vikings/nfl

The Chargers ran three plays, punted, and the Vikings made it 28-17 on Peterson's 46-yard touchdown run one play later.

"The game kind of got away from us," Chargers coach Norv Turner said.

It sure did. To the point that linebackers Shawne Merriman and Matt Wilhelm said it was "embarrassing" to give up a team-record 378 yards rushing, topping the previous mark of 328 at Denver in 1975.

"I don't want to watch 'SportsCenter' tonight, I know that," strong safety Clinton Hart said. "You just don't think it can happen, because it's never happened. Ever."

Unless the Vikings and Chargers meet in a Super Bowl, the next time L.T. (Tomlinson) meets A.D. (Peterson) will be 2011.

"[Peterson] has a bright future," Tomlinson said. "What happens is, as people start game-planning for you, you have to kind of take your game to a different level. He's going to learn that, and I don't think he's going to have any problems. He's off to a heck of a start. Probably one of the greatest starts of anybody by a running back."

Mark Craig • mcraig@startribune.com