Sid Hartman: Peterson says O-line put him in good spot

Adrian Peterson, who scored three first-quarter touchdowns and finished with 122 yards on 29 carries in the Vikings' 34-10 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday, said he knew he needed to have a big day because his team needed a victory after starting the season 0-4.

"The guys played for four quarters, man," Peterson said. "Guys were really hungry today. We played a good Arizona football team."

Peterson sang the praises of the offensive line after he set a season high for carries in a game. It was his most carries since he had 30 against the Packers on Nov. 9, 2008.

"They all did a great job of establishing the line up front, putting me in some good positions to make some plays," he said. "Give me the load, you know, I feel like that opens up things in the pass game for our quarterback and our receivers, and that shows today. I feel like if we just continue to stay on the same page, continue to sharpen up some things that we need to correct, we'll be OK."

Despite the victory, the Vikings again failed to score a touchdown in the second half, as the Cardinals limited the home team to two Ryan Longwell field goals after halftime. Longwell also missed a 43-yarder in the second half.

Peterson ran 13 times for 86 yards in the first half, and 16 times for 36 yards in the second. The running back admitted the Vikings still have to find a way to have more offense as games go on.

"You know, 28 points in the first half, that was incredible," Peterson said. "But I feel like with the offense that we have, we should be able to come out and score more points. We had [an 82-yard] drive, a [73-yard] drive, we had a turnover on one of them and we weren't able to capitalize on a field goal on another, those are the points we left out there. We just have to make sure we're not leaving anything on the field."

It was suggested that the Vikings will have to score more in the second half with tough opponents coming up next in the Packers and Bears.

"I'm not worried about Green Bay and Chicago right now, Green Bay especially," Peterson said. "I'm worried about this victory and enjoying this, just winning. Then Monday we'll focus on Chicago and see what they have to offer."

Need more on offense While happy with the victory, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier repeated what he had said last week that the team has to score more points, especially in the second half.

"I liked that part that we won it," Frazier said. "I liked the way that our guys came out with great energy, great focus, just really having blinders on and concentrating on the Arizona Cardinals and nothing else."

Frazier praised the defense for getting turnovers and sacks, as well as the special teams, which saw Marcus Sherels record two great punt returns.

But as for the offense continuing to do little in the second half, Frazier said: "We have to get better at that. To come away -- I think we had two field goals -- we have to score some more points, some more touchdowns in the second half.

"We have to take a look and see what we're doing that's keeping us from getting those touchdowns. But we're going to have to do it. It's going to be hard to score 28 points in a quarter and rest on that the rest of the game."

Frazier called Peterson something special.

"He is the best back in the National Football League," Frazier said. "He's the closest thing to Walter [Payton, Frazier's teammate with the Bears] I've ever seen. I've always thought that Walter was the greatest back to play this game, and I watch Adrian and Adrian does so many of the same things that Walter did. Adrian is today's best running back in the National Football League, and maybe the best player in the league."

Limited Fitzgerald Larry Fitzgerald Jr., the Holy Angels product who is considered the best wide receiver in the NFL, wound up catching only four passes for 66 yards, with the longest reception going for 22 yards.

In 2006, Fitzgerald had 11 catches for 172 yards at the Metrodome; last year, he had seven catches for 107 yards. But Arizona lost both those games as well.

"It was tough. It's never fun to lose any game, but I've never won here at home, so it's just frustrating," Fitzgerald said. "We have to get it going in the right direction. [The Vikings] were good, really good. They have some talented players."

And then there is Larry Fitzgerald Sr., one of the outstanding media personalities in this area. Sitting in the press box, he said: "It's tough when you know I cover the Vikings, you get caught in the middle. It's an emotional deal because you want to see your son do well, but you obviously want to see the Vikings do well. It's a tough deal, it's unique, but I'm one of the few that can say he has to experience it."

Cardinals made it easy The Bears and Packers are not going to make it easy for the Vikings to score the way the Cardinals did in the first quarter. The Vikings scored 21 points over a stretch of 2 minutes, 53 seconds, and their offense only had to gain 67 yards over those three possessions.

Peterson's first score came after Sherels returned a punt 22 yards to the Arizona 18. The Cardinals had punted out of their own end zone.

The Cardinals lasted only two plays on their next drive before Brian Robison sacked Kolb and forced a fumble, which Jared Allen recovered at the 25. Five plays later, Donovan McNabb scrambled for a 4-yard touchdown run.

The Vikings scored their fourth touchdown on a 73-yard drive, but that was aided by a 36-yard pass interference penalty on Patrick Peterson, coming on a pass to Michael Jenkins. That drive ended with Peterson's 14-yard run.

Meanwhile, the Vikings defense had one of its better days to keep the Cardinals from mounting a comeback. But the Cardinals made it happen by giving the Vikings three easy touchdowns.