Now, it appears to be back to a game-time decision on whether Adrian Peterson will play on Sunday.
"There's no reason to make a decision before Sunday," Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said after today's practice. "We're going to talk with him again tomorrow to see how he feels."
Until Thursday, Frazier had been saying it would be a game-time decision. But Thursday came and he said the team would know Friday night or Saturday whether Peterson will play.
Frazier might be sending mixed messages. More likely, it's just a case of semantics. Reporters desperately wanting to know the precise nanosecond the team will release the puffs of smoke from the Winter Park tower to signal yea or nay on AD's status. And Frazier living in the real world where it really doesn't matter if the decision is made Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night or Sunday morning, so long as kickoff remains noon on Sunday. Also, some would consider "knowing" what you're going to do and announcing your final "decision" to be two different things.
The Vikings have a plan for either scenario, so it's not like they won't know what to do if the decision is made Sunday morning.
Frazier's best comment today on the situation might have been, "But we'll definitely have an answer on Sunday, one way or the other."
Frazier also said Peterson feels fine after tougher practices on Wednesday and Thursday. Today was a short, light and unpadded practice day. But the Vikings still want to talk to Peterson tomorrow to see if there are any changes.
For the record, Peterson was listed as "questionable" on today's injury report.
