Peterson sets NFL single-game rushing record

[Sabbath]

From ESPN.com

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Adrian Peterson raced to the NFL's single-game rushing record at the midpoint of his rookie season. Who knows how many more records he could have at the end of the year?

After giving up the longest play in league history on a missed field goal right before halftime, the Vikings turned to their amazing rookie and Peterson delivered -- rushing for an NFL-record 296 yards in a 35-17 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

Minnesota (3-5) pressured Philip Rivers into one of the worst games of his career and made sure LaDainian Tomlinson didn't come close to matching Peterson's performance.

San Diego (4-4) lost a November game for the first time since 2003 and reverted to the shaky play on both sides of the ball that led to a 1-3 start.

Here's what Peterson did:

-- He topped 200 yards rushing for the second time in one season, a feat no other rookie has accomplished.

-- He scored two of his three touchdowns and gained 253 yards in the second half, helping the Vikings rally from a 14-7 deficit they faced after Antonio Cromartie plucked a missed field goal out of the air and returned it 109 yards for a touchdown.

-- He reached 1,036 yards rushing for the season, putting him on pace to smash Eric Dickerson's rookie record of 1,808 yards set in 1983. Dickerson's all-time record of 2,105 yards in 1984 is in reach, too.

Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson got hurt again, and backup Brooks Bollinger was much better in the second half that included a 40-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice that put Minnesota in front 21-14.

But it's easy to look good handing off to Peterson.

Earlier in the quarter, he burst through a hole off left tackle for a 64-yard score. In the fourth, with the Vikings holding a 21-17 lead, Peterson stretched for extra yardage and had the ball stripped at the San Diego 20. The Chargers recovered with 10 minutes left.

After they punted, Mewelde Moore returned it 42 yards, and Peterson needed only one play to put the game away and show off his unique blend of power, speed and instinct once again. He ran around right end for a 46-yard touchdown, giving his team an 11-point lead midway through the quarter.

On the game's final possession, the Vikings put Peterson in to get the record with a 3-yard plunge through the middle.

There were nine punts over a 15-minute stretch that ended mercifully on the action-filled final drive of the second quarter.

The Vikings took possession at their 20 with 2:24 remaining with all three timeouts, but they mismanaged the clock again and let it move under 40 seconds when Jackson ran from the pocket and was knocked out of the game with an apparent neck injury during the tackle.

Bollinger came in and moved them close enough for Ryan Longwell to try a 57-yard field goal. It was on line, but just short -- leaving Cromartie room to leap and catch the ball without stepping out.

He ran it back all the way, without being touched, and in the process gained 18 more yards than his team did on offense in the entire half.

Normally placid Minnesota coach Brad Childress was so frustrated he chucked his headset off. He was far more pleased after the break, despite two lost fumbles: one by Chester Taylor at the San Diego 3, plus the other by Peterson at the San Diego 20.

Rivers didn't have nearly as much fun. He went 19-for-42 for 197 yards.

He spent most of the game complaining to the officials, while the Chargers continually cost themselves field position with ill-timed penalties and made plenty of mistakes on both sides of the ball. Rivers fumbled two snaps and threw an interception midway through the fourth quarter that the Vikings turned into a short touchdown by Taylor to take a 35-17 lead.

Tomlinson rushed 16 times for 40 yards.

Simply Amazing. Looks like we have Gale Sayers in the making, hell he may already be better.

 

[playmaker7]

How the hell do they let a kid like this do that?

Good job AP though. The better AP.

 

[RipCity32]

Amazing, this guy just became a starter too. Absoulute beast.

 

[MapleLeaf]

In the same game where the longest play in NFL history happened.

 

[RipCity32]

In the same game where the longest play in NFL history happened.

Really, what happened?

 

[.GR]

109 FG return

 

[vikesfan]

I was at the game woot woot

 

[Whisper]

Simply amazing.

