The Minnesota Vikings are making a playoff push and they need Adrian Peterson as healthy as possible beyond Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. Whether he breaks the rushing record or not, Peterson has to be out on the field with his teammates.
Peterson was rested a few minutes before the end of their Week 16 matchup against the Houston Texans as a precaution.
The Vikings are trying to make the postseason. That is their main goal. They are currently trying to lock up the 6th and final seed in the NFC playoff picture.
However, for Peterson there is a personal goal on the line. In the final regular season game, Peterson stands just 208 yards from breaking the single-season rushing record set by Erik Dickerson back in 1984.
The focus of the game will be winning. So without a doubt, Coach Leslie Frazier has to do whatever he can to help his team win the game and though Peterson contributes greatly to this offense, if he isn't completly healthy, then he should be rested.
Ultimately this means the record doesn't get shattered. Through the first 15 Viking games, Peterson has averaged anywhere from 15 to 31 handoffs a game. With an injured Peterson, the Vikings might be giving their running back closer to 15 touches in the game.
He will probably want to take as many snaps as possible, but the Packers are a no-joke, hard-hitting defensive team and they are determined not to give up the record and have Peterson run for 210 yards like he did in Week 13.
"I mean, I respect Adrian Peterson a lot," said cornerback Sam Shields (via the Star-Tribune). "He's a great running back. But he's a big threat. We need to stop him."
Ryah Matthewsw as on the same page as his teammate Shields adding, "You'd love to see a guy who has worked so hard and has overcome so much to win that crown - but ultimately that is against our defense. I don't think any of us want to see that happen. We'll do our best to try and contain him."
There isn't any doubt Peterson will be on the field helping his team get a victory to close out their playoff push, but the bigger picture is that the Vikings have to remain healthy in order to have a legitimate chance in the postseason.
Kickoff against the Packers is at 4:25 p.m. ET.
