Adrian Peterson on Sunday looked like the power-running, lightning-charged back we know so well.
Anchoring an offense that leans on him more with each passing week, Peterson helped put the game away in the third quarter with this 43-yard gallop through a rash of bewildered Chargers:
"My legs felt lighter today and just the preparation throughout the week helped with that, but I felt good," Peterson said after the game, per the team's official website. "The body felt good. My mind was in a great place, and yeah, I think I'm back."
Eric Weddle can't argue that assessment after the Bolts safety simply folded the tent trying to bring down Peterson in open space. If he isn't able to reach his peak speed of old, A.P. on Sunday still galloped with his trademarked force, churning his legs like a livid bull in a crowded marketplace.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer noted that San Diego effectively shut down the run early, "but eventually if you're doing that the whole time, usually things catch up to you and he made a great run, a couple great runs."
Said Peterson: "Last week, I felt like my conditioning wasn't where I need it to be and I'm not saying I wasn't in shape. I'm probably in better shape than 80 percent of the guys that were out there, but I wasn't able to really run the ball and recover like I was used to."
That wasn't the case on Sunday, which amounts to ideal news for a Vikings team coming off back-to-back convincing wins. Where they go next is anyone's guess -- but it will happen on the back of the game's finest runner.
