See Peterson run, see the milestones fall

Jerry Holt, Star Tribune

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson rushed for 103 yards against the Giants and finished the regular season with a league-leading 1,760 yards, becoming the first Vikings player to lead the NFL in rushing.

The season for the Vikings running back became a game of following his numbers: first this, second that, most ...

By CHIP SCOGGINS, Star Tribune

Last update: December 29, 2008 - 1:02 AM

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Adrian Peterson suffered a double whammy on a 3-yard run in the first quarter Sunday. Not only did he fumble for an NFL-leading ninth time, he also twisted his left ankle and limped to the sideline.

The Vikings Pro Bowl running back missed the rest of the series and was visibly upset as he paced the sideline.

"The guys were telling me, 'Look at the clock, man. We've got a lot of time left. It's a long game. Just be patient,'" Peterson said. "'Don't think about it and just go out there and play ball.' That's what I did. I wasn't thinking about it. I just went out there and ran like I normally do."

He made history in the process. Peterson ripped off a 67-yard touchdown run on his second carry after returning to the game and won his first NFL rushing title, helping the Vikings win the NFC North title with a 20-19 victory over the New York Giants at the Metrodome.

Peterson rushed for 103 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries Sunday and became the first Viking to win a rushing title. He finished the season with 1,760 yards, the 21st-highest total in league history.

Peterson stressed in recent weeks that helping the Vikings reach the postseason was his primary focus, and the rushing title only added to his satisfaction.

"It means a lot," he said. "Got to give credit to those guys up front. That's where it starts. Without those guys I don't know where I would be. The [wide receivers] contributed to that also. It feels good. But the main focus is to get ready for this week. Celebrate tonight, have a little fun, and come back to work on Tuesday."

Peterson's second season was filled with milestones. In addition to his rushing title, he became only the fifth player in NFL history to rush for 3,000 yards in his first two seasons. With 3,101 yards, his rushing total ranks fourth after two seasons, trailing only Eric Dickerson, Edgerrin James and Earl Campbell.

Peterson reached 3,000 yards in only 30 games, which tied for the third fewest in league history. He is also the first Vikings player to average 100 yards rushing per game in a season. His 103.4-yard career average ranks second in NFL history, behind Jim Brown at 104.3.

More important to the Vikings is that Peterson stayed healthy through all 16 games. He had 363 carries this season and is only the third Vikings player to lead the team in rushing attempts in every game.

"It's good to go through the whole regular season without missing a game," he said. "It's kind of funny. I sit there and think, 'When is the last time that I've played a full season without missing a game?' It feels great. Those guys surrounding me protect me pretty good."

They certainly did on his touchdown run in the second quarter. On third-and-1, tight end Jim Kleinsasser created a hole by putting defensive end Justin Tuck on his back with a huge block. That gave Peterson enough room to explode for a 67-yard touchdown run, the second longest of his career.

"It was a great play call," Peterson said. "Those guys did a great job on the end. Jimmy made a great block. I just cut it up behind him and it was off to the races."