Peterson wins weekly rushing award

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson was honored with the FedEx Ground Player of the Week, sending a $2,000 donation to the Minneapolis Junior Achievement cause.

Adrian Peterson has had an incredible 2012 season, but, for the first time this season, he was honored for his on-field achievements by being the named the FedEx Ground Player of the Week for his performance against the Detroit Lions.

Peterson ran for 171 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown – a 61-yard run that helped put away the Lions and their attempted comeback. He was a finalist with Chris Johnson of the Titans and Marshawn Lynch of the Seahawks.

If not for the Vikings bye week falling this weekend, Peterson would almost be a lock for the NFC Offensive Player of the Month and still might earn a lot of consideration despite playing just three games. In the two games he has played this month, Peterson has rushed 44 times for 353 yards and three touchdowns.

Vikings wide receiver Jarius Wright was one of five finalists for the NFL’s Pepsi Max Rookie of the Week, making a dynamic impact in his NFL debut replacing injured Percy Harvin. Wright didn’t win the competition. That went to Seattle rookie QB Russell Wilson, who threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns. However, Wright’s debut performance let it be known that, in a year when the Vikings have as impressive a rookie class as any in recent years, that they have another high achiever in Wright, who made the most of his first opportunity to shine.

SATURDAY NOTES

When the Vikings play the Bears next Sunday following their bye week, it will be with the Bears coming off a short week. Chicago plays San Francisco Monday night in what may end up being a battle for a first-round playoff bye.

The Vikings got hit with fines for hard hits in the Detroit game, but they weren’t alone. Lions wide receiver Ryan Broyles was fined $10,000 for an illegal crackback block below the knees of Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield.

While there is a furor over the personal seat license question, it is far from being without precedent. Not only have most NFL stadiums constructed in the last decade used PSLs as a way to create revenue to offset some of the construction costs, the Minnesota Twins charged $1,000 to $2,000 for a number of premium seats when Target Field opened, and the University of Minnesota charges an annual fee of up to $500 for premium seats at TCF Bank Stadium.

From the “Payback Is a (Don’t Say It)” Department comes this: The league fined referee Tony Corrente a game check for cursing at another official during the Nov. 4 game between Miami and Indianapolis. The problem with the obscenity was that he had his microphone open and everyone in the stadium heard it. It kind of sounds like a replacement ref move.

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John Holler has been writing about the Vikings for more than a decade for Viking Update. Follow Viking Update on Twitter and discuss this topic on our message boards. To become a subscriber to the Viking Update web site or magazine, click here.

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