Adrian Peterson didn't play poorly in the first two weeks of the season for the Minnesota Vikings, but his play wasn't up to standard that has come to be expected of the six-time Pro Bowl running back and former NFL MVP.
Adrian Peterson feels like himself again after shredding Chargers
Adrian Peterson racked up 126 yards and two touchdowns on only 20 carries and now leads the NFL in rushing.
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Even in Week 2, Peterson managed to tally 134 rushing yards, but he didn't find the end zone and the total came on 29 rushing attempts. In Week 3, Peterson found his groove against the San Diego Chargers. He finished the day with 126 rushing yards on only 20 carries and had a pair of touchdowns, including a 43-yard run that opened Minnesota's lead to 10 points at the beginning of the second half.
Peterson wasn’t happy with his showing in the first two weeks, but told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press on Sunday that after his performance against the Chargers, he feels like himself again.
“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.”
The big day for Peterson came despite the fact that the Chargers geared up to stop the run, according to Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. After holding the Detroit Lions to just 69 rushing yards in the opener, San Diego gave up 123 yards to Giovani Bernard of the Cincinnati Bengals on only 20 carries.
The Chargers weren’t able to turn those fortunes around and shut down Peterson.
“They were blitzing the heck out of us, trying to stop the run,” Zimmer said. “But eventually, if you’re doing that the whole time, usually things catch up to you. And he made a great run, a couple great runs.”
Much of the success for Peterson on Sunday came when the team shifted away from the shotgun attack and ran with Teddy Bridgewater taking snaps under center. Peterson previously told the Pioneer Press that he was uncomfortable with the shotgun rushing attack.
The performance for Peterson moved him past Eddie George and Tiki Barber on the NFL's all-time rushing list, where he now sits at No. 25 with 10,481 yards. He also leads the NFL in rushing this season now with 291 yards, edging the 276 yards gained by Matt Forte through the first three weeks.
Next up is a road game against the Denver Broncos, the NFL's No. 1 defense through Week 3. The Broncos have already forced 10 turnovers in 2015 and have kept opposing rushers to 3.5 yards per carry.
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