL's top six rushers didn't make it, including the best backs in the game, Chris Johnson and Peterson. Nine of the top 13 didn't make it.

Now look at the gifted array of quarterbacks who made the playoffs. The top five passers (in terms of yardage) are in the playoffs, and 10 of the top 12, and 11 of the top 16. The only outlier is Matt Hasselbeck, who plays for the Seahawks and ranks 28th in passing yards. All 13 of the teams that won 10 or more games this season have a QB who ranks among the 17 most productive passers in the league. So while featuring Peterson sounds logical, relying on one dominant back is not the way teams are winning today in the NFL.

Adrian Peterson rushed 14 times for just 31 yards and added two catches for negative-two yards in Sunday's loss to the Lions.
Peterson ends up with 1,298 yards in 15 games, the lowest total of his four-year career. He also took a step backward in terms of receptions, losing third-down duties early in the year and finishing with 36 catches. Still, the slight decline had more to do with the Vikings' disastrous season than Peterson's play. With former defensive coordinator and current interim coach Leslie Frazier reportedly landing the full-time job, look for a defensive philosophy that features Peterson in 2011. The Vikings will also likely be breaking in a new quarterback.

Adrian Peterson (thigh/knee) said he will play against the Eagles Tuesday night.

Out of the top 10 rushers in NFL history, only two had LESS fumbles, thru their first 4 seasons, than Adrian Peterson.

ESPN Countdown Prediction Minnesota vs Philadelphia, and update on Adrian Peterson's thigh injury

Adrian Peterson is 4th player ever to rush for 1000 yards & 10 TDs each of 1st 4 seasons (Tomlinson, Campbell, Dickerson)

Adrian Peterson 16 carries for 107 yards, 3 rushing touchdowns in the Vikings victory of the Buffalo Bills

"Torches the entire defense of the Buffalo Bills, they can't even pull his flag"

BuffaloNews.com article on AD
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Buffalo Bills knew playing against Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is like dealing with a ticking time bomb. Sooner or later, he's bound to explode.

Peterson detonated early in the fourth quarter, scoring on a 43-yard run to cap the scoring for the Vikings, who romped to a 38-14 victory.

Peterson was questionable for the game after suffering a sprained right ankle last week. The decision to play him went right up to the opening kickoff.

The Bills wish Minnesota had shut him down because they couldn't.

Peterson finished the day with 107 yards and three touchdowns on only 16 carries.

"That's why they call him All Day," Bills strong safety Donte Whitner said of Peterson, who was the NFL's third-leading rusher with 1,016 yards entering the game. "He's one of the best in the National Football League. He's so good because he can run inside the tackles, outside the tackles, he can be finesse, he can be power and he's going to continue to run the football that same way for the entire football game and that's what he did."

Peterson's running style has been described as violent because he doesn't shy from contact. Inside linebacker Paul Posluszny got an up close view of that.

"He's a tough runner," said Posluszny, who had a game-high 15 tackles (11 solo). "He got underneath me that one time. He's not afraid to deliver the blow. He doesn't shy away from contact and he runs the ball hard. He moves very well, but he's a physical runner."

And fast, as Peterson proved on his 43-yard TD.

"He started the ball one side and cut it back," Posluszny said. "I had an opportunity to get off a block and get him, but he outran me. Of course, I don't know how many linebackers can run with Adrian Peterson."

He's that type of player and he showed it on that play what kind of speed he has and the type of ability he has. We were in a good defense and if it's anyone else, I think we tackle that. But he's an unbelievable player and he was able to go the distance on that."

Because of his ankle injury and with rookie Toby Gerhart (12 carries for 54 yards) getting more touches, Peterson's playing time was limited. But he played enough to do a lot of damage against a Bills defense that continues to give up big yardage on the ground.

The Vikings finished with 210 yards, the sixth opponent to run for more than 200 against the Bills, who allowed eight 200-yard rushing games in 1978. Peterson is the sixth opposing running back to go over 100. That doesn't include New England's BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who had 98 yards in Week Three.

