#2 – Peterson’s First Career TD Leads Vikings to Season-Opening Victory
#3 – Peterson Posts Team Record 224-Yards Rushing in Victory at Chicago
#1 – Peterson Sets NFL Single-Game Rushing Record in Win Over Tomlinson, Chargers
Sunday, November 4 - In a game that included the league’s reining MVP and a hot team that had won three straight, it was the NFL’s leading Rookie of the Year candidate that stole the show in record-breaking fashion and wowed those in attendance, leading the Vikings to a 35-17 victory in front of a sold-out Metrodome crowd.
After a 224-yard performance that was thought to be quite rare against the Chicago Bears in Week 6, Peterson did the seemingly impossible by topping that performance with an NFL single-game record 296 rushing yards on Sunday. Peterson’s effort broke Jamal Lewis’ record of 295 yards set in 2003, and it brings his season total to 1,038 through just eight games.
Prior to the season, Peterson set a goal for himself – 1,800 yards rushing. After his sensational performance against the Chargers on Sunday, Peterson is now on pace to record 2,072 yards, which would easily surpass the NFL’s rookie rushing mark of 1,808 yards set by Eric Dickerson in 1983.
“1,800 or more,” Peterson said when asked if he would adjust his goal. “Like I said, I’m just going to take it one week at a time and not think ahead and we’ll see what happens.”
What happened on Sunday was record-breaking. Peterson broke a number of records on the day, including team rookie records for rushing yards and touchdowns in a season. He also became the franchise leader in number of 50-yard plays in a season and of course topped the all-time single-game rushing mark formerly held by Lewis. Also, he became the only rookie to ever record two 200-yard rushing performances in one season.
“I was out there playing ball, not thinking about the record at all,” Peterson said. “We were just pounding the ball and one thing we’ve been talking about all week is to finish, so that’s what I was thinking about.”
And while Peterson was tearing up and re-writing the record books, the Vikings defense was bottling up Tomlinson, a player who has already made his marks in the record books.
Arguably the league’s best offensive threat over his career, Tomlinson was virtually shut down on Sunday by the Vikings. He had just 40 yards rushing despite 16 carries and hauled in six receptions for 47 yards. Aside from his early touchdown, Tomlinson was a non-factor in the game.
Also held to minimal production was star tight end Antonio Gates, who had just one catch for ten yards. Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers was constantly pressured and had perhaps his worst game of the season. He was just 19 of 42 passing for only 197 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.
The opening quarter produced a scenario everyone was anticipating, as both Tomlinson and Peterson found the endzone on the ground. After each team’s defense forced a punt to begin the game, San Diego took over near midfield on their second possession and capitalized on the good field position.
Tomlinson’s score came from one-yard out and capped a ten-play, 53-yard drive that gave the Chargers an early 7-0 advantage. San Diego, following a script most teams use against the Vikings, came out throwing on five of the first six plays of the scoring drive. The key play of the series came on third-and-12 from the Vikings 30-yardline when Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers stood in the pocket and delivered a 17-yard first-down strike to receiver Legedu Naanee.
Peterson and the Vikings answered on the ensuing drive after rookie receiver Aundrae Allison’s 62-yard kickoff return. On the play, Allison faked a lateral to the left side and sprinted up the middle of the field for a big gain. Five plays later, Peterson bruised his way in from the one-yardline as well and the game was tied at seven. On the scoring drive, Peterson had three carries for 23 yards.
After two touchdowns in the game’s first three possessions, the Vikings and Chargers defenses took over for the rest of the first half. Tomlinson was held to 35 yards on 12 carries in the first half and Peterson garnered just 43 yards on 13 carries for the Vikings. The teams combined for nine punts after the two touchdowns, with six of those series ending in three-and-out fashion.
Long third-down situations and penalties, six against each team, hampered both offenses after the two scoring drives and the excitement was kept to a minimum, until the last few seconds of the second quarter.
Tarvaris Jackson scrambled for a ten-yard gain as the Vikings were attempting to get into field goal range and was tackled awkwardly by Stephen Cooper. Jackson remained on the ground after the play and was clearly injured; it was announced he sustained a head injury and that his return was questionable.
The late-half troubles didn’t end for the Vikings there. Brooks Bollinger came in to replace Jackson and was sacked on his first play. Then, after a short completion got Minnesota across midfield, Ryan Longwell was brought on to try a 57-yard field goal attempt.
The try fell short but Chargers defensive back Antonio Cromartie wisely grabbed the kick at the back of the endzone and sprinted down the right sideline. With most of the Vikings not chasing after him, Cromartie cruised 109 yards for a touchdown, the longest play in NFL history.
Cromartie’s improbable score and the mental lapse by the Vikings allowed San Diego to enter the locker room at halftime with a 14-7 lead, despite only 91 net yards of offense. The Vikings bettered San Diego in nearly every statistical category, yet the seven-point lead gave the Chargers momentum at half.
The momentum shifted six plays into the second half, however, when Peterson burst off left tackle, broke two tackles and sprinted 64 yards for his second touchdown of the game. With the play, Peterson notched his seventh play of 50 or more yards, a franchise record, and most importantly, he tied the game at 14.
But that was only the beginning of what was to come in this game.
The teams exchanged turnovers on the following two possessions and then the Vikings defense, which had played well all game, forced another Chargers punt with 6:56 to play in the third quarter. The Vikings took over on their own 19-yardline and were poised to drive the field to take the lead.
After five consecutive runs that got the Vikings out to the San Diego 45-yardline, Bollinger lofted a ball deep down the right sideline in Sidney Rice’s direction. Rice hauled in the pass and finished the play by diving over the front, right pylon for a touchdown.
The Chargers were finally able to toss some resistance against the Vikings momentum when their offense drove 63 yards on ten plays. Kicker Nate Kaeding came on to cap the drive with an upright-splitting 36-yard field goal try to make the score 21-17 in favor of the Vikings with 14:09 to play in the final stanza.
Peterson took over from there, tallying 57 yards on the ensuing drive but fumbling and giving San Diego possession. Rivers and company were unable to muster any production however, and the Vikings regained possession after a punt.
On the first play of the Vikings next drive, Peterson atoned for his mistake on the previous drive by ripping off a 46-yard touchdown run, giving the Vikings a 28-17 lead and everyone in the building an idea that something special was happening in front of them.
After second-year player Charles Gordon’s interception on the Chargers next drive, Chester Taylor got in on the action with a two-yard touchdown jaunt, padding the Vikings lead.
The scoring ended there, but Peterson wasn’t finished. Needing just less than 50 yards to meet and break the single-game rushing mark, Peterson sprinted for a 35-yard gain to begin the Vikings next series and then exited the game in favor of Taylor. One play later, Taylor exited and Peterson came on to record a three-yard gain and set the new record to a standing ovation from the home crowd.
Single-game tickets and a two-game mini-pack for 2008 Minnesota Vikings home games are now on sale. Fans can purchase tickets online via Ticketmaster.com, in person at all Midwest Ticketmaster locations, or by phone through Ticketmaster at (651) 989-5151.
Single-game ticket prices range from $30 – $135. If available, tickets for the Vikings game versus the Green Bay Packers will only be sold in the following two-game mini-pack – Green Bay (Nov. 9) and Seattle (Aug. 8) -- ranging from $96 - $176 per package.
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