This really is Adrian's team

Looking back at the Vikings' win while wondering how C.C. Brown must have felt chasing Peterson for 75 of his 80 yards on that touchdown ...

FIRST DOWN:

It wasn't pretty, but the Vikings of 2010 have to win the way the Vikings of 2007 and 2008 won. At least until Brett Favre and the passing game can get out of preseason mode.

In the meantime, the season is on the shoulders of the offensive line, Adrian Peterson and the defense. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Through all the bashing that was handed out to Peterson because of his fumbles, many people tended to forget this is a once-in-a-generation running back.

The 80-yard touchdown run was a shining example of what can be done if the offensive line can give this guy a crack at getting to the second and third levels. The play was an inside zone run. Center Ryan Cook, thrown into action when John Sullivan re-injured his calf on the first play, blocked MLB DeAndre Levy. Steve Hutchinson moved Corey Williams way off the ball. Right guard Anthony Herrera took care of rookie Ndamukong Suh.

Peterson was supposed to cut back left. Instead he saw daylight to the right, stayed on the front side and was gone.

A lot of backs would have been dragged down short of the first down. C.C. Brown, a safety, met Peterson five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, but couldn't get to him and then spent the next 75 yards losing ground to him.

SECOND DOWN:

Yeah, the offensive line wasn't perfect. Phil Loadholt had protection issues that included yet another defender hitting Favre's right hand as he was throwing. That resulted in another interception.

But the most impressive part of the game to me was how the Lions' improved defensive line went from flying around and making plays to bending over and sucking air. The Vikings' offensive line overpowered them and wore them down over the course of four quarters.

THIRD DOWN:

I mentioned a lot of this in the kill-a-tree edition, but it's worth mentioning again. Hats off to LT Bryant McKinnie. Many of us have beat on him since last December when Julius Peppers turned him into a revolving door en route to Favre.

Well, against McKinnie, Vanden Bosch had one tackle. I haven't watched a replay and studied it yet, but I also don't remember Vanden Bosch giving Favre much pressure.

"I did my job," McKinnie said. "When I'm healthy, I do my job."

The latter comment was a reference to the Peppers game last December. McKinnie said after the season that he was playing with a foot injury, which is why he had trouble with Peppers and why he skipped out on the Pro Bowl practices.

FOURTH DOWN: