#3 – Peterson Posts Team Record 224-Yards Rushing in Victory at Chicago
October 14, 2007 - In a game packed with explosive scoring plays, Vikings sensational rookie running back Adrian Peterson stood above everyone else by rushing for 224 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries while leading his team to a 34-31 victory over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Ryan Longwell booted a 55-yard field goal as time expired to cap the Vikings second victory of the season and first win in the division.
Peterson’s performance was one for the record books, as he set a Vikings franchise record for rushing yards in a game, besting new Vikings Ring of Honor inductee Chuck Foreman’s 200-yard performance against the Eagles in 1976. Peterson also had one reception for nine yards and returned four kickoff returns for a 32-yard average.
After fielding criticism recently for not utilizing his star rookie enough in the offensive attack, Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress saw Peterson score on highlight-caliber runs of 73, 67 and 35 yards. Peterson also set up Longwell’s game-winner with a 53-yard kickoff return to the Bears 38-yardline.
Widely expected to be a low-scoring game dominated by defense, Sunday’s affair featured no scoring plays - including field goals - of fewer than 30 yards. While Peterson starred for the Vikings, it was the shifty Devin Hester who provided most of Chicago’s scoring.
Hester scored on an 89-yard punt return in the first quarter to give his team a 7-0 lead and then hauled in an 81-yard touchdown pass to cap the Bears late-game comeback and tie the score at 31.
The fire works began right away as the first half alone contained three scoring plays of 60 yards or more, as well as a 39-yard touchdown pass from Bears quarterback Brian Griese to receiver Bernard Berrian.
The Vikings answered Hester’s long punt return four plays later when Tarvaris Jackson, who returned to the starting lineup after missing two games, connected with speedy receiver Troy Williamson down the left sideline for a 60-yard score. The Vikings kept nine players in to protect Jackson on the first-down play, and the young quarterback from Alabama State hit Williamson in stride to tie the game at seven.
Coming into Sunday’s game the Vikings ranked first in the league against the run, but Bears running back Cedric Benson had success early in the first half against the staunch Minnesota run defense. The former Texas Longhorn had nine carries for 46 yards in the opening two quarters, but it was a long strike from Griese to Berrian that gave Chicago the lead again in the second quarter. Vikings defensive Antoine Winfield fell down on the scoring play, allowing Berrian to streak free along the right sideline and haul in a 39-yard touchdown reception to make the score 14-7 in favor of the Bears.
On second and ten from the Minnesota 33-yardline later in the second quarter, Peterson took a handoff from Jackson and sprinted to the left side. One stutter-step and cutback move later, Peterson was off and sprinting 67 yards for a game-tying touchdown.
Peterson, whom the Vikings wanted to incorporate heavily into Sunday’s game plan, finished the first half with eight carries and 105 yards rushing. Jackson completed five of 12 passes for 94 yards, with the 60-yard pass to Williamson.
The defensive highlight of the first half came via Vikings defensive linemen Ray Edwards and Pat Williams, who combined to force (Edwards) and recover (Williams) a fumble of Griese on a quarterback sneak in the second quarter. The turnover ended a drive that crept into Vikings territory, allowing the teams to head into the locker room two series later tied at 14.
Just when it seemed the explosive plays had subsided in the third quarter following two punts by each team, Peterson was back to his old tricks on the Vikings third possession of the second half. After a nifty play by Jackson on second and long that gave Minnesota a first down on their own 27-yardline, Peterson broke through the line of scrimmage and ran past the Chicago defense for a sensational 73-yard touchdown.
Vikings linebacker Ben Leber intercepted Griese on the following drive and after an acrobatic third-down reception along the sideline by Sidney Rice, the Vikings continued to attack the Bears on the ground. Eventually the drive stalled and Ryan Longwell came on to squeeze a 48-yard field goal by the right upright to give Minnesota a 24-14 lead early in the fourth quarter.
What ensued was a series of explosive plays that took the teams down to the wire in another hotly-contested NFC North contest. The Bears answered Minnesota’s field goal by kicking one of their own on the following drive. Robbie Gould’s boot brought Chicago back to within seven with 8:41 to play.
Peterson’s third touchdown of the game came with 4:20 to play and it seemed to give the Vikings an insurmountable lead. On the play, Peterson sprinted off tackle to the right side and out-raced two Bears defenders to the endzone.
After Vikings safety Dwight Smith intercepted Griese on the following drive the Vikings offense came on in attempt to run down the clock. The Bears offense responded by forcing a three-and-out, giving the offense possession with 2:56 to play and a 14-point deficit.
Grossman promptly threw a 33-yard touchdown strike to veteran receiver Muhsin Muhammad and then got a chance to lead his team on a game-tying drive after another three-and-out by the Minnesota offense.
Shut down on returns because the Vikings chose to kick away from him, Hester finally got his hands on the ball again in the final minutes of the game. Down seven with less than two minutes to play, the Bears called on Hester to run a deep route down the right sideline. Griese hit Hester in stride for the 81-yard score and the Vikings once-cushy lead evaporated.
But Peterson was there to save the day on the ensuing kickoff, returning it 53 yards into Bears territory. Four plays later and after Bears linebacker Lance Briggs blew up a run play, Longwell came on to attempt a game-winning 55-yard field goal. Longwell’s kick was true, sailing down the middle of the uprights and just over the crossbar, giving the Vikings a thrilling 34-31 lead over division-rival Chicago.
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