Adrian Peterson will be a game-time decision, for fantasy football players wait till 1 hour before the game, and check twitter to see if AD is active, or just check here
“It is an ankle sprain. It’ll probably be day-to-day, maybe going all the way up to Sunday as to whether or not he’s going to be playing. We’ve all got our fingers crossed. We’ll see what he’s able to do today. May or may not be on the practice field, we’ll see. But we’re hoping that he’ll make it to Sunday.”

Adrian Peterson not walking with limp in locker room. Said he's feeling better, not sure how much he'll practice. Will address media Thursday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter seconds a Profootballtalk.com report that Adrian Peterson's ankle injury is not believed to be serious.
Schefter hinted on SportsCenter that "All Day" didn't reenter Sunday's game mostly because the Vikings had a lead and rookie Toby Gerhart was playing well enough to win. Gerhart, however, suffered a late-game shoulder stinger and isn't guaranteed to return for Week 13. Minnesota hosts Buffalo next.

Peterson admitted that the ankle "started to throb" shortly after he "got (it) rolled up in Sunday's win over the Redskins. "Trust me, if I could have went, I would have been out there. But it was just unbearable," he added. Peterson also wrote on Twitter Sunday evening that "My ankle is doing ok! I'll know more tomorrow! After I get a full evaluation!"

An NFL.com blog has an "Open Letter To New Coach Of the Vikings", I love this part..

First, introduce yourself to RB Adrian Peterson. Your team was doing a pretty good job of getting the ball to him earlier in the season, but Peterson has not topped 20 attempts since Week 8. After conversing with NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks, I understand that defensive coaches typically like to run the ball a lot. I mean a whole lot. Go with that instinct, Leslie. Budget 20 to 25 carries for Peterson, along with a number a swing passes, too.

Also, see that bruising back over there, rookie RB Toby Gerhart? Yeah, let’s end this experiment where he’s given attempts at certain points of the game. Gerhart got only one attempt against the Packers — thankfully because you guys had fallen behind so much — but that was one attempt too many.

Remember, Peterson’s nickname is A.D. As in “all day.” Not as in ”all day except for the times Gerhart is in the lineup.” Seriously, if you want to mix things up, get the ball in the hands of WR Percy Harvin. That makes sense. This Gerhart thing does not.

The Vikings have relieved Brad Childress of his coaching duties and Leslie Frazier has been named Interim Coach for the rest of the season.

Adrian Peterson rushed 14 times for 72 yards and added a 16-yard reception in Sunday's loss to the Packers.
Peterson was really effective early, showing impressive cutback moves and power as usual. But as has been the case too often this season, the Vikings fell behind big and couldn't use Peterson. It's a concern going forward as the wheels continue to fall off on the Vikings' season. Peterson is averaging just 15.3 carries a game over the last three weeks.

Adrian Peterson with 857 yards rushing, trails the NFL rushing leaderr, Arian Foster, by 7 yards

PatsPulpit.com on AD's matchup vs my Patriots

Brandon Spikes + Jerod Mayo + Patriots Defensive Line vs Adrian Peterson - Adrian Peterson is averaging almost 5 yards per carry. He carries the Vikings offense and is a threat to reach the end zone. So far this season, the Patriots have done very well to contain opposing running backs. Here's the hit list:

Cedric Benson: 15 carries, 43 yards, 2.9 ypc, 1 TD, long of 10 yards

LaDainian Tomlinson: 11 carries, 76 yards, 6.9 ypc, long of 31 yards

Shonn Greene: 15 carries, 52 yards, 3.2 ypc, long of 8 yards

Marshawn Lynch: 13 carries, 79 yards, 6.1 ypc, long of 17 yards

Ricky Williams: 7 carries, 56 yards, 7.0 ypc, long of 17 yards

Ronnie Brown: 11 carries, 27 yards, 2.5 ypc, long of 5 yards

Ray Rice: 28 carries, 88 yards, 3.1 ypc, long of 8 yards

Ryan Mathews: 8 carries, 15 yards, 1.9 ypc, long of 5 yards

What stands out about this list? 1 Touchdown from a feature running back and it was all the way back in Week 1. They gave up a touchdown to a Chargers fullback in Week 7, but the track record is still stellar. Only 1 run of 20+ yards has been given up (Week 2 to Tomlinson) and the Patriots have done a good job of limiting first downs and big yards on first down, forcing opposing teams to throw the ball on second and third downs.

