The Minnesota Vikings are concerned running back Adrian Peterson tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Saturday's 33-26 win over the Washington Redskins, a league source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora.
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier told reporters after the game that Peterson has a sprained knee and will undergo an MRI exam when the team returns to Minneapolis on Saturday night. There won't be an official determination of the injury until the Vikings are able to conduct further testing, sources told La Canfora.
The Vikings lost Peterson and starting quarterback Christian Ponder to injuries during a span of several minutes in Saturday's loss.
Peterson went down with the injury during the opening minutes of the third quarter when he was hit in the left leg by Redskins safety DeJon Gomes as he burst through a hole, his left knee bending inwards. Peterson was in obvious pain as he was down on the field, pounding the turf with his fist. Peterson had to be helped off the field by two members of the Vikings' staff and wasn't able to put any weight on his leg as he was brought to the team's bench. A cart soon came to bring Peterson to the locker room.
Peterson was on crutches after the game and still unable to put weight on his leg, according to ESPN 1500 AM.
"You take a blow to the knee like that, you're concerned about the ACL and the MCL -- those ligaments mainly," Peterson said. "I don't know. Just trying to stay as positive as I can and I'll just find out more once (the MRI results are in)."
Minutes later on the same drive, Ponder suffered a concussion. He left the sideline and walked to the locker room under his own power and did not return. Frazier would only say Ponder suffered "concussion-like symptoms" and would be evaluated in the coming days.
"We'll have a better feel for where (Ponder) is as the week goes on," Frazier told reporters, according to KFAN 100.3 FM.
Backup quarterback Joe Webb and running back Toby Gerhart sparked a scoring drive on the team's next possession, highlighted by a 67-yard run from Gerhart and capped by a 9-yard touchdown run by Webb to put the Vikings up 17-13. Webb went 4 of 5 passing for 84 yards with two touchdowns, as well as 34 yards rushing and the touchdown.
Peterson finished with 12 rushes for 38 yards and a touchdown.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
