Peterson learns to wait for it, wait for it

This might be difficult to believe, but the key ingredient to Adrian Peterson's 75-yard touchdown run Monday night in Houston wasn't his speed.

Sure, Peterson showed the ability to break away from the Texans defenders. But what was even more significant was that before he sped up, he slowed down. In a nutshell, he practiced patience.

"That's what it was," Peterson said Wednesday when asked about scoring on the opening play from scrimmage. "Those were the first words that came out of [running backs coach Eric Bieniemy's] mouth. How patient I was."

Peterson's willingness to let the play develop and his ability to pressure the linebacker into believing it was an outside zone play, enabled him to take advantage when the backside of the field came open.

The run exemplified Peterson's development from gifted athlete to complete player. There was a time when Peterson would have just taken off and hoped for the best. Now he knows better. That progress is likely to keep opposing defensive coordinators up nights.

"He's one of the most explosive backs in this league," wide receiver Sidney Rice said. "One of the best backs in this league. Top one or two, however you decide."

Vikings coach Brad Childress already has made his decision.

Childress -- who is going to be biased toward Peterson but isn't one who deals in hyperbole -- was asked about the comments LaDainian Tomlinson recently made to the Los Angeles Times in which the San Diego Chargers superstar declared himself the NFL's best running back.

"LaDainian is a hell of a back and he is entitled to his opinion," Childress said. "I'm going to tell you, my guy is the best football player in the National Football League, and he is the best running back in the National Football League, and I believe that."

Tomlinson's comments stemmed from a piece that ran in the Sporting News this summer in which legendary running back Jim Brown lavished praise on Peterson during a question-and-answer session.

"Jim Brown was telling Peterson he's the best runner he'd seen in a long time," Tomlinson told the Times. "I was sitting there reading it thinking, 'Wow.' The difference with me is you can put me out on that field and there will be nothing I can't do. I won't have to come off the field. Adrian has to come off sometimes on third down. Running routes, he's still not there yet. Great downhill runner, powerful, fast, all that stuff. ... But anything on that field you want me to do -- throw it, block -- I can do it. That's what I pride myself on is not having any weaknesses. And that's what makes me the best back."

Peterson, who can be as relaxed off the field as he is competitive on it, seemed unaffected by the comments.

"Really it doesn't matter, but it's Jim Brown and it's coming out of his mouth so I can see why it would definitely touch a nerve," he said. "The only thing I try to do is try to be the best complete player that I can be. And that means during the offseason if there are things that I can improve on that make my game better, that would help the team, then those are the things that I do. That's what I'm going to continue to focus on and continue to do, and I'll let everyone else voice their opinion."

After rushing for 117 yards on 11 carries on Monday, Peterson is expected to be among the Vikings starters who sit out Friday's preseason finale against Dallas at the Metrodome. That means his next action won't come until the Sept. 13 regular-season opener at Cleveland.

Peterson, already a two-time Pro Bowl selection, is hoping that game enables him to begin showing that some of the shortcomings Tomlinson brought up are no longer an issue. Peterson slowed his appearance schedule this offseason in order to work on fundamentals such as pass protection and receiving.

His hope being that he can remain on the field more often on third down and during the two-minute drill -- situations that previously have been reserved largely for veteran Chester Taylor. "I feel like I've made tremendous strides, and I look at it as far as there is always room for improvement," Peterson said. "That's what I look to do. Just improve each weekend and I'm sure the coach is going to ask more than that."