Packers aim to repeat muzzling of Peterson

GREEN BAY, WIS. - Packers nose tackle Ryan Pickett has never heard Adrian Peterson do much trash-talking on the field, but he has noticed something else about the Pro Bowl running back. "He just smiles a lot," Pickett said.

Peterson, though, likely wasn't smiling very much during the Vikings' 30-23 victory over Green Bay on Oct. 5 at the Metrodome. After rushing for more than 100 yards in three of his first four career games against the Packers, Peterson was held to a season-low 55 yards on 25 carries.

That was his lowest output since he ran for 32 yards on 21 carries on Oct. 6, 2008, at New Orleans. The Vikings also were victorious on that occasion.

"I don't want to say it was the toughest, but those guys did a good job of slowing down the run," Peterson said Thursday, when asked if the Packers game was his most difficult this season. "But still with that, we were able to move the ball effectively and contribute. Those guys are good up front, and you have to give them credit."

Peterson's 687 yards rushing this season puts him second in the NFL to Cincinnati's Cedric Benson (720 yards), but Peterson has failed to reach 100 yards in five games. Last week, he was held to 69 yards on 18 carries as quarterback Brett Favre threw 50 passes in a 27-17 loss to Pittsburgh. The key to beating Green Bay was that Favre had plenty of success, throwing for 271 yards and three touchdowns.

While Green Bay's defense knows it must do a better job against the pass this time, the primary focus will remain on Peterson.

"It definitely starts there," linebacker Nick Barnett said. "With him being such a talented back, if he gets to running and he keeps going they can control the game."

Pickett said the Packers managed to stay disciplined against the run in that first meeting and won their one-on-one battles up front.

"Our front seven did a great job of taking the edge away from him and the interior guys did a good job of just giving him no place to run," Pickett said. "We smothered him last game and that's what it's going to take this game. ... But it's hard. It's not an easy thing but we feel like we do have one of the best run defenses in the NFL and we feel like we can do it. We expect to do it. We expect to hold it under 2.2 yards per carry so that's what we're going to go out and do this week."