When Castillo went down, that's when things we're getting ugly in the run defense. But there are two things that are for sure.

AD is doing phenomenal, but Vikings fans better sure as hell hope that he's not another Cadillac, and Marlon McRee/Drayton Florence are just flat out horrible.

 

[vikesfan]

Simply amazing.

When Castillo went down, that's when things we're getting ugly in the run defense. But there are two things that are for sure.

AD is doing phenomenal, but Vikings fans better sure as hell hope that he's not another Cadillac, and Marlon McRee/Drayton Florence are just flat out horrible.

I think that he already has proved it by having 2 games with over 200 yards. I just want him to stay healthy.

 

[Whisper]

Huh? What was I questioning? He proved that he's an amazing RB, that is one of the most obvious things that's coming out of his sensational rookie campaign.

All I said was that Vike's fans better hope that he doesn't turn out to be like Cadillac where he burns out after an amazing rookie season.

 

[.GR]

I cant beleive how good he is doing. I thought Childress was doomed for good after he didnt draft Quinn, but it looks like he got the right guy.

 

[vikesfan]

Huh? What was I questioning? He proved that he's an amazing RB, that is one of the most obvious things that's coming out of his sensational rookie campaign.

All I said was that Vike's fans better hope that he doesn't turn out to be like Cadillac where he burns out after an amazing rookie season.

Please don't take that as an attack, it wasn't. I'm just saying no other rookie has had 2 games with over 200 yards his first season. I think he's a special athlete and should continue to be for years to come.

 

[Sabbath]

Huh? What was I questioning? He proved that he's an amazing RB, that is one of the most obvious things that's coming out of his sensational rookie campaign.

All I said was that Vike's fans better hope that he doesn't turn out to be like Cadillac where he burns out after an amazing rookie season.

Lyriks, barring any injury, this guy is amazing and much better than Cadillac Williams or even Reggie Bush.

 

[Whisper]

I'm just saying, its a bit early to say that he's going to have an elite career. Hot backs come and go, from Cadillac, McGahee, to Portis, to Ronnie Brown, LJ, Gore, SJax, and the current hot back is Peterson. LaDainian Tomlinson, ever since he came into the league has produced each and every single season consistently, in every point of his career the hotter backs have come and go but have yet to perform consistently as he has for seasons on end. The only one to come close to his consistency so far in the league today is LJ, but even he's a ways from taking over.

I like AD, he's a better runner then LT but LT is the more complete back.

And y'know, like they say, it takes at least three years to really judge a player/draft. I'm not denying AD's skills, hell no, that'd practically be blasphemous. I'm just saying, it's too early to judge how this guys career is going to be. Minnie currently has no passing game, and unless they get a stop-gap QB or Tavaris improves drastically in the next season, AD is going to be asked to do a lot of work early on in his career. And we've seen what heavy work loads can do to these hot backs.

I'm not against AD, I'm more worried for his situation.

 

[Sabbath]

To me Adrian Peterson will turn out to be Brian Westbrook. Obviously next year he will have a downgrade in statistics because of the "sophomore slump" year. And then you are right, it is the third season where we will find out what this guy is like.

But I'm telling you right now, blasphemous or not, Adrian Peterson will be an elite running back. Think Brian Westbrook, think Lenny Moore, think Gale Sayers.

 

[Whisper]

If things do pan out, Eric Dickerson is a guy that came to my mind.

 

[DJT]

Good thing I picked him up in my fantasy league...this guy is doing great.

 

[The Guid]

Good thing I picked him up in my fantasy league...this guy is doing great.

he is an absolute beast...how man points total did he get this week, I am curious.

 

[The Young One]

This guy was phenomenal.

 

[vikesfan]

he is an absolute beast...how man points total did he get this week, I am curious.

In yahoo he would have somewhere around 50 points on rushing and rushing tds alone. But he did fumble once, and I can't remember how many yards he got receiving.