Washington D focuses all its attention on Peterson

Adrian Peterson has found Pro Bowl status and prime time games bring the wrong kind of attention.

"He's not a secret anymore," Vikings coach Brad Childress said.

Peterson rushed nine times for 27 yards and caught two passes for 21 yards in the 32-21 loss to Washington on Sunday night. Vikings fullback Tony Richardson said the Redskins often used four down linemen, four linebackers and a safety near the line of scrimmage.

You've heard of the Vikings' 2-deep defense? The Redskins kept one safety deep and left everyone else in position to stop the run.

"You have to give them credit for their amped-up defense," Childress said. "And I can put some of it on coaching -- we probably need to start throwing it earlier to back them away from the line. But I didn't want to see us throw it away when we were throwing it."

With the defense geared to stop the Vikings' running game, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson threw two ugly and costly interceptions. "It's going to have to be on the quarterback, wide receivers, tight ends to beat people," Childress said.

Peterson looked somber after the game. He said he is on his third different brace on his injured right knee. He's opted for lighter models the last two weeks, and said he would wear one again at Denver on Sunday.

Peterson rushed 15 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns upon his return from the injury, against Detroit. In the three games since he's rushed 15 times for 3 yards against San Francisco, 20 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns against Chicago, and nine times for 27 yards against Washington.

"I can't remember the last time I've seen a seven-man front," Peterson said, referring to the most basic of defenses. "They were definitely trying to stop the run. It's not frustrating. We knew they were going to stack the box. They just did a great job on defense slowing down the run.

"We gave them some gifts in the first half with some turnovers and didn't really get things going until the second half."

Rookie Marcus McCauley performed admirably in replacing Antoine Winfield as the Vikings' starting left cornerback earlier this season when the veteran sat out four of five games because of a hamstring injury.

But with Winfield inactive Sunday night because of a strained pectoral muscle near his left shoulder, the Redskins went right after McCauley and left him with a night to forget.

McCauley was burned on Washington's two second-quarter touchdowns that gave the Redskins a 22-0 lead halftime lead. Santana Moss was able to get position on McCauley to catch a 32-yard touchdown pass from Todd Collins on a second-and-10 play with 7 minutes, 43 seconds left in the quarter.

"I didn't play the ball well," McCauley said. "I was in great position to get the interception. I just didn't attack the ball."

The Redskins' next offensive possession ended with McCauley biting on a play that ended with running back Clinton Portis throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to receiver Antwaan Randle El. Collins pitched the ball to Portis, drawing McCauley toward the line of scrimmage. Randle El kept running his route, and Portis lofted a high pass that Randle El caught all alone in the end zone.

Earlier in the drive, Randle El beat McCauley and caught a 13-yard pass on first-and-10 from the Vikings 42.

There was some confusion on the touchdown because McCauley thought safety Dwight Smith was going to rotate over and pick up Randle El. "You really can't sit back on that one," McCauley said. "We just had a little miscommunication in the secondary. They got us on a good play. Portis had the ball in his hands so you've got to attack him. You can't play for the double pass."

McCauley's problems continued in the third quarter. Moss had an 11-yard reception on a first-and-10 play from the Vikings 32 that came in front of the third-round pick from Fresno State. That drive ended with Washington's Shaun Suisham kicking a 26-yard field goal for a 25-0 Washington lead.

Winfield, who did not miss a game in 2005 or 2006, has now sat out five games this season because of injury. He had returned Dec. 9 at San Francisco but was hurt late in the second quarter against the Bears.

Rookie receiver Sidney Rice was inactive because of a sprained ankle suffered last Monday night against Chicago.

Neither Winfield or Rice had practiced last week, although both were listed as questionable on the injury report Friday.

Rice's absence meant that receiver Troy Williamson was active after sitting out the past three games. Williamson missed the first two because of headaches that resulted from a concussion he suffered Nov. 25 against the New York Giants. Williamson, though, was a healthy scratch against the Chicago.

Rice entered Sunday night leading the Vikings with four touchdown catches and was second on the team with 31 receptions.

Also sitting out for the Vikings was linebacker Dontarrious Thomas, who has been bothered by a groin injury. That meant linebacker David Herron was active for the first time this season. Safety Tank Williams (knee) returned after missing three games.

With Thomas already out, linebackers E.J. Henderson and Vinny Ciurciu were both shaken up in the first quarter. Henderson left the game briefly after a 7-yard run by Portis.

The Vikings went to their nickel package with Henderson out, leaving Chad Greenway and Ben Leber in the game as the linebackers. Henderson appeared to be fine on the sideline and was able to return. Henderson declined to say what had happened after the game.

Ciurciu sprained his left ankle on a Vikings' kickoff return. He said he underwent an X-ray that was negative. Herron suffered a concussion.

Nose tackle Pat Williams left for a four-play sequence in the second quarter after being injured on a second-and-2 play on which Portis gained a yard. Williams returned to the defense on the next series and, like Henderson, declined to discuss the injury afterward.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has made it clear that his preference would be for a new stadium to be an outdoor venue.

Considering it was a snowy day in the Twin Cities and the game-time temperature outdoors was 18 degrees Sunday at kickoff -- it was 62 degrees and dry in the Metrodome -- Wilf was asked if he would have wanted to be without a roof on Sunday. "I'm an outdoor guy," Wilf said.

Asked if he felt it would provide the Vikings with a home-field advantage, Wilf said, "I'll have to give it some more thought."

• Vikings special teams ace Heath Farwell recovered an onside kick for the second time this season, setting a Vikings record with two on-side recoveries in a season and tying Terry LeCount with two in his career.

• The Redskins opened the scoring Sunday night by tackling fullback Tony Richardson in the end zone for a relatively rare safety. But it hadn't been as long as you probably think between safeties for the Vikings. They last gave up a safety on Dec. 3, 2006, when the Chicago Bears tackled running back Ciatrick Fason in the end zone.

• Twins catcher Joe Mauer received a loud ovation before sounding the Vikings' Gjallahorn before Sunday's game. Mauer was wearing a No. 7 Vikings home jersey.

JIM SOUHAN, JUDD ZULGAD AND KEVIN SEIFERT