It was a thing of beauty, but more than that, a proclamation that the Vikings are going to run this offense through Adrian Peterson while Teddy Bridgewater continues to develop.
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The offensive line, which entered the season surrounded by questions, is quietly improving from week-to-week.
This week the inactive list included Ladarius Green who suffered his second concussion of the season, Jacoby Jones who is the only pure returner on the team and guard Johnnie Troutman who has been out since the beginning of the season with a broken arm.
The Chargers offense has struggled the last two weeks in losses to the Vikings and Bengals, but Rivers remained undaunted.
Axyl is probably going to get a game ball because Peterson was huge for the Vikings in the win. Their starting right tackle was on the left side.
On Sunday they met the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis. The inconsistency up front led to four sacks of Philip Rivers and forced several other hurried throws.
Adrian Peterson returned to being his usual beastly self with 134 rushing yards on 29 carries and he also led the team in receiving yards with 58 on just two catches (one was a 49 yard play).
Nor is the offensive line the only area hurting.
“He had a nice practice today”, San Diego coach Mike McCoy told reporters on Thursday. Third-round pick Craig Mager aggravated a hamstring injury in the first quarter. One of these passes resulted in an interception in the end-zone as Bridgewater lobbed up a pass intended for Charles Johnson but was easily intercepted by Steve Williams.
Chris Hairston (undisclosed) and Chris Watt (groin) all had to leave the game for the Bolts due to injury. And left tackle King Dunlap, heretofore the survivor of this unit, was helped off the field early in the fourth quarter. Cornerback Steve Williams was the last Charger with a chance at Peterson, as he began to high-step into the end zone around the 5-yard line. The Chargers will certainly be looking at that game for a blueprint on how to stop him.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. We’re not going to give up in a game. Come on in and join us for the second quarter!
Rivers suffered his second strip-sack in two games, former UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr jarring the ball loose and Captain Munnerlyn – yes, that is his name – recovering to set up an early Minnesota field goal.
Rivers was able to coax 40-yards or more from four receivers, with Woodhead leading the way and adding an additional 68 yards on six catches, while catching all six passes targeted to him.
However, after the game he said he just had the wind knocked out of him after a third quarter hit, which McCoy called a timeout after to let his quarterback recuperate.
Their past two opponents have sure felt it. Detroit’s Matthew Stafford and San Diego’s Philip Rivers each took plenty of painful hits, and neither of these prolific quarterbacks had a particularly hard day.
With the victory Minnesota moves to 2-1 on the season.
Then again, maybe a few concern is warranted.
“Yeah, that’s the identity we want to have”, said safety Harrison Smith.
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“Obviously not good enough of the entire football team on the road against a very well-coached football team”.
