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Peterson Powers Minnesota

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By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, The Associated Press

Published: December 3, 2007

MINNEAPOLIS - Wearing a brace on his right knee and playing for the first time in three weeks, Adrian Peterson was a bit hesitant on the first few plays of the game.

"I definitely wanted to go out and get that first hit and see how it felt," Peterson said Sunday.

Once he took a few shots from the Detroit Lions, some of which he felt were cheap, Peterson was off and running. So were the Minnesota Vikings, 42-10.

The star rookie rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns in less than three quarters and quarterback Tarvaris Jackson continued his steady improvement to lead the surging Vikings past the free-falling Lions.

"I got choked up a couple times, so it kind of pushed my buttons," Peterson said.

The favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year showed he is back in a big way, but the Vikings suddenly appear much more than a one-man show.

In the last three weeks, Jackson has shown poise, an accurate arm and command of the offense that simply wasn't there early in the season, and Sunday was his best game yet. He was 18 of 24 for 204 yards and two touchdowns, and the Vikings (6-6) scored TDs on their first six possessions to win their third in a row and fourth in the last five games.

"We feel like we're getting on a roll and we want to stay on that roll," Jackson said.

The roll has the Vikings back in the thick of the NFC playoff picture, thanks in large part to a November swoon by the Lions (6-6) that has an all-too familiar feel for their long-suffering fans.
Jon Kitna threw for 260 yards and one touchdown for the Lions, who have lost four in a row to waste a 6-2 start.

Min-Taylor 2 run (Longwell kick), 7:24.

Det-FG Hanson 37, 1:57.

Second Quarter

Min-Peterson 16 run (Longwell kick), 11:23.

Det-FitzSimmons 1 pass from Kitna (Hanson kick), 9:37.

Min-Allison 103 kickoff return (Longwell kick), 9:23.

Min-Wade 6 pass from Jackson (Longwell kick), 2:17.

Min-Rice 2 pass from Jackson (Longwell kick), :05.

Third Quarter

Min-Peterson 13 run (Longwell kick), 10:06.

A-62,996

RUSHING-Detroit, Duckett 3-22, Jones 3-1, O'Sullivan 1-0. Minnesota, Peterson 15-116, Taylor 14-70, Jackson 5-20, Moore 3-4, Dugan 1-4, Richardson 1-2.

PASSING-Detroit, Kitna 27-36-1-260. Minnesota, Jackson 18-24-1-204, Kluwe 1-1-0-27, Taylor 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING-Det., Furrey 7-57, McDonald 6-54, Williams 5-85, Jones 3-16, Walters 2-14, Johnson 1-17, Cason 1-11, McHugh 1-5, FitzSimmons 1-1. Min., Rice 5-53, Wade 4-54, Allison 2-52, Dugan 2-29, Taylor 2-17, Richardson 1-11, Peterson 1-10, Shiancoe 1-7, Ferguson 1-(-2).

MISSED FIELD GOALS-None.

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