Adrian Peterson 'ready to roll' with a sense of playoff urgency

The last two playoff teams that Adrian Peterson was a part of were about as similar as Brett Favre and Christian Ponder, the quarterbacks who started for those teams in 2009 and 2012.

Earlier today, Peterson was asked which of those teams he feels is most similar to this year's playoff team.

The team in 2009 was 12-4, earned a first-round bye and beat Dallas 34-3 at home before, well, you know. The win over Dallas is the last time this team won a playoff game. It also stands as the last playoff win of Favre's career.

The team in 2012 was carried by Peterson's 2,097-yard MVP season. Ponder played well during a four-game winning streak to clinch a wild-card berth, but was injured in the regular-season finale over Green Bay and was unable to play in the playoff loss a week later at Lambeau Field.

Peterson, as expected, said this year's 11-5 division champion team is more comparable to the 2009 team even if the quarterbacks are 17 years apart. Favre was 40. Teddy Bridgewater is 23.

"Of course, Teddy is not a Hall of Fame quarterback," Peterson said. "But he's definitely getting the job done. Each week, he continues to get better.

How much confidence do you have in Teddy Bridgewater? Vote here.

Peterson joined the Vikings in 2007. He made the playoffs in 2008, losing as a No. 3 seed at home to the No. 6 seed Eagles. Now, he's in his ninth season and his playoff record is 1-3.

So, yeah, he feels a sense of urgency.

"Coming here in 2007 and making the playoffs [for the first time in 2008] and here we are now, 2016, and here I am now 30," Peterson said. "I don't know how much longer I'm going to play, but you know you kind of look back and say, 'Wow, we really haven't had too many opportunities.' … You're able to see how fast time can go without being able to make it into the postseason.

"So the sense of urgency is definitely there on behalf of [the veterans]. That's why we've been coaching these young guys to be prepared and not take it for granted."

Peterson didn't practice again today, but he backed up coach Mike Zimmer's earlier comments that Peterson will be good to go despite being on the injury report with a lower back injury.