The Vikings lost 30-7 at TCF Bank Stadium on Sunday, but it's hard to accuse the defense of not doing its job when 24 of the Patriots' points came off turnovers and a 58-yard touchdown return of a blocked field goal.

It's also hard to point a finger when the average distance of New England's five offensive scoring drives was 33 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown "drive."

Or maybe it really isn't that hard.

"I know what you're saying," free safety Harrison Smith said. "But there's always going to be those kinds of stats, those kinds of excuses to say, 'Oh, we didn't play that bad.' But we should be like, 'So we have a short field. Let's be great. Let's make something happen. Let's make a turnover.'"

Well, if that's how you're grading, then, no, the Vikings didn't play well defensively.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady completed only 15 passes for 149 yards, with only one completion longer than 13 yards. But he also ran a turnover-free offense that gave up only one sack and churned out 150 yards rushing on 37 carries (4.1), including Stevan Ridley's second 100-yard rushing effort (101) in the past 24 games.

"They did a great job of game-planning us," cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said. "And we didn't make any plays."

A week ago, the Patriots gave up four second-half sacks while the Vikings notched a league-high five. Patriots coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels accounted for that with short drops and a strong commitment to the run.

"They really stayed with the run game a lot longer that we thought," linebacker Chad Greenway said. "But we couldn't knock them out of it. That was the biggest problem. The reality is if we shut them down in the run game, it would have changed their game plan and forced their hand a bit. But we just couldn't get that done."

As for going forward to next week at New Orleans, defensive players said they understand that they'll have to make more game-changing plays, particularly if the Vikings are without Adrian Peterson. Peterson was deactivated Sunday while he faces an indictment and possible suspension for reckless or negligent injury to his 4-year-old son. Peterson disciplined his son by spanking him with a switch.

"There's nothing that we can really do besides do our jobs," Smith said. "Thats' what we're focused on doing."

Smith said the players in the locker room have offered support to Peterson.

"We're always going to stand behind our guys," he said. "We obviously don't condone any of the alleged things and stuff like that. But we're going to stand behind our guys."