Access Vikings morning walkthrough: Peterson's hidden impact, Ragnar's big-stakes mascot holdout and more

September 22, 2015 at 1:44PM

Every weekday, we walk you through what's going on with the Vikings.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

— Running back Adrian Peterson put up impressive numbers against the Lions. But the boxscore didn't tell the whole story of Peterson's impact.

— Outside linebacker Chad Greenway played a career-low 14 snaps Sunday, but he knew a diminished role was possible when he agreed to return.

— The Vikings and their marauding former mascot got into a contract dispute, reportedly because Ragnar wanted to get paid $20,000 a game.

— Hoping to keep the Vikings as focused as they were after the season opener, coach Mike Zimmer feels "this is a good week to be demanding."

— Cornerback Jabari Price is back after serving his two-game suspension.

BEHIND ENEMY LINES

— Rookie running back Melvin Gordon, the No. 15 overall pick in 2015, was a bright spot for the Chargers in their loss to the Bengals two days ago.

— Philip Rivers became San Diego's all-time leading passer on Sunday.

— The Chargers, who lead the NFL in turnovers, need to protect the ball.

TODAY'S VIKINGS SCHEDULE

Players have the day off. They'll be back in the building tomorrow morning.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

The left side of the offensive line was a major problem area for the Vikings last season. Left tackle Matt Kalil did not perform well, particularly in the first half of the season, and his struggles were exasperated by the play of left guard Charlie Johnson, who was released after the season. The Vikings slid Brandon Fusco over to his old spot and so far the results have been pretty good. Through two games, those two have combined to allow just one sack and four quarterback hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. They both had a clean sheet against the Lions. Now, the season is still very young, but so far the blind side has been a much safer place for Teddy Bridgewater.

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Matt Vensel

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