Adrian Peterson nearly sidelined by bad reaction to seafood

DETROIT – Yes, Adrian Peterson actually did become ill enough to vomit and be downgraded to questionable on Saturday. No, he didn't become ill because he swallowed his chewing tobacco during a rough landing on the flight into Michigan, as Fox play-by-play man Chris Myers reported during the telecast.

"Man, I've been dipping for the past 10 years; swallowing dip," he said after rushing for 98 yards on 19 carries in the Vikings' 28-19 victory over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. "My body is immune to it. It doesn't affect me at all."

But one thing that does affect the NFL's man of steel is seafood. That was discovered during training camp in 2012 when Peterson ate gumbo, had a reaction and had to call head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman to administer an EpiPen injection and take him to the hospital.

Peterson became a spokesman for EpiPen and carries one with him for emergencies and, well, because he still likes to eat grilled shrimp occasionally.

He said he doesn't think he had an allergic reaction on Saturday, "but I'm sure it contributed to how my stomach was feeling."

"Sometimes, I love shrimp so much that I go against the grain sometimes," Peterson added. "I always make sure I keep an EpiPen with me."

Peterson was having a quiet game with 14 yards on 11 carries when he broke free around the right end for a 75-yard gain to the Detroit 3-yard line. That set up a field goal and a 25-17 lead with 6 minutes, 7 seconds left in the third quarter.

The 75-yard run was the fifth-longest run of Peterson's career. Three of those five runs have come against the Lions.

Meanwhile, the Vikings passing game took advantage of the extra attention that Peterson was getting early in the game. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw for 316 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers.

"That's what it's all about," Peterson said of the balance the offense showed. "You have to pick your poison. Are you going to stop the run or stop the pass? They crowded the line of scrimmage but we were still able to be effective running the ball, and it opened things up in the pass game."

Peterson was involved in the game's lone turnover, a fumble in a botched handoff exchange from Bridgewater, who was charged with the fumble.

"That was on me," said Peterson, who averaged 5.2 yards on 19 carries. "I definitely have to make a better pocket for Teddy. The ball hit my forearm, and it was a disaster from the start."

The Lions used the second-quarter fumble to extend their lead to 17-6. But Bridgewater and the defense would lead the team back for only its second division road victory in the past 17 attempts going back to 2009.

Peterson also showed his strength eventually, despite being able to eat only two Cobb salads from the time he vomited until game time.

"I really think things got blown out of proportion," Peterson said of Myers' report. "It just kind of opens Pandora's box, and that's kind of what happens. But I was able to kind of rest and flush it out, and I came out feeling good today."

And, yes, he insists it will never happen again.

"I'll never [eat shrimp] before a game again," he said. "I learned my lesson."