The Minnesota Vikings have proven adept at overcoming injuries early this season. That toughness will continue to be tested.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said on KFAN Monday afternoon that Adrian Petersonsuffered a torn meniscus during Sunday night's win over the Packers. Zimmer later told reporters Peterson is currently "going through the evaluation process to figure out what the next procedure will be and the options that we have."
As torn knee ligaments go, this could qualify as relatively good news. When Peterson was carried to the locker room in a depressing scene Sunday night, there was a natural fear that Peterson could be lost for the season with a torn ACL. He should be able to return from this injury, although the timetable to return is unclear. Zimmer did not entirely dismiss the possibility that Peterson would play this week.
Peterson has made some miraculous recoveries from injury before, but the Vikings surely will want to take the long view here. They are 2-0 and have Super Bowl aspirations. Peterson had only 50 yards on 31 carries this season before the injury and they will want him to be fully healthy before he returns to the field.
They have an experienced backfield ready to replace him. Both Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata have been in this system for three seasons and combined for nearly 300 carries in 2014 after Peterson was indicted in a child abuse case.
While Asiata is a somewhat limited back, we believe he's a better player than he was a few years ago. McKinnon can't hold up as an every-down back, but he's a talented option on passing downs.
This isn't Sam Bradford's team yet. It will go as far as Mike Zimmer's talented defense takes it. But this is Bradford's offense, and it will be on Minnesota's new quarterback and No. 1 receiver Stefon Diggs to carry this offense until Peterson is back. With a road game in Carolina on tap before hosting the Giants and Texans, both currently 2-0, things won't get easier for the Vikings.
