MRI shows only sprain for Vikings’ Peterson

The MRI performed on the ankle of Vikings RB Adrian Peterson showed only a sprain, according to head coach Leslie Frazier. Peterson is expected to be limited in practice this week.

Adrian Peterson suffered a sprained right ankle in the second quarter of Sunday's victory at Washington, and interim coach Leslie Frazier said Monday that more would be known about the running back's status as the week progresses.

Frazier, speaking at his day-after-game news conference, said the MRI on Peterson had not been completed, but the understanding was that the running back had suffered an ankle sprain. It wasn't clear if it was a high ankle sprain.

On Tuesday, Frazier told 1500 ESPN radio that the MRI confirmed it was only a sprain but wasn’t sure how much weight Peterson would be able to put on it in Wednesday’s practice.

If the injury keeps Peterson sidelined Sunday, he would miss his first game since the 2007 season, when he sat out two games because of a knee injury. The Vikings play host to Buffalo on Sunday.

"We are still going through the process and just trying to determine the severity of it," Frazier said of Peterson's injury. "We'll probably learn a little bit more, probably on Wednesday when we come back and just see what he can or can't do."

Peterson had rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown on six carries, and he also had a 34-yard reception. However, he left after Washington's Lorenzo Alexander rolled on his ankle while tackling him.

Even if Peterson can't go Sunday, the Vikings appear committed to sticking to the run game. They ran the ball a season-high 38 times against the Redskins, and rookie Toby Gerhart picked up for Peterson, gaining 76 yards on 22 carries and adding his first NFL touchdown.

NOTES

Left tackle Bryant McKinnie on playing for new coach Leslie Frazier: "Especially when it's a new coach you like, you're gonna actually give it your all. So we definitely wanted to come through with a win. We've had a long season, so it felt good to be on the other side of the ball and get a win."

Running back Toby Gerhart on having to carry the load with Adrian Peterson leaving the game in the second quarter Sunday because of an ankle injury: "It's tough when Adrian goes down, your workhorse. You have to be ready to go in there, carry the ball, protect it, make my reads and make my runs."

QB Brett Favre won his first game under interim coach Leslie Frazier by keeping it simple. The Vikings relied upon their run game against Washington as Favre completed 15 of 23 passes for 172 yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions and an 87.6 passer rating. The key stat was that Favre did not throw an interception for only the second time this season and the Vikings did not have a turnover in a game for the first time this year. Frazier has made it clear he wants the Vikings to go back to being a run-first team and ultimately if they are successful in that it should help the veteran minimize his mistakes.

TE Visanthe Shiancoe caught three passes for 54 yards, including a long of 29 yards, as he was targeted six times in the victory over Washington. This came after Shiancoe caught only two passes for 6 yards in a 31-3 loss to Green Bay the previous week.

WR Bernard Berrian did not play Sunday because of a groin injury after being active for the previous two games but making no contribution. Two weeks ago Berrian was on the 45-man game-day roster in Chicago but aggravated the groin problem in pregame warm-ups and did not play. The next week, he played the opening series against the Packers, aggravated the problem again and was in for only one more play the rest of the game. Frazier and the Vikings medical staff decided it would be best for Berrian to rest the injury.

WR Percy Harvin led the Vikings with five catches for 32 yards and also had three rushing attempts for 14 yards. That was the second consecutive relatively quiet day for a guy who had nine receptions for 126 yards against Arizona on Nov. 7 and caught six passes for 104 yards the previous game at New England.

WR Sidney Rice caught only one pass for 20 yards in his second game back after missing the first nine games of the season following hip surgery in late August. Rice had three receptions for 56 yards on Nov. 21 against the Packers. Rice was targeted four times by Favre in Washington after being targeted a game-high 10 times in the Green Bay game.