One large reason for this success has been from moving Vince Wilfork to defensive end and sliding Gerard Warren to the nose tackle position. Wilfork on the outside forces opposing running backs to run away from him, which means that Wilfork is eliminating an entire side of the offense for opposing running games. This allows the Patriots linebackers to shift accordingly to watch what games the running back will take. Rookie Brandon Deaderick has emerged as a solid player against both the pass and the run and looks to continue his success by breaking into the backfield and destroying pockets and blocking formations.

The main reason for the Patriots success against the running game, though, has been the tandem of Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes. Mayo has been a fiend on the field, making tackles everywhere and stopping plays before they happen. Spikes, a run defense specialist, has a tremendous nose for the ball and sniffs out plays and is always in position to make a play.

However, none of the running backs the Patriots have played match-up to the talent level of Adrian Peterson. He's a complete player and is extremely dangerous. The Patriots cannot allow him to break any tackles or he's going to move the chains. The Patriots need to do their best to funnel Peterson to the middle of the field and into the arms of Mayo and Spikes, hopefully not too far from the line of scrimmage.

Adrian Peterson leads the NFL is rushing with 684 yards

Adrian Peterson admitted he was surprised that he was on the sideline for some crucial third- and fourth-down plays Sunday night.
Backup Toby Gerhart saw his most extensive action of the season, and not just because Peterson broke his chinstrap on the game's opening play. Peterson was removed for many third downs even though he is vastly improved in the passing game. Coach Brad Childress said Gerhart's extra reps were planned in certain packages.

Adrian Peterson carried the ball 28 times for 131 yards and a touchdown and added two catches for 41 yards in the Week 7 loss to the Packers.
Peterson was a monster all night, taking advantage of a banged up Packers defensive line. He didn't catch a pass until the waning moments, as he's being taken out often on third down, but he contributed a 26-yard screen pass late in the fourth quarter. Peterson still hasn't fumbled all year after doing so 20 times in his previous three seasons.

Adrian Peterson totaled 88 yards on 18 carries and caught only one pass for 20 yards in Week 5 against the Jets.

AD says, Pick your Poison

"The whole key is stopping Adrian Peterson" Calvin Pace, Jets

With one less game than his nearest challenger, Adrian Peterson has forced more missed tackles (24 rushing and receiving) than any other running back in the league. Link

Rex Ryan on AD: “Simply put, he’s the best back in the league.”

ROTOWIRE: Adrian Peterson may be the biggest beneficiary of the Vikings' Wednesday acquisition of Randy Moss.
With Brett Favre struggling, Peterson has consistently faced eight and nine men in the box. Moss' addition may not solve Minnesota's run-blocking flaws, but the offensive line will benefit from simply having fewer defenders to beat off the snap. Moss requires constant double teams, something no Vikings wideout could command in the first three games, outside of Percy Harvin on occasion. Already averaging 5.6 yards per carry, the idea of Peterson now facing consistent nickel defenses is scary. He's now the favorite to lead all running backs in fantasy points this season. Link

Adrian Peterson was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday after rushing for 160 yards on 23 carries with two touchdowns in the Vikings' 24-10 victory over Detroit last Sunday. Peterson also had five receptions for 30 yards.

It is the fourth time in his three-plus NFL seasons that Peterson has earned the award.

Peterson's performance included a career-long 80-yard touchdown run, which ranks as the longest run by a Viking at Mall of America Field and is tied for the fourth-longest run in franchise history. It was Peterson's 21st career 100-yard game and 10th career run of 50-plus yards. Both are second in team history behind Robert Smith's 29 and 12, respectively.