Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said following Minnesota’s 17-14 win that Peterson “might miss a week, he might not”, and that the injury has “calmed down”, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero.
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When he spoke to King about Bradford’s prospects in Minnesota, Spielman noted that he didn’t “think he’s ever been on a team with a top-10 rushing offense”. “The way they brought the tradition and the history of the team in, I think it’s really incredibly well-done”. After being examined on the sideline, Peterson hopped through a field-level club at the team’s new stadium toward the Vikings’ locker room. Then he hit Kyle Rudolph for an 8-yard touchdown pass three plays later.
Minnesota moved down field and eventually scored on a lovely throw from Sam Bradford to Stefon Diggs. Bradford completed 22 of 30 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns.
Only the penalty-prone effort of technique-starved, second-year corner Trae Waynes, somewhat erased by his interception late that sealed things, kept the Packers in the contest. Packers starting DT Letroy Guion left the game in the second quarter because of a knee injury.
As for the Packers defense, they were able to hold Vikings’ star running back Adrian Peterson all night. He ended with a 121.2 passer rating, the fifth-best for a Vikings quarterback making his first start. And: Isn’t there a better way to get a hurt player to the locker room?
“I was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time”, Waynes said humbly after the game. “He’s our quarterback now and he’s going to be one of us”. His favorite target was Stefon Diggs, who finished with 9 catches for an eye-popping 182 yards and a touchdown.
It’s not a good sign that teams gave up on Bradford in back-to-back offseasons, but the Rams needed a change and the Eagles were investing in the future.
And Rodgers, who has had some magical moments, hasn’t been MVP-like since early last season.
“He’s got some toughness to him”, Zimmer said. “But I need to just get louder”. There were plenty of other ways this also looked like past year, when the Packers finished No. 15 in the National Football League in scoring and No. 24 in yards. Maybe the Redskins, who not only have to be concerned about QB Kirk Cousins – only one TD pass and three interceptions so far, including an end-zone pick on third-and-goal at the 6 on Sunday – but also some internal finger-pointing, including defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois wondering aloud about why the defense never makes adjustments.
On the Minnesota side of the rivalry, it’s been one that’s famous for being invaded by Cheeseheads from Wisconsin and sometimes turning the tables on the Vikings’ homefield advantage. He fumbled the ball four times, fortunately only relinquishing possession once. “The defense fed off it, and that helps us win games”.
A stream of errors made the job easier for Rodgers, Vikings veteran cornerback Terence Newman was flagged for pass interference, which moved the Packers to the opposition five yard line.
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Any why not? Since Brett Favre, their own Hall of Fame quarterback, had beaten them twice wearing a Vikings jersey in 2009, the Packers had dominated the